Don’t Forget the Weights

Because so few people get regular amounts of exercise in their day—an estimated 30 percent overall—any news about the health benefits of exercise revolve around moderate amounts and activities that aren’t weight-bearing.  But doctors from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons don’t want people to forget that weight-bearing exercises are very important, particularly for women.

Osteoporosis is very common among women.  It’s estimated that one in three women—one in three!—will get osteoporosis at some point in their lifetime (compared to one in 50 men), and osteoporosis is believed to be the leading degenerative disease in the developed world.  As such, doctors and dieticians are quick to advise women of the importance of including bone-building supplements and vitamins into their diet on a regular basis.  And considering that osteoporosis usually afflicts women in their later years, this call to action takes on a whole new dimension when women pass their 65th birthday.

Of course, any type of exercise is great, but weight-bearing exercises are the ones that really add mass and development to weakening bones.  There are so many things that women can’t control when it comes to bone loss (e.g., slight build, advancing age, family history of osteoporosis), but one thing you definitely can control is the kind of exercises you do.

If you only do exercises that aren’t weight-bearing (e.g., bicycling, swimming, aerobics, water aerobics, yoga), you can still do them, of course.  Just start to include weight bearing exercises a bit more.

How you introduce more weight-bearing exercises into your exercise routine will depend a lot on how frequently you exercise at present.  For instance, if you exercise five times a week with non weight bearing exercises, replace one of those sessions with a weight bearing activity.  But if you exercise two to three times a week, do one weight bearing activity every other week for starters.

By definition, a weight bearing activity is any activity that requires you to stand up and support yourself.  But to really reap the maximum benefit from weight bearing exercises—and in turn, reap the most bone-building benefits—include one of the following exercise programs into your regimen:

• Fast-paced walking
  
  
• Jogging
  
  
• Running
  
  
• Weightlifting
  
  
• Boxing or kickboxing

Remember, a weight-bearing exercise is any activity that requires you to move around and stand on your own two feet.  So whatever it is, implement some form of weight-bearing exercise program into your routine to reap those aforementioned bone-building benefits.

Sources
womenshealth.gov
health.yahoo.com
nof.org
samaylive.com