The most important piece

Everyone hates strength training. It is the first thing that gets skipped in the health challenge. It has been in every challenge we have done in the past. I have even been asked to scratch it from the challenge before. But what many of you don't realize, is that strength training is one of the most important pieces of the challenge.

That is a pretty bold statement, I know but it is true. Why? Isn't strength training just for guys who want to be "cut" or "ripped"? Isn't cardio better for burning calories? Why do I push strength training so much?

Muscle needs more calories than does fat. So, if more of your body is made up of lean muscle you are using more calories on a daily basis. If you are trying to lose weight, more lean muscle will help you burn more calories (assuming your caloric intake remains the same each day).

Strength training improves bone density. Bone density is important as it decreases with age. Regular strength training can help offset some of these loses that come with age. If osteoporosis runs in your family, this is even more important. Falls resulting in bone breaks are a significant health problem in older adults and it is never too soon to begin protecting against this.

Building muscular endurance and strength helps aids activities of daily living (ADLs). Carrying groceries up the stairs, lifting boxes from storage shelves, and hauling the car seat in and out of the house become easier. Being able to perform ADLs will affect your quality of life, especially as you age.
Correcting muscular imbalances through strength training decreases the risk for muscular, tendon, and ligament injuries.

So what counts as strength training and how can you work it into your day? First of all, you don't have to go to the gym and bench press to strength train. You have all the equipment you need. Body weight exercises, that can be done anytime, anywhere, are very effective.  Try this workout: 2 sets of 20 pushups, 20 squats, 20 tricep dips, 20 lunges, and 2/15-30 second planks. You can do yoga, pilates, or use strength bands. Have a favorite show? Get a set of light free weights and do the following workout: 3 sets of 15 repetitions of bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, reverse fly (bent over fly), chest press, and weighted lunges. Finish with 50 crunches.

If you would like a strength workout, please email or Facebook me. I would be happy to send you a quick workout you can follow and tailor it to the time you have and the equipment you would like to use. Make it a priority to find the time, whether it is two 10 minute time periods or 30 minutes. Do this three times a week and by the end of the challenge, you will notice changes in your strength and endurance.

Remember that this is supposed to be a challenge and it is supposed to take some planning and work to adopt healthy behaviors.

"Change doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and work and dedication. But the reward of success is worth the effort. Every time."

Becky