As a fitness nurse I have helped hundreds of people lose weight ove the years. Here is a list of bullet points for a healthy vibrant female body
- The majority of active adult women are walkers, joggers and group exercisers. Only a small percentage participates in regular strength training.
- The average American woman adds approximately 10 pounds of fat/decade and looses 5 pounds of muscle/decade.
- Fat Free Mass-A pound of lean muscle burns 35-50calories/day at rest……So, as women age and are losing muscle mass, their natural ability to lose weight also decreases. Participants in the Framingham Study showed an average weight gain of 25 pounds between the ages of 30-60, despite metabolic testing that showed they were expending 99.9% of the calories they ingested through their activity. Take home message……It wasn’t their diet that caused the weight gain; it was the loss of lean muscle tissue and changes in their hormone levels. Women HAVE TO strength train! (Neat fact-A pound of fat only burns 2 calories/day at rest.)
- Caloric restriction below energy needs sets off a survival mechanism in the body which results in a lowering of the metabolic rate on average by 15%. In addition to lowering the metabolic rate, studies show an increase in fat storage when participants ate too few calories. Other studies have compared elite gymnasts and runners; those with the highest body fat percentages had the lowest calorie intake. Take home message……..although calories in must be less than calories expended for weight loss, a person can make weight loss a lot harder by eating too few calories.
- Hormones:
- Estrogen peaks during pre-menstrual period. High estrogen levels increase insulin sensitivity→ rapid drops in blood sugar→cravings. High estrogen and insulin levels are also associated with water retention, bloating, cramping and mood swings. Take home message…..These issues are biological and REAL!
- Progesterone peaks following ovulation and causes an increase in body temperature and metabolic rate. During this increase, a woman burns 200-300 calories more per day! This is a good thing! Take home message……At menopause, women loose the advantage of this additional calorie burn every month. Loss of this function alone could cause a weight gain of 4-6 pounds/year if there is not adjustment in energy expenditure or food intake. So, menopausal women either need to decrease caloric intake, exercise more or add more muscle mass just to maintain their weight.
- Cortisol is one of the body’s stress hormones. Increased cortisol causes the body to get more efficient at storing fat, especially in the abs, hips, thighs and waist. Take home message…..high stress levels and poor sleep habits make it hard to lose weight. In addition, any stress to your body causes cortisol to be released…so smoking or even over-exercising also inhibit weight loss. If you are working out too much and not losing the weight you want, consider cutting back the exercise.
- Exercise plan-A one-year study by Morse & Colleagues in 2006 revealed outstanding results using 1,500 peri-menopausal women in their 40s-60s. Program components:
- Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor.
- Cardio activity was incorporated at a low to moderate intensity level, not to exceed 80% max HR.
- High load training proved best for bone mineral density so weight, not reps, was increased when load became too easy.
- Exercises were done standing to provide additional weigh bearing benefit for bone density.
- Core training exercises were added with Time Under Tension (moving through a weighted exercise slowly and controlled).
- Stretching was incorporated to reduce stiffness.
- Cardio vs. Strength? Clients with average activity level can burn 5-7 calories/minute during aerobic exercise and 5-8 calories/minute performing strength training. Take home message…..don’t fall into the trap of thinking that cardio is better for fat burn. Both are great!
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