Part 9 - It's absolutely good for you!

My figure debut had me reflecting on what motivated me to compete. I'm very goal oriented and having a target is helpful to continue improving. Initially, my goal was to lose weight without looking frail and it escalated from there.

Following my bodybuilding days, I stopped going to the gym for years, favouring other recreational activities. I returned to prove physiotherapists wrong. I had dislocated an elbow and the doctors told me I'd never have complete mobility of my arm again. With the use of resistance training, I provided my own therapy by patiently bending and stretching my arm while holding a dumbbell. The result, my arm is perfectly normal now. It was a long and worthwhile process indeed.

For a while, the gym took a back seat to dancing. I once again returned to weight training and healthy eating with a new set of goals...to fight the effects of menopause, defy aging and prevent cancer. Family history puts me at risk of ovarian cancer and staying lean allows me to be more in touch with my body. I'll be able to feel something developing sooner than if I were carrying extra weight. Besides that, the experts say that fat in the midsection stimulates cancer cells.

I believe that everyone should do at least a little bit of weight or resistance training. It strengthens the bones, improves your metabolism and makes you look and feel good. How can anyone not want those things? Taking it to the competitive level is not for everyone, but including it in your lifestyles has a long list of benefits that can't be denied.

Not only does weight training strengthen the muscles, it strengthens the bones as well. As we age, we're constantly being told to increase our calcium intake to prevent osteoporosis. In osteoporosis, the bones become brittle and weak and have a greater risk of fracture. This can greatly affect our mobility and lifestyle. Taking extra calcium is not enough. Weight training aids in the retention of calcium in your bones and keeps the bones strong. The weight bearing action causes the muscles and tendons to pull on the bones, which in turn stimulates the cells to produce more bone. The load on the bones can be created by your own body weight, as in running or dancing, or with external weights like in a weight training program. Osteoporosis affects both men and women. Postmenopausal women are particularly prone as they lack estrogen.

Muscles protect the joints like a shock absorber. Prior to returning to the gym, I had arthritis in my elbows, hands and knees. It wasn't yet in it's advanced stages, but I was determined to stop it in its tracks before it got any worse. It hurts to train with arthritis at first, but as the muscles develop the pain slowly decreases. My arthritic pain is completely gone now, and I plan on keeping it that way by continuing my training into my old age. That retirement residence better have a fitness centre!

Some are concerned that weight training can actually promote joint pain and cause injury, however, that would be due to improper technique and/or training too heavy. If you've never worked out with weights before, it's recommended that you seek the advice of a personal trainer to get started. Take baby steps at the beginning and don't forget to stretch before and after your workouts.

So how does weight training increase your metabolism? It does that in three ways:

1. The body burns more calories while exercising than it does while sitting, so any kind of activity is better than being inactive.
2. Exercises that challenge the muscles requires the body to continue working post-exercise in order to repair the muscle tissue.
3. The body expends more energy maintaining lean muscle mass than fat.

I could go on and on about the benefits of weight training...and perhaps I will later. We haven't discussed how it helps depression, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The medical world is even claiming that exercise aids in keeping Alzheimer's at bay by increasing blood flow to the brain. For now, at least we've covered of few important benefits.

In general, the message is that it's good to get fit and stay fit. And that doesn't just mean exercising, it also means eating properly, sleeping regularly and improving flexibility. Keep your mind fit as well. I exercise my mind by reading and playing word games. Writing this blog is definitely challenging my brain cells!

Next on the agenda, fixing some mistakes..........