Of the many people I talk to who want to make positive changes in their lives, several include exercise as one of their goals. I highly encourage incorporating a regular workout program as you create and maintain a healthy life, because exercise offers physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual benefits when done properly. Here in Jacksonville Beach we are fortunate to have a superb personal trainer who designs customized programs based on your individual goals and needs. Patty Soud, the owner of Fitness By Patty, kindly accepted my request to provide YOU with some info you could use in your quest to lead a happier, healthier life.

Improve Your Quality of Life with Strength Training

By Patty Soud, Certified Personal Trainer & Group Fitness Instructor

It’s uncanny how many people rationalize their way out of exercising. I often hear people say they want to work out BUT they’re “too old”, “too busy”, “too far away from a gym”, “too tired”, “too big to start now”, and sometimes all those things combined! Well, all those excuses may seem real, but in the end, we all know they are just excuses. If you really want to do something, you will do whatever it takes to make the time, energy, and mindset required to accomplish your goal. So, let’s take a look at why strength training is something you really want to do – even if you don’t know it! Your Body Over Time Once we reach our 30’s, a physically inactive person will lose approximately a half a pound of muscle mass every year up to the age of 50. After 50, muscle loss speeds up. In fact, if you’re an average, inactive 50 year old, you can expect to lose an additional 30% of your muscle mass by the time you reach 70. If all that muscle loss isn’t enough, consider these other physical changes:

• Diminished flexibility – which can lead to increasing injuries
• Slowing metabolic rate – which makes it harder to maintain a healthy weight
• Motor nerves deteriorate – slowing down our reaction time
• Balance and hand-eye coordination weaken
• Calcium diminishes – which can lead to weak bones and increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis
• Our body is less able to properly utilize glucose – putting us at risk for diabetes.

So, how can we minimize the effects of aging and enjoy a high quality of life? Strength Training is the answer. Research has shown that strength training benefits men and women of all ages. One study indicated that life expectancy was increased even in people who didn’t start working out regularly until they were in their 70’s! Essentially, the less you move your body, the faster it breaks down. Strength training does more than just increase muscle strength and help you look buff, it offers numerous benefits that can help you live a healthy, happy life. Not sure strength training is something you need in order to be happy? Consider these physical, mental, and emotional benefits:

• Slows muscle loss
• Maintains and/or increases joint flexibility
• Increases metabolism and weight loss – more muscle mass requires the burning of more calories, even when you’re at rest, making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight. (One pound of muscle burns about 50 calories an hour, while one pound of fat only burns 2 calories an hour.)
• Provides arthritis relief – One study by Tufts University showed strength training decreased pain by 43% while also minimizing the signs and symptoms of the disease.
• Slows bone loss and increases bone density to protect you from osteoporosis
• Improves brain function as the coordination required by strength training helps keep your brain active
• Improves balance and decreases your risk for injury
• Improves glucose metabolism and control so you are less likely to develop diabetes, or need as much medication
• Improves your mood – strength training can provide similar improvements for depression as anti-depressant medications
• Reduces your risk of heart disease – one study found that cardiac patients showed increased aerobic capacity as a result of strength training

Additionally, I have worked with clients who found strength training to help them feel more spiritually connected, especially when doing strengthening yoga, Pilates, and similar strength training formats. If all of this doesn’t convince you, think about it this way – You want to live a happy, fulfilling, successful life, right? How will you be able to do that if you’re always sick, in pain, unable to enjoy your favorite activities, or worse? Strength training can help you achieve your goals – directly and indirectly. So get rid of your excuses and make time to look, feel, and create a better life than you imagined!

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Patty Soud has been a Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor since 2003. She creates individualized, effective and functional programs that help her clients reach their specific goals whether weight loss, sport-specific needs, pain relief, or general quality of life. Learn more about Patty and schedule a complimentary fitness consultation by visiting her website: www.FitnessByPatty.com