Call 619-395-4899 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Call 619-395-4899 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Lifting Weights Can Lead to Healthier, Happier Aging

Posted by Dhina Valencia, April 23, 2019

If you’ve never lifted weights, or haven’t been to a gym in quite some time, you might find it odd that many adults over 60 are now picking up the practice. But research shows that lifting weights can actually lead to healthier, happier aging in several important ways.

Replacing lost muscle mass. By our early forties, we’re already losing muscle mass at a rate of about 5 percent per decade. And because muscle mass is related to metabolism, lost muscle tissue contributes to slowed metabolism as we age.

But that’s not an inevitability that you have to accept! Those who begin a strength training regimen at any age can replace some of this lost muscle mass. You will feel stronger and enjoy a boosted metabolism as a result.

Build denser bones. Weight lifting isn’t all about building bigger muscles, either. It also contributes to healthier bones by increasing their density. Since we tend to lose bone mass at a rate of 1 percent per year after age 40, aging makes us more prone to fractures and breaks (even after minor falls and other accidents). Osteoporosis, too, is another concern.

Numerous studies have shown that lifting weights can slow the rate of bone density loss, and some even demonstrate a reversal of the problem! So not only will a weight training program help you increase muscle mass; it can protect and repair your bones as well.

Improve your mood. We know that any form of exercise is beneficial for mood, and weight training is no different. Studies have shown that lifting weights at least once per week boosts emotional health and leads to greater confidence in all areas of life.

Those are just the health benefits. You might also find that attending the gym regularly keeps you active, helps you make new friends, and encourages you to organize a daily schedule that includes outings. And of course, you’ll enjoy feeling stronger and more capable of completing daily tasks.

So, give weight lifting a try, but do consult your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen. Working with a personal trainer, at least for a few sessions, can help you learn the appropriate techniques and amount of weight to use, so that weight lifting can become a safe and enjoyable activity for you.

Need more information on your insurance options?

Contact us online to learn more

Contact Us

Close Accessibility Tools
Accessibility Controls Reset
Content Adjustments
Font Size

Default

Line Height

Default

Content Scaling

Default

Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Highlight Forms
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Focus Mode
Color Adjustments
Desaturate
Monochrome
Contrast

Default

Saturation

Default

Accessibility Statement

Despite our attempts to make this website accessible for everyone, there may still be some pages or sections that are not completely accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or do not have a suitable technological solution to make them accessible. Nevertheless, we are always striving to enhance our accessibility by adding, updating, improving its options and features, and incorporating new technologies.

We want to provide our users with the best experience possible, so we strive to support as many browsers and assistive technologies as possible.

If you wish to contact this website's owner, please use the contact form on the website.

Our User Interface Adjustment Options

Font adjustments - With this tool, users can modify font size, style, letter spacing, and line height for improved alignment and readability.

Color adjustments - Users can customize their color contrast profiles to light, dark, desaturated, and monochrome.

Content highlighting - Users can prioritize key elements such as links, forms, and titles.

Content focus - Users can enable focus mode to highlight the current page information based on their mouse movement.

Close