The media loves to present an image of women as ‘past their prime’ when they start menopause or even just hit their 40s. Walking and swimming are often presented as the best exercise – as though injuring ourselves is as inevitable the weight we will gain, and the muscle mass we will lose…
This is completely untrue! It is entirely possible for women over 40 to maintain healthy weight (lose weight if you like), gain muscle mass and become stronger.
Whilst there are challenges that present themselves during menopause, a lot of them are part of the process of aging combined with lifestyle, rather than menopause on its own. The reason we gain weight never changes: eating more calories than we burn leads to fat gain.
There are physiological changes which take place as we get older, and as we go through menopause, but an awareness of those changes can make them much easier to manage.
Both men and women lose muscle after 30 and muscle burns three times as many calories as fat. As we get older and muscle mass decreases, we need fewer calories each day. Women experience this to a larger extent than men because they have less muscle mass to begin with, so if we continue to do what we’ve always done – we will gain weight. The more we are sedentary or reliant on aerobic activity, the more muscle mass we will lose, and the fewer calories we will need each day.
But it’s a fact that strength can be improved at any age, and women in their 40s who train regularly can become incredibly strong. With continued training, they can hold much of that strength very late in life.
No matter where you are starting from, getting stronger is going to improve your quality of life. If you lack strength and muscle mass, this will worsen as you become older. If you are strong now, maintaining that strength and muscle mass is essential.
Cardio alone won’t cut it. But the good news is that when you start CrossFit…yes, even as a woman over 40…you will get stronger – often quite quickly. The gains become more gradual as your strength increases, but if you continue to work out you will lose your muscle mass at a much slower rate as you get older. This means that while you may still need fewer calories, the slowing of your metabolism won’t be as significant.
We’ve seen people well over 70 gain strength and dramatically improve function, so if you’re over 40, it’s definitely not too late to start.
Remember, It’s never too late to start working out. Here’s the best part of all: People who start working out usually notice changes in strength fast. As the body “wakes up” and connects the brain to the muscles that are already there, people get stronger very quickly.
Later, with great training and nutrition, people generally notice a few more changes. Their clothes start to fit differently, movement becomes easier and more fun, and they usually add a little bit of muscle.
We’d love to help you accomplish your goals. We specialize in building strength in people over 40, and we’ll tell you exactly how we can help you do it in a free consultation.