GUEST COLUMN
MATURE WOMEN &
FITNESS
A special guest column
by
JOYCE L. ORCHARD
Osteoporosis!
Arthritis! Is that the
reason why I want to use weights or do something called “strength
training”…whatever THAT means? Don’t just football players and
the guys at the gym go through that torture? Perhaps those females in the
bodybuilding magazines go through those types of workouts…and I
certainly do not want to look like them! I want to look like a woman and
feel like a woman with body parts that do not jiggle when I
walk…and I do not want to end up crippled with osteoporosis or
arthritis or something. What am I to do?
There have been many dead ends. I have attended countless
aerobics classes, water classes, step classes, yoga classes, and
sculpting classes over the years. My body did not look or feel
“tight” after any of these classes. I wondered why. Wasting time and money on
“fitness programs” that did not work frustrated me. Should I take more
classes? Should I walk
more? I certainly did
not have time for any or all of those alternatives.
I should have known all of the answers to my
problem. After all, I
had taught all of those classes as a Nationally Certified
Fitness Instructor, licensed by the Aerobics & Fitness
Association of America. However, until I started to use
weights and utilize resistance (“strength training”) to train my
muscles, I did not see or feel changes in my body.
All of a sudden, it started to make sense. When I lifted weights against a
force of gravity, I caused my muscles to work harder than my
muscles had previously worked. I “stressed” my muscles that, in
turn, made my bones stronger, too. Wonderful!
Do mature women want and need stronger
bones? I say yes! Many of us are speeding
through our 40’s…blazing into our 50’s…heading towards our
60’s…and, heaven forbid, to our 70’s and beyond.
Question: What kind of shape are you
going to be in your later years? Will both osteoporosis,
arthritis, related ailments be a part of your future? I can promise you that these
diseases will haunt you in your later years…unless you seize
the opportunity to workout with weights. It’s great to walk and do
aerobics that burn some calories. However, strength training does
strengthen bones and joints and burns calories, too.
The Answer: The more muscle you own,
the more calories are burned, and the more your bones get stronger
and your joints receive more support.
My suggestion? I strongly recommend that you
combine weight training with walking and aerobics in order
to maintain a strong and healthy body. This regimen can stave off
osteoporosis and arthritis and can help build strong bones and can
reverse the effects of these diseases.
I have trained and seen many women of all ages
strengthen their bones and their bodies through weight training…and
none of them ended up looking like men. Obviously, avoiding junk food and
fast food will help you in your fitness efforts. That is because it is very
difficult to operate your “vehicle” with the wrong kinds of
“gas.” Plus, you will
kill your “engine” if you do not add proper amounts of water and
other fluids.
Ask Yourself:
How concerned am I with the health of my body? Can my body perform flawlessly on
too little sleep, insufficient fluids, and a diet of junk foods,
sugar, and soda? Can I
expect my body to look great when I do not give it enough of the
“good stuff.”
As we mature, it becomes more critical
to take good care of our bodies. Who else is going to take care of
your body but you? It
is true that women will live longer than men, but how will you
live? Will you be
crippled in a wheelchair or will you be mobile, strong, flexible,
and happy? Who will
help us? Our
mothers? Our
husbands? Our
children? Probably not
any of these people!
It is up to you!
My advice? For a stronger, happier, and
healthier life, please use weight training in your home or
at the gym. To use
weights properly…and without getting hurt…I recommend you speak
with a professional trainer who has worked with women your
age.
I will be most happy to help you in any way
that I can!
Joyce L. Orchard
Total Body Ministry, Inc.
Body Construction, Inc.
2785 Buford Highway
Suite 102B
Duluth, Georgia 30096
770-856-1539
Thanks, Joyce! Both ladies
and men would benefit from working-out with Joyce or one of the
other trainers at Body Construction. Steve Bryant and his
associates at Body Construction have certainly made a BIG
difference in my life. I hope that those of you in the
Atlanta area will take advantage of a free work-out at Body
Construction. These people have the most important key to
your fitness.
Dr. Carl
