WHY WOMEN SHOULD STRENGTH TRAIN, ESPECIALLY IN OUR 30s & 40s

When people think of strength training they think: Building Muscle & Looking Good.

Sure this can be true but for people in our 30’s & 40’s there’s even more benefits. WINNING!

As our age increases, our Estrogen & Testosterone levels decrease. This causes our ability to retain muscle to decrease also. Ok, so it doesn’t seem like we are winning but I assure you when you understand what’s happening in your body and how to offset this, strength training during this period of time means looking after your future self .. that’s a win in my eyes!

Let’s break it down…

Estrogen is Anti- Catabolic which means  it prevents the breakdown of muscle and decreases hunger signalling & appetite.

Testosterone is Anabolic which is  used for muscle building

So why is it important for us to understand this?

When our Testosterone, Estrogen & muscle mass reduces, this results in:
• It becoming more difficult to maintain or build new muscle
• Reduced BMR (the amount of energy we’re expending)
• Higher likelihood of weight gain (higher body fat/lower muscle mass body composition)

Can we offset this? YES! Here’s a few tips:
• Increasing the amount of protein we eat as we get older will help maintain lean body mass (muscle)
• Consistently participating in resistance & strength training throughout our 20’s, 30’s & 40’s so we build lean muscle mass, which we can then maintain as our Estrogen & Progesterone decline with age.

To sum it all up, building & maintaining our lean muscle is particularly important in our 30s & 40s to help us maintain and control as we get older. I recommend aiming to participate in strength training at least 3-4times per week and ensure you’re eating a high protein diet, approximately 1g per LB of bodyweight or 2g per KG of body weight.

This is so incredibly important for all women to understand for our long term health, so feel free to share the information to the women in your life!

I want to say a big Thanks to @kaylaleephysio & @awpt_university really going deep on this topic in our AWPT certification lecture! This certification is a must-do for all health related coaches & PT's!

If you want further information or need some specific questions answered, I’m always here to help! Shoot me a DM, send me an email to kate@katelambertfitness.com or join my Lifted Ladies Facebook group to write a post. I want you to feel confident in your fitness journey at every stage.

Kate x