176. Optimizing Your Health with Strength Training

Strength training is so important for your health and longevity, especially once you turn 30. But so many women are too worried about getting bulky that they don’t do any form of strength training. In this episode, I’m talking about all the long-term health benefits of strength training, the best way to start a strength routine, and the equipment you need to start today.   The Benefits of Strength Training Preserves lean muscle mass Allows us to gain muscle mass, if we wish Improves insulin sensitivity Helps with functional fitness Improve emotional regulation   Why Strength Training is So Important It can feel scary to start a strength training routine. In fact, so many women hesitate to do any kind of strength training for various reasons, but one of the big ones is worrying about getting bulky. I want to dispel that myth: It takes a lot of dedicated strength training and diet programs for a woman to bulk up. In one year, working out in this way can yield a maximum gain of 6 lbs of muscle! Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I do want to encourage all women to begin strength training. Once we turn 30 years old, women start to lose 1-3% of their muscle mass per year. Strength training helps prevent this.   How to Start Strength Training The best way to start a strength training routine is slowly! I recommend starting with one strength training workout per week. This can include yoga, air squats, modified wall push-ups, and using a flat resistance band (though if you want to include yoga as a separate workout each week, that’s okay, too). I don’t want you to increase the number of strength workouts until you are so excited about them every week. If you’re on any kind of weight loss plan, it is important to prevent losing any muscle mass. To do this, I always recommend hitting 5,000 steps daily, incorporating one strength workout per week, and eating your daily protein requirement. What’s stopping you from embracing a strength training routine? If you have started strength training, what benefits have you found? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.   In This Episode  Why people feel nervous about strength training [2:30] Why it’s difficult for women to get ‘bulky’ while strength training [3:30] The best way to start a strength training routine [11:30] How you can use yoga to start strength training [15:30] How to start strength training [17:00] How many strength trainings per week to start with [20:15] The best strength training routine to prevent muscle loss [25:00]   Quotes “Women tend to lose muscle at a rate of 1-3% per year starting at the age of 30.” [5:10] “One of the most important things that you can do as you begin your strength training journey is to get your steps in, of course, and to start figuring out where your body lives in space. Yoga is a fantastic way to do this.” [15:07] “I don’t want you adding any strength training until that one day a week becomes so exciting that you’re craving more.” [22:42]   Resources 31 Days of FIT. Learn more HERE. Muscle Maintenance During Fat Loss. Waitlist HERE. Fit Woman Collective™. Learn more HERE. Follow Dr. Ali Novitsky on TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Subscribe to The Muscles and Mindset Podcast on Apple Podcasts *** Ali Novitsky MD, this podcast, and podcast write-up are NOT providing medical advice ***   Related Episodes  Episode 175: Your Easy Guide to Getting Adequate Protein Episode 169: Let's Make Muscle Episode 160: Strength or Cardio for Optimal Body Composition?