As you approach menopause, or if you’ve been flagged as having osteopenia/osteoporosis, you have probably heard the term “weight-bearing exercise” thrown around.
A lot of the women I work with are confused about what constitutes weight-bearing exercise and whether it’s the same as lifting weights.
Firstly, both weight-bearing exercise and lifting weights are good for bone health. But they are not the same thing.
🏃♀️ Weight-bearing exercise involves being on your feet with a little extra force through your bones (walking, jumping, dancing, etc.).
💪 Weight lifting or resistance/strength training means working your muscles against resistance, ideally increasing the load gradually over time (Pilates, resistance bands, weights, etc.).
Now it’s all well and good knowing what these things mean, but what if you just happen to LOVE aqua-aerobics? Or you really love cycling? 🚴♀️
Both of these activities are great too! They involve your muscles working against resistance AND give you the chance to get your heart rate up, which is excellent for your cardiovascular health, muscles, brain, and hormones. ❤️🧠
There is no magic formula. Every body is different. Some of us have pelvic floor concerns and don’t want to jump. Some of us can’t lift weights overhead because of sore shoulders. 🤷♀️
The best exercise to do is the exercise you do.
However, a few curated tweaks here and there to make sure you’re doing things you like AND giving your body what it needs can make a huge difference.
⭐️ In July, I will be running a 4-week ‘Strength Training for Beginners’ program in the GLOW Studio. The goal is to give you confidence in lifting weights and setting you up with a program you can continue at home or in the gym. I will only be taking 4 people, so contact me if you are interested, and I will give you more information! ⭐️