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Did you ever notice that even though you were eating properly all the time, you were gradually gaining weight? Well, this is due to a slowed resting metabolism. Muscle mass helps to boost your resting metabolism, which can prevent weight gain over time.

Strength training is an ideal way to gain muscle mass, but who wants to look like a bodybuilder? Because women are physically built differently from men, women don’t “bulk up” in the same manner. A woman’s muscles become “toned” and boost the body’s resting metabolism.

Strength Training

	improves posture		improves circulation to muscles and joints
	reduces the risk of many diseases such as heart disease		provides support for joints
	reduces the risk of certain types of cancer		helps prevents injury.

The best part about strength training is that you don’t have to go to a gym or use free weights or nautilus equipment. You can use hand and ankle weights or other objects you have around the house to provide the right amount of resistance for the area of the body you are working.

A good strengthening program should focus on all major muscle areas, including calf muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, abdominals, mid- and lower back, biceps and triceps. If you are strength training for health benefits--not for bulking up--use less weight, but do more repetitions of each exercise. You should be able to perform 15 to 30 repetitions of each exercise without strain. Try to do strengthening exercises two to three times per week. For a copy of the Adult Fitness Guide, call 1-800-640-CARE.

Consult your physician before starting a strength training program, as with any exercise program. If you need a referral to a primary care physician in the Greater Cincinnati area, please call the Health Alliance at 1-888-745-DRDR.

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The Health Alliance hospitals routinely host many types of support groups and classes; check back often, as new events are being planned now.