MsFox
Independent Thinker
I am curious how many of you senior ladies have regular exercise routines? The reason I am starting a thread focused on senior women, is because if we study the female muscle before menopause, it is a lot more pliable, because of estrogen, than the post menopausal muscle lower in estrogen. Tearing muscles is a lot easier post menopausal and more stretching is necessary because of reduced estrogen.
While the biggest reason I hear for senior post menopausal women exercising, is weight lost. I want to present a different approach that I think has been over shadowed because of the big profits in weight loss. That is focusing on measure rather than the scales. Measure and weigh yourself, then start a routine focused on abs, hips, and legs. Beside target exercises in the gym or at home, walking is paramount, even if on a walker. It is necessary to keep our cardio healthy, but cardio exercise alone won't get rid of very much unhealthy fat.
Since fat can convert indirectly into muscle with exercise, then perhaps one gets discouraged because the scales indicates little progress. This false idea that little weight loss is a sign that the exercise routine isn't effective, leads many to give it up and turn to fad diets, pills, or just give up completely.
In most cases, even in someone of a thinner build, belly fat is the number one issue. Belly fat is the most dangerous fat for women, especially seniors.
When I started using measure as my weekly guide and the scales only once a month, I could see what exercises were doing me the most good to regain my lost strength and energy. While my weight at age 60 of 202 lbs, only dropped back to 160 lbs at age 65, my waist of 36," dropped to 27." That is a 42 lbs lost and an amazing 9" off my waist. There was nothing easy about it and required target exercises.
I am interested in hearing all you ladies stories. I don't have any advice other than I think progress is better assessed using a tape measure than scales. We all face a different set of medical issues and have different body types that negate the idea there is one ideal weight for height or one ideal body type by measures.
EDITED: To clarify
While the biggest reason I hear for senior post menopausal women exercising, is weight lost. I want to present a different approach that I think has been over shadowed because of the big profits in weight loss. That is focusing on measure rather than the scales. Measure and weigh yourself, then start a routine focused on abs, hips, and legs. Beside target exercises in the gym or at home, walking is paramount, even if on a walker. It is necessary to keep our cardio healthy, but cardio exercise alone won't get rid of very much unhealthy fat.
Since fat can convert indirectly into muscle with exercise, then perhaps one gets discouraged because the scales indicates little progress. This false idea that little weight loss is a sign that the exercise routine isn't effective, leads many to give it up and turn to fad diets, pills, or just give up completely.
In most cases, even in someone of a thinner build, belly fat is the number one issue. Belly fat is the most dangerous fat for women, especially seniors.
When I started using measure as my weekly guide and the scales only once a month, I could see what exercises were doing me the most good to regain my lost strength and energy. While my weight at age 60 of 202 lbs, only dropped back to 160 lbs at age 65, my waist of 36," dropped to 27." That is a 42 lbs lost and an amazing 9" off my waist. There was nothing easy about it and required target exercises.
I am interested in hearing all you ladies stories. I don't have any advice other than I think progress is better assessed using a tape measure than scales. We all face a different set of medical issues and have different body types that negate the idea there is one ideal weight for height or one ideal body type by measures.
EDITED: To clarify
Last edited: