Easy exercises to prevent osteoporosis

Bone Health

During the menopause, oestrogen levels decline, which can lead to increased bone loss because oestrogen helps slow down the natural breakdown of bone. Twenty per cent of bone loss can occur during menopause, and around 1 in 10 women over 60^[1] are affected by osteoporosis, a health condition that weakens bones and makes them more likely to break. Note that your bone mass peaks at 30, and if it’s already below ideal levels, any bone loss during menopause may result in osteoporosis. Adding strength training will allow your body to build stronger bones.

This is done by placing them under considerably more resistance than normal day-to-day activities, promoting better bone growth and strength.

Strength training

I want to encourage every woman from the age of 35 to start thinking about preparing for the next stage of life by adding weights to their exercise regime if they haven’t already. This is the only way, alongside a protein-rich diet, that you’ll build muscle.

It is never too late to start and, by doing so, you will strengthen your bones, build muscle, manage many other symptoms of menopause and give yourself the best opportunity to age well.

Did you know you have 650 skeletal muscles in your body, which contract when they receive signals from motor neurons? Motor neurons tell your muscles to contract, and the more frequently your muscles receive those signals, the stronger you get. So, the phrase ‘use it or lose it’ very much comes into play when it comes to building muscle.

I speak to and coach thousands of women who are concerned that they will bulk up when they lift weights, but I can assure you this won’t happen.

What’s happening when we lift weights and why is it so important in building muscle?

When we place our muscles under pressure from lifting, we cause tiny tears in our tissue. The size of the tear will depend on the amount of exertion you put the muscle under. If you have a particularly challenging session, you will most likely have sore muscles after training, known as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

Allow time for rest and recovery, as it is the muscle tissue repairs that build stronger, leaner muscle. While this sounds a little odd, these little tears contribute to muscle growth.

As your body rebuilds that muscle, it increases the muscle size, strength and capacity. This kind of training will help combat the age-related muscle loss. Strength training will also help with heart, joint and bone health and offset the decline of bone mineral density and prevent osteoporosis. In addition, it can help reduce body fat and increase the ability to burn calories more efficiently.

What weights to use

You can add weights or resistance to your training in many ways. It is sensible to begin with body weight and progress slowly.

Body weight
You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try press ups, pull ups, planks, lunges and squats.

Resistance bands
Resistance bands are inexpensive. You can choose from many resistance levels and types in nearly any sports shop or online.

Free weights
Barbells and dumbbells are great strength-training tools, but can be costly. If you don’t have weights at home, you can use cans or wine bottles. This will restrict you on how heavy you can lift though, so investing in some weights is a great idea.

Weight machines
Most fitness centres offer various resistance machines.

How heavy?

High weights, low reps

Lifting heavier weights with low repetitions will create muscle mass and overall strength. It will also allow you to challenge your muscles more. It is more time efficient and will build more bone density, which is essential at this time.

Fitter, Calmer, Stronger In 30 Days by Kate Rowe-Ham, published by Yellow Kite, is out now.

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