Source: Rosie Fitzmaurice I newspaper
6) Increased resting metabolism - to burn more calories
Unlike cardio alone, weight training builds lean muscle, which increases resting resting metabolism. Moremuscle means you burn more calories, even at rest.
Resistance training results in an increased period of time of post-exercise energy expenditure. Using muscles in this way leads to approximately 30 to 60 minutes of increased use of calories after exercise has stopped.
9) Better posture and mobility for long-term health
With age, many women develop muscular imbalances due to years of repetitive movement patterns. Strength training can help to correct these imbalances, leading to better posture, reduce joint pain, and enhanced mobility.
1)Maintain Muscle strength - and independence into old age
"By progressively increasing the weight you lift over time, you stimulate the muscle and this causes it to get bigger and you become stronger". If muscle strength get too low, it can impact your functional mobility, things like walking up a flight of stairs or getting out of a chair". Strength training isn't just about preventing disease, but protecting independence and quality of life". "Think about the daily movements you rely on - carrying shopping bags, lifting grandchildren, climbing stairs - these all require muscle strength". "Simply put, if you don't actively work to preserve strength, you lose it". "The consequences are not just aesthetic but functional - you become more prone to injury, experience metabolic slowdown and, over time, lose the ability to perform everyday movements with ease".
​Resistance training of any kind helps reduce sarcopenia (the loss of muscle mass due to ageing) which can increase the risk of falls. It doesn't have to involve weights - you can use tins of soup of resistance bands.
7) A natural mood booster
Research supports the idea that strength training boosts your mood. Strength training triggers the release of endorphins (feel-good hormones), helping to reduce stress and anxiety while improving mood. Anecdotally, many women report that resistance training helps them manage menopausal symptoms like brain fog and mood swings.
8) Improved mental resilience and confidence
Lifting weights isn't just about physical strength - it builds mental toughness and self-confidence. Seeing yourself get stronger and achieve personal bests translates into everyday life, improving self-efficacy and resilience. Many women feel empowered and more in control of their bodies after incorporating strength training.
5) Reduce risk of diabetes and weight gain
Weight training supports metabolic health and can reduce diabetes risk. If you have low muscle mass or your muscles become less sensitive to insulin, then your body will struggle to regulate sugar levels. Weight training can help improve insulinsensitivity and management of blood sugar levels - which are important factors to help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Supporting blood sugar regulation is particularly helpful to women in midlife when hormonal shifts can make weight management more challenging.
3) Stronger bones and less injuries
When you lift weights, your muscles contract and pull on your bones: this mechanical stress on the bone stimulates bone growth and helps maintain bone strength. As you get older this is important because bones can become weaker; particularly in post-menopausal women. Weight training as we get older is therefore very important to help maintain bone health and reduce chances of osteoporosis. Lifting weights helps protect against falls and fractures, which is key for maintaining quality of life.
2) Cholesterol control
Being physically active is key to controlling cholesterol levels and keeping your heart healthy. Weight training can be an excellent way of improving the lipoprotein profile (the good and bad cholesterol in the blood). Low to moderate- intensity resistance training has been seen to decrease low density lipoproteins (bad) and increase high density lipoprotein (good). This is because repeated muscle fibrecontractions lead to a change in the enzymes involved in both the production and clearance of cholesterol.
Nine Reasons to lift weights
4) Staving off cognitive decline
Research has shown that strength training supports cognitive function. Lifting weights and doing other resistance exercises can really help older adults keep their brains healthy. Research shows that activities like improving hand grip strength can boost memory performance. This happens because exercise changes important brain chemicals that help us remember things. By staying active with resistance training throughout our lives, we can keep our brains sharp and reduce the risk of dementia.