Take a healthy stride(HEALTH+VE )

Most women find reasons for not working out. But, you can start at any age; so there really is no excuse.

Being a gynaecologist, I'm partial to women. Their contribution to society in general, and their family in particular, is unparalleled. Women, I believe, need to pay more heed to their health and wellness. Neglecting your own fitness and state of health is sure to lead to unnecessary ramifications. Steady weight gain over the years is only one of the problems.

As we age we gain1 lb of fat and lose 1/2 lb of muscle for every year after the age of 35 (earlier if you are completely sedentary). Extrapolate these numbers and you will have a vague idea of the “quality of content” (amount of fat versus the amount of muscle) of your body by the age of 60. Understanding what losing muscle and gaining fat can do to your body in terms of functionality, not just appearance may help you sit up and pay attention.

Strain on joints

The function of muscles is locomotion or movement. Daily tasks cannot be performed if muscle mass and strength deteriorate. Accumulation of fat is not just ungainly and inconvenient but hinders simple tasks and the added weight places a strain on the joints and spine, as they are not supported by strong muscle structure.

Excess weight also stresses the heart and lungs, which is why over-weight unfit individuals find themselves quite breathless while climbing the stairs or performing any action that requires the heart and lungs to work harder. Unable to cope with the excess weight and getting no help from the poorly conditioned muscles, the heart beats rapidly, sometimes even irregularly.

The breathlessness is a result of the respiratory system trying to cope with the excess demand for oxygen by the working muscles. Poor oxygenation of muscles leads to early fatigue and cramping as they try to work without adequate nutrition; in this case oxygen.

Having painted this rather dismal picture of an unfit individual's state of affairs, when one is negligent of one's fitness, I go on to state that this is not an irreparable situation. There is hope of restoration, in even the most extreme cases. The extraordinary ability of the human body to rehabilitate is what makes it so special. The earlier one starts the rectification process, however, the easier it will be and the better the results. But it is never too late to start a fitness programme. Studies have shown that even starting to train with weights to improve strength and introducing some amount of cardiovascular exercise even as late as 90 years of age has beneficial spin offs for the individual.

Muscles respond to external stress or ‘resistance' as it is called (as in weight training) provided the stress is applied in the right direction and is of the right intensity. This is important to emphasise as otherwise one might as well advise a 70-year-old woman to start training by shifting the furniture in her house.