Exercise...the Real Fountain of Youth

Is it possible to regain strength, lower body fat or increase aerobic endurance? At any age? Wouldn't it be easier to drink from the fountain of youth or pop a pill? Well there is such a pill, except it doesn't come in the form of a pill, and you don't swallow it, you apply it...it's exercise.

Tufts University outlined ten biomarkers of aging as muscle mass, strength, basal metabolism, body fat, aerobic capacity, blood sugar tolerance, total cholesterol, bone density, body temperature and blood pressure. Each are discussed as to how they are affected as you age and how exercise can be a solution to the aging process of that biomarker.

1.    Muscle mass decreases up to 6.6 pounds of muscle with each decade after young adulthood – with even greater losses beginning in the mid 40’s.

The Solution:
Adding resistance training, such as weights, resistive tubing or bands, to your exercise program will help you hang onto or even increase the amount of lean muscle in your body. Use it or lose it.

2.    Strength decreases with a 20% loss of motor units in the thighs between 30 and 70.          

The Solution:
Training with weights or resistance is the answer. A study of 80-year-old men who began a supervised weight training program showed that it is never too late to start – some were as strong as sedentary 30-year-old men at the end of a year.

3.    Basal metabolism (the number of calories the body needs to sustain itself) declines by 2% per decade after age 20. Eating the same number of calories that you did at age 30 will mean a weight gain at 40.

The Solution: 
For each pound of lean tissue gained as a result of resistance training, you burn about 50 more calories a day. Your muscle is 90% of your metabolism.

4.    Body fat increases – Aging, sedentary lifestyle, and overeating, all contribute to a rise in the ratio of fat to muscle between 20 and 65.          

The Solution: 
Aerobic activity such as walking, running, swimming, and biking burns body fat. Add resistance training to increase your metabolism and you’re less likely to store body fat.