We would love to thank our clients who have given us the privilege of accompanying them for their major portion of their fitness journey. At Feel Fitness Center, in Garden Estate, Nairobi, I speak to so many mums who have lost their identity and passion outside of being a parent. “It is second nature to sacrifice for your children, but how far do you take this before you lose yourself in the process?” I have always asked. Well schooled in what is necessary to live healthier lives, many women report that family, caretaking responsibilities and lack of personal time keep them away from making wellness a priority. We seem to forget that the more energy we give to caring for ourselves, the more energy we have for everything else.
As health and exercise professionals, we can help the women in our gyms and communities have a better understanding of how their bodies change over their lifetime and train them appropriately. Men and women may have been created equal, but they were created differently. It is very encouraging to see more and more of the fairer sex walk into our facilities compared to men. As a majority of us struggle with financial debt, two in every three adult women are battling surplus fat and the problems associated with it. The local club, for a bottle or two with others, seems to be more enticing for the men as the ladies dance, lift, kick, move and punch away the calories in our studios. It is in the same line of thought that we share more about women and fitness, ways in which their bodies function, respond and change with age. “Haven’t you all earned it, ladies?”
Apart from improving physical fitness, regular physical activity can positively impact emotional health in adolescents. Including reduced injury risk, stronger bones, an efficient metabolism, and better cardiovascular health women and girls enjoy a wealth of benefits from resistance exercise. Regular physical activity enhances self-esteem, improves mood and promotes healthy body image in adolescent females. At this age, the sessions should be enjoyable and trainers need to focus more on wellness and healthy lifestyle behaviors over weight loss.
In their twenties, aim at developing healthy habits to lower risks for cardiovascular diseases later in life for them. Bone mass peaks between the ages of 25-30 and then gradually decline over time, with accelerated losses occurring in women after the onset of menopause. Include physical activities that promote bone health. When selecting aerobic activities, for example, include weight-bearing activities such as stair climbing and dancing. Resistance or weight training is beneficial at this point but remember to progress and build up gradually as stated by the American Council on Exercise.
From around forty, prevent age-related muscle loss and strength by performing resistance exercise and be active dear ladies. You either use it or lose it. Many women reduce their activity levels upon entering menopause forgetting that exercise helps to ease menopause-related symptoms. Maintain an active lifestyle to help achieve optimal health. Hip, spine and forearm bones are susceptible to fractures at this age brought about by sedentary activity, low calcium and vitamin D and loss of estrogen that occurs during menopause. Arthritis and osteoporosis are common from this age. The good news ladies is that mechanical load caused by exercise has been found to improve bone mass and bone mineral density(Turner, 1998) Load up on the bar.
As we age, balance training should be incorporated into all our exercise programs. From 60 onwards, keep moving to prevent falls. At this point, we lose a bit of function in the systems that help us to maintain our balance. In the senior years, there is a decline in functional capacity and activities of daily living like bathing, dressing and walking become difficult to perform. You can maintain human performance by adhering to a healthy lifestyle. Female clients will appreciate having the space to find what they love about moving their bodies. We urge female trainers to be leaders and role models in encouraging fellow women to take up responsibility for their own health. Ladies, whether you want to lose weight, firm up, boost your energy or improve your posture be sure that with Feel Fitness Center space and passionate trainers by your side, every moment you devote to exercise will be a moment well spent. Email us through info@feelfitnesscenter or call us on +254780297429 to join the HEALTHY COMMUNITY.