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SallyAnne
06-14-2010, 04:42 PM
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/healthyliving2/stories/042010dnlivhealthyweight.24a2113.html


By Krista Jahnke / Detroit Free Press

For nine years, 47-year-old Detroiter Elizabeth Schneider has exercised for 40 minutes, three times a week. Her workouts have held her weight at a steady 145 pounds, which is in the ideal range for her 5-foot-9 frame.


While studies show most American women her age are overweight, Schneider is fit. But one new report suggests she might not be for long.

Schneider's workouts aren't likely to be enough to maintain her weight as she ages, according to findings reported late last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The report built on research conducted at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital , which followed 34,079 non-dieting, middle-age women for 13 years, and found that women with a body mass index less than 25 needed 60 minutes of daily moderate activity to ward off weight gain.

"It seems like that is asking a lot," Schneider said before a floor aerobics class at the South Oakland Family YMCA in Royal Oak, Mich.

She says she doesn't diet, but looking after her 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter helps keep her active.

"I eat dessert," Schneider says, "pretty much every day."

Since 2008, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended adults get 150 minutes – 30 minutes, five days a week–of moderate activity. The CDC also recommends twice weekly strength-training sessions.

Dr. Caroline Richardson, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan, says that even though the study suggests more activity is needed, the recommendation has not changed. "We should be doing 150 minutes a week, that's a given," says Richardson, who reviewed the study's findings. "There is nothing in this report that says we shouldn't be doing that. "

Richardson says she knows the 150-minute weekly mandate is already hard for many busy women to meet. She hopes the new study won't scare people into doing nothing because it sounds like too tall a challenge.

"I think the data is interesting and the study well-done," Richardson said. "But it has some built-in weaknesses."

It was an observational study, and observational studies are inherently less conclusive than controlled studies, Richardson said.

The women also self-reported their exercise, and that method has known pitfalls, too, as people both over- and underreport their actions. The final issue is that the researchers collected information on the women's diets only at the beginning of the 13-year project.

The baseline diet was also self-reported, which Richardson said is "very weak," as people tend to underreport their eating habits.

"We don't exactly know what happened here," Richardson said. But from previous research, "it's clear that diet is the driver for weight loss, not exercise."

The report also concluded that 30 minutes of daily intense activity such as running would keep women from gaining weight as they age.

Jane Walbridge, 49, of Royal Oak thinks the new research is right on. Walbridge does floor aerobics twice weekly and yoga four times a week. She also walks or rides her bike almost daily. She's been following that regime since 2000.

"I find my own weight is getting harder to keep down," Walbridge says. "In my 40s, I've started to notice I had to exercise more to stay the same size."

Sue Vian , 60, of Royal Oak disagrees. She says she's the same size she was in high school and hasn't increased her activity level much in the past decade. The retired first-grade teacher has taken a floor aerobics class twice a week for four years. She also walks and rides a stationary bike. She does all her own house cleaning, which can count as moderate exercise.

"I think an hour a day is a lot to ask people to do. People are busy. It's not realistic, and it's going to turn people off," Vian said.

SallyAnne
06-14-2010, 04:43 PM
What does this mean for those of us who compete?

Gaoshang Xiongshou
06-14-2010, 04:47 PM
What does this mean for those of us who compete?


Probably does not even apply to you all.

Wetdawg
06-14-2010, 04:52 PM
If I ate the same, lifted the same weight, the same way, every second day for 3 years would I change? Gee I want to build muscle but after 3 years its not working???

stephaniewicked
06-14-2010, 05:00 PM
The word "exercise" is used quite generally in this article, though at the end it specifies exercises that include an aerobics class, walking on the treadmill, riding the stationary bike and housecleaning (lol @ the last one... my apartment is too small for me to consider any sort of cleaning a "workout"!)

And she eats dessert daily... probably doesn't watch her caloric intake and it doesn't sound like she does any sort of resistance training, therefore I would say it doesn't translate much to those who compete or those who weight train in general.

My boyfriend trains several ladies (ages between 40-60 something) who are in phenomenal shape! They lift hard and heavy, watch what they eat (for the most part) and don't seem to have serious weight issues.

My good friend is in her 40s, weight trains 4-5x/week, does cardio a few times a week and eats like us and she's a petite little thing with muscle definition that gets people's attention wherever she goes!

There's also a few other serious women in my gym (look to be in their early 40s also) who workout religiously and they have hot little figures. I'm ready to skip the next 13 years and roll right on up to 40 because it seems like as long as you train and eat right, you could look damn sexy. I'm looking forward to looking BETTER with age, not worse! So I hope this doesn't apply... :)

stephaniewicked
06-14-2010, 05:02 PM
Also... I'm sure the part about people underreporting their eating habits has alot to do with it. Most people seriously have NO CLUE what is healthy and what isn't.

kcb10fuzzymotorman
06-14-2010, 05:50 PM
If I ate the same, lifted the same weight, the same way, every second day for 3 years would I change? Gee I want to build muscle but after 3 years its not working???
Wet, if you never changed your eating or workout for 3 years, YOU WILL NOT CHANGE! You gota mix it up man! You are not challenging your body, you have adapted to your routine (probably after the first 8 weeks). CHANGE IT UP, OR YOU WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR BODY!:no:

Wetdawg
06-14-2010, 05:59 PM
Wet, if you never changed your eating or workout for 3 years, YOU WILL NOT CHANGE! You gota mix it up man! You are not challenging your body, you have adapted to your routine (probably after the first 8 weeks). CHANGE IT UP, OR YOU WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR BODY!:no:
eggs act lee

sassy69
06-14-2010, 06:28 PM
What does this mean for those of us who compete?

Combination of compensating for age -related metabolism changes as well as shifts in your hormone profile, general wear & tear over time and your ability to recover.

I've noticed a shift in where I hold bodyfat and a greater need for good quality recovery (sleep).

SallyAnne
06-14-2010, 06:53 PM
Combination of compensating for age -related metabolism changes as well as shifts in your hormone profile, general wear & tear over time and your ability to recover.

I've noticed a shift in where I hold bodyfat and a greater need for good quality recovery (sleep).

I think even for competitors, the older you get, the harder it is to get off - so it's wise to keep your weight in check in the off season.

tight booty
06-14-2010, 07:45 PM
I think even for competitors, the older you get, the harder it is to get off - so it's wise to keep your weight in check in the off season.
Agreed!

sassy69
06-14-2010, 08:04 PM
I think even for competitors, the older you get, the harder it is to get off - so it's wise to keep your weight in check in the off season.


Agree both because its less to get off, but also you need to come up w/ new strategies to work w/ the new ways your body is changing to accomplish that. Both to build and then condition your body to retain, as well as cut to show time. (This includes things like possible changes in response to carbs, ability to do more / different cardio, or not, need for focus on tighter reps instead of heavier, ... train smarter, not harder.)

musclemilf
06-14-2010, 08:07 PM
Over and over again, I hear middle aged women complain that they can't seem to lose weight no matter what they do. They look for quick fixes like Jenny Craig and Slimfast. They want to tone or firm up but refuse to lift more than a 5lb dumbell because they don't want to look like "those bodybuilder women". They either don't understand or aren't willing to take the time and effort to get fit and strong AND treat their body and health as a continual work in progress situation.

If you're a competitor in your 20's and 30's, don't ever stop cause the 40's and beyond is a time of big changes. You have the knowledge and tools to keep healthy and fit way into your 50's and 60's, 70's (although you WILL slow down - mind thinks you're 20 but body says "nope" :D)

Lann1011
06-14-2010, 10:20 PM
What does this mean for those of us who compete?


For us?? ONLY 45 to 60 minutes of working is a fricking day off for us... I would call it a half rest day :)

AnglicanBeachParty
06-14-2010, 10:24 PM
Wow, 2 people from Royal Oak, Michigan quoted in that article. That's where I'm from.

(I've noticed that since I moved to Royal Oak, I have to do more cardio to maintain the same weight ... :p )

fitmomma3
06-14-2010, 10:35 PM
Naturally as you get older your metabolism slows down so I would think this would be true... BUTTTTTT as mentioned women do not utilize resistance training nearly as much as they should. Being younger they probably tend to be more athletic even if its more body weighted or band type exercises its resistance. As women get older they may challenge themselves less and even the same amount of time is not the same intensity. Joints start hurting they immediately get into the mind set that if I just do a lot of cardio I will be fine... have you ever seen the BUM of a women over 35 who only does cardio? Not being mean but if they KNEW that resistance training could totally CHANGE their shape they would change their tune. Not to mention it has a longer effect on you metabolism and your muscle to fat ratio... and there's always those rules you hear floating that "every year after 30 you lose a pound of muscle if you are not using it".

Like SallyAnne said I do believe that even as competitors very aware and proactive about this our metabolism does change, even our skin doesn't bounce back the same as we get older... but if you are on top of it, its not enough IMO to warrant panic. With that said I do believe stating this in a study is setting women up for the "its my age" there's nothing I can do about it mentality. Being in this sport I am always amazed by the masters, those who have been doing it dedicated for years and have beautiful bodies and THOSE who are just starting OU! First competitions after the age of 40! Of course it takes good genetics to a degree but its also just working it out. If you want to badly enough you will. No matter what age or even what size you currently are.

And then come on, without specifics of food NOTHING can truly be determined. With the Mediterranean style diet being popular you don't know how many people have added red wine to their diet for the "health benefits" well the prescribed amount is three to five ounces preferably pinot noir... that's not half a bottle of the cheapest Merlot you can find and then wonder why it's "not working".