5 Reasons to Lift Weights (other than build muscle)

We know lifting weights is good for building and maintaining your muscle which contributes to longevity and health, but here are 5 More Reasons to Lift Weights…I’ll try to keep it to only 5.

1. It improves your balance and mobility. As you get older, your ability to balance reduces unless you do things to maintain it. Loss of balance equals a greater chance of falling and falling increases risk of death.

2. Improves your confidence. ​Confidence in the lifting weights transfers to all aspects of your life! You stop relying on other people to do heavy work, but it also gives you confidence to pursue things you wouldn’t have otherwise done (rock climbing, hiking, going into the ocean!) When we have different experiences we have greater satisfaction.

3.Helps with joint pain. ​Movement, in general, can help with joint pain, but lifting weights releases myokines. Theses cells “talk” to other ares of the body (making muscle an endocrine organ!)  and specifically, interleukin-6 has an exercise induced anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

4. Improves overall quality of life. ​Lifting weights is healthy and normal, what more can I say. Okay, let’s start with decreasing your risk of all kinds of diseases and syndromes – decreased risk of many cancers, decreased risk of diabetes and Alzheimer’s, decreased risk of heart disease and stroke. How about things like not having to take medicine, being able to physically help your family and not be a burden to your family.

5. Prevents Sarcopenia, a growing condition of muscle loss. ​Sadly, sarcopenia is becoming a prevalent (and preventable) problem. Rapid muscle loss due to inactivity and poor nutrition will be a burdensome societal problem in the years to come, but lifting weights can prevent this condition.