Tag Archives: Mental health

Endurance, Exercise Physiology, Strength, Weight/Fat loss, Mobility

12 Reasons Why Older Adults Need To Do Resistance Training Exercise: Part 1

April 2, 2023 seanwilso 3 Comments

Share this:

What are they:

Increases longevity and improves quality of life
Helps manage hypertension and decreases heart disease
Enhances sleep quality and quantity
Prevents/treats type 2 diabetes & decreases inflammation
Prevents cognitive decline & neurodegenerative disease
Improves mental health
Enhances skeletal health
Maintains or increases lean body mass (muscle)
Increases strength, power, speed and physical function
Reduces body fat and help maintain body fat loss
Improves endurance performance
Reduces injury risk

Resistance or weight training is a critical component of training programs of most elite athletes irrespective of the sport. The benefits of resistance training – to increase maximal muscle strength and neuromuscular power – has long been recognised by most strength and conditioning experts, coaches and sport scientists as key to sporting performance. Logic would dictate therefore that if elite athletes are doing concurrent training to improve sport specific performance, masters athletes may also reap huge benefits too. There is now compelling evidence to suggest that resistance training can potentially augment athleticism of masters athletes well beyond that achieved by confining training to sports specific training. Furthermore, these significant benefits are not just limited to sprint, speed or power orientated sports but endurance performance may also be enhanced.

However, before I address the athletic performance benefits of resistance training for older athletes and functional enhancement such exercise has in older non-athletes (these will be outlined in part 2), I want to discuss the significant and sometimes life-changing health benefits that have been well documented in research conducted over the last 20 years. There is a great deal of data now to support the use of resistance training to help treat and manage a number of chronic diseases that become more prevalent as we get older. The following outlines 6 key reasons why resistance training exercise should be included in all programs of older athletes and exercise programs of older non-athletes.

strength training for over 50 — Resistance Training Reduces The Risk Of Death

Reduce the risk of death. Evidence continues to accumulate to show that skeletal muscle strength is strongly predictive of longevity. Maximum muscle force in men aged 20-80 is independently and inversely associated with all-cause mortality. Over the age of 60 years, all cause and cancer-associated mortality is twice as likely in individuals with low compared to high skeletal muscle strength. Older adults over 15 years who reported twice/weekly strength training had 46% lower odds of all-cause mortality than those who did not. Resistance training when performed regularly is one of the best methods to increase skeletal muscle strength (see links 1, 2, 3, 4). A recent assessment of the research that has been conducted in older adults showed that resistance training substantially improved health-related quality of life. In other words, resistance training and getting stronger has a direct impact on our perception of how meaningful, manageable and comprehensible life is, and as such, significantly greater promotion of this type of activity is warranted (see here).

Helps manage hypertension and decrease heart disease. High blood pressure can still affect masters athletes and resistance training when performed in conjunction with aerobic or endurance training has been shown to have a positive effect and reduce blood pressure. However, data to support resistance training as a stand alone practice is mixed with some studies suggesting improvement in systolic and diastolic blood pressure versus other research that has shown such exercise can increase arterial stiffness. Evidence tends to point to concurrent exercise (resistance training combined with aerobic exercise) as being the most effective for reducing the risk of heart disease (see links 1, 2, 3, 4).

Improves sleep quality and quantity. Problems with sleep are common with advancing years and occur in over half of adults age 65 and older. It has been estimated that insomnia affects about a third of the older population. The evidence to date suggests that poor sleep hygiene directly impacts and worsens many aspects of health including such things as mental health, obesity, heart disease, cognition, memory, executive function, metabolic disturbance and falls to name just a few.

Overall quality of life is thus dramatically reduced. Other factors associated with ageing, such as disease, changes in environment, or concurrent age-related processes also may contribute to problems of sleep. Sleep disturbance and long sleep duration, but not short sleep duration, have been shown to be associated with increases in markers of systemic inflammation. Research has shown that both sleep quality and quantity is improved with increased levels of exercise. Resistance training alone appears to positively impact sleep quality but more data is required to confirm that sleep quantity is equally improved (see links 1, 2, 3).

Prevent/treat type 2 diabetes & decrease inflammation. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the fastest growing non-communicable diseases worldwide and occurs much more frequently in those that are overweight and obese. However, impaired blood glucose metabolism, one of the hallmarks of T2DM, is an increasingly common problem in those that are not overweight and have relatively normal BMI. A poor and overindulgent diet – high in things like sugar, trans-fats, processed foods, junk foods and that are low in fish (omega-3 fatty acids), vegetables, fruit, fibre and high quality protein – combined with long-term sedentarism has been postulated as playing a leading causative role. Such a combination causes the development of chronic positive energy balance whereby excess energy disposal and adipose storage triggers a significant oxidative pro-inflammatory response referred to as metabolic inflammation.

In obesity, expanding adipose tissue attracts immune cells creating an inflammatory environment within this fatty acid storage organ. Skeletal muscle is the predominant site of insulin-mediated glucose uptake and insulin resistance is considered the primary defect that is evident years before the development of T2DM. Resistance training has consistently been shown to improve the ability of the skeletal muscles to take up and metabolise blood glucose (sugar) and is therefore an important strategy in managing T2DM. Finally, there is now scientific data to show that disorders that arise and are linked to inflammation (e.g. Insulin resistance, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and many more), can be improved or mitigated with resistance training and exercise (see links 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

strength training for over 50 female — Resistance Training Enhances Brain Health

Prevent cognitive decline & neurodegenerative disease Recent research has shown that long-term resistance training in older women promotes executive function, memory, reduced cortical white matter atrophy and increased peak muscle power. Such findings are very exciting as they suggest that exercise and resistance training can modify brain neuroplasticity and help improve brain function. The current thinking is that resistance and physical exercise represents a promising nonpharmaceutical intervention to prevent age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimers. There is some evidence that the mechanisms behind these alterations may be related to increased levels of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and IGF-1. BDNF-induced neuroplasticity is speculated to be facilitated by physical exercise but conclusive evidence supporting this mechanism of action has not yet been established (see links 1, 2, 3, 4).

Improved mental health. There is substantial evidence to demonstrate that resistance training and exercise more generally has a very dramatic and potent effect on improving mental health and treating those that suffer from mental health disorders. For example, research has shown that high-intensity resistance training is more effective than low-intensity resistance training or standard care by a GP in the treatment of depression in older patients. Resistance exercise has also be shown to reduce anxiety, slow the progression of white matter lesions in older women, improve symptomatology and disease severity in severe mental illness and essentially improve overall quality of life and general mental health (see links 1, 2, 3).

To finish up I cannot emphasise enough just how important resistance training exercise is for all older adults including masters athletes. The reasons mentioned above are only some of the many that support resistance training exercise as an essential ingredient of a healthy lifestyle and confirm current recommendations for people to partake in a minimum of 2 resistance training sessions per week.

To read part 2 of “12 reasons why older adults need to do resistance training exercise” which discusses the performance-enhancing benefits for older athletes and the incredible functional improvements that can be achieved in older non-athletes, see here.

For local Townsville residents interested in FitGreyStrong’s Exercise Physiology services or exercise programs designed to achieve the above-mentioned benefits or to enhance athletic performance, contact FitGreyStrong@outlook.com or phone 0499 846 955 for a confidential discussion.

For other Australian residents or oversees readers interested in our services, please see here.

Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.

© FitGreyStrong

Share this:

News/Media, Exercise Physiology

How exercise helped save me from a very dark place

April 3, 2019 seanwilso 4 Comments

Share this:

As I lay on my sister-in-law’s rug in our temporary rental house after losing so much in the 2019 Townsville flood, I had a light-bulb moment following an intense road cycling ride. The insight was, basically, that it is extremely difficult for the neurocircuitry of the brain to remain “mood altered” towards a “depressive state” embodied by stress and anxiety immediately following very hard exercise. In other words, challenging exercise profoundly affects our emotional state and as I lay on that rug, my heart still pounding, my muscles still aching and my body still sweating, try as I might, I could “find” no trace of the trauma, stress, anxiety or depressive symptoms that were there 60 minutes beforehand. Of course, I knew that these feelings had not magically disappeared and would rear their ugly head again, but the temporary relief was pure bliss and, if anything, had injected some well needed hope where there had been very little before. The experience spurred me on to seek “treatment” through exercise.

Apart from losing a loved one, there is perhaps no greater tragedy than losing one’s home. The home for all intents and purposes is the foundation and place where your life is lived with those you cherish and love most dearly. It is where your goals and dreams are made. It is where you feel most secure and safe. It is where you laugh, cry, shout and smile. Your home is literally an extension of who your are as a person, who your family is. It is where you watch and participate in the most astonishing journey of change and development in each person, in each relationship and in the family as a whole. It is where you nurture and reaffirm old friendships and where you forge new ones. It is where you celebrate birthdays, Christmas and Easter. It is where we have great dinner parties and where we watch great movies and squirm through tactless reality TV shows. Home is so many things to us that it is difficult to describe them all but it certainly was where I was most comfortable and where I could be “myself”. Now it is gone and that’s very difficult to believe, deal with, accept. It leaves you feeling lost, displaced, uncertain, angry, sad, frustrated. It makes you wonder why? The effects of such an experience are so overwhelming, surreal almost and take a significant toll on your physical and mental health. It can leave you in a very dark place and I can honestly say that after the initial massive rush of adrenaline that comes when the waters recede and the clean up starts and comes to an end, I was heading toward that very dark place.

(Going in to our house hours before the major flood; it was to rise another 40 cm)

As an Exercise Physiologist and Scientist, and having worked extensively in the neuroscience, Psychiatry and mental health field for 15 years, I was acutely aware of the importance and significant positive effect exercise and a physically active lifestyle can have on mental health. There are many studies now to demonstrate that, no matter what the problem, exercise has a critical role to play and should……no, must be included in an overall treatment plan. In fact, a recent book published titled “Exercise based interventions for mental illness: Physical activity as part of clinical treatment” which reviewed 100s of studies in this area, lays out how exercise and a non-sedentary lifestyle helps dramatically improve treatment outcomes, physically, emotionally and mentally. Those suffering from depression, anxiety- and stress-related disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (PD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder (BD), schizophrenia and alcohol use disorders all have so much to gain from exercise and increased general physical activity.

All that knowledge and experience in this field was finally put to the quintessential test. After waking one morning, several weeks after our home was devastated, our lives shattered, I lay in bed and just couldn’t get up. What was there to get up for? I had disengaged from everything, wasn’t exercising, was having a couple of glasses of wine every night, was eating crap and wasn’t sleeping very well. I was pretty much at a point that if something didn’t change, I was in big trouble. I struggled out of bed and sat dejected in the lounge room of our rental and looked at my wife, Sandy, and just shook my head and said: “I can’t do this, it’s too hard”. I realised that I would need to take some control back and made the decision, then and there, to put in place what I knew was instrumental for good overall health. That meant, what is in my opinion so important for all of us, getting to bed early and focusing, prioritising on getting a good night’s sleep. It meant no more reaching for the bottle of red to numb the pain. It meant focusing on eating well. It meant reaching out and seeking some counselling. And, what I believe now helped me no end, ensuring I regularly exercised and on occasion, very intensely.

Using exercise as key component of mental health treatment

On that fateful morning after sitting on the lounge totally despondent and in despair, and deciding that I needed to change because I couldn’t change what had happened, I “coerced” my way into my cycling kit, put my socks and cycling shoes on, my helmet, had my coffee, pumped the tyres up, dusted off my road bike, clicked my feet into the pedals and headed down the road. For the next 10 minutes, I battled with the urge to turn around, go home and go back to bed. But what would that achieve? I’d been there, done that. It wasn’t helping in any way – getting “more rest” – so I pushed on. It was in the next 15 minutes that I realised that it was the first time since the flood that I felt “released” from all the shit, the heartache, the frustration, the anger, the lethargy, the anguish. There was a feeling of dissipation of all of the negativity which makes you feel so awful. The exercise had quite literally expunged the very essence of all that was bad.

The day I decided to make these changes was the day my whole attitude changed. Once I made the change, had a plan, followed it and acted on it, I now gained some control. It is the loss of control over our circumstances that many of us struggle with. Recovery requires that we have control over something. Whatever that something is, I would implore that it be something that you perceive is helping you move forward and preferably, something that is going to enhance your overall health and wellbeing rather than detract from it. Exercise certainly qualifies as one such thing and I would indeed strongly contend, is one of the most important lifestyle behaviours that can dramatically influence overall health, particularly our mental health.

To find out more contact FitGreyStrong@outlook.com or phone 0499 846 955 for a confidential discussion. Act now and take back control.

Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.

© FitGreyStrong

Share this:

Psychology

7 Things that Will Surprise You About Meditation Retreats

January 17, 2019 seanwilso Leave a comment

Share this:

**Image credit: Benjamin Balazs (Pixabay)**

If you’ve been thinking about joining a spiritual retreat in Queensland, Australia or a meditation retreat anywhere else on the planet, you probably have some preconceived ideas about what will happen while you’re there. A National Health Interview Survey found that 8 percent, or 18 million, American adults, have practiced meditation, most of whom use it outside of traditional cultural or religious settings.

Perhaps you envision everyone sitting silently in the lotus position on straw mats wearing crystals, as you try your hardest not to laugh. That vision is likely to be far from the reality, in fact, there are quite a few things that will surprise you about attending a meditation retreat.

A Meditation Retreat Can Be Whatever You Want it to Be

Many meditation retreats offer plenty of flexibility and freedom – your days aren’t structured around a strict schedule but tailored to your particular needs. You can often choose from both relaxation and active pursuits, like swimming, biking, hiking, kayaking, dance, restorative yoga and even big thrills such as zip-lining or swinging through the tops of soaring trees on a giant swing.

Meditation Isn’t Just Sitting

It’s difficult to sit in one position all day long as the body simply isn’t use to sitting motionless for long periods of time. Most retreats include periods of sitting meditation as well as walking meditations. Walking will give your body the chance to unfold and stretch.

You Can Laugh

A meditation retreat isn’t all serious. In fact, laughing is encouraged. Some say it’s a requirement while meditation is the option.

You Don’t Have to Give Up Everything Good

While most meditation retreats offer plenty of healthy meals and are alcohol free, you don’t have to give up everything that’s good. Vegans and vegetarians are likely to find plenty of options, but you don’t have to follow a strict diet. Expect organic, colorful and delicious meals that will provide the fuel your mind and body needs to make the most out of the experience. Meditation after the retreat is meant to add to your life, not take from it. As you practice it’s likely to influence you to make healthier choices, but that doesn’t necessarily mean no more chocolate, coffee, sex and/or alcohol forever.

You Don’t Have to Be an Experienced Meditator

Many guests are brand new to meditating when they arrive at a retreat – it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner and have never tried it before, or if you’ve been practicing for years. It’s ideal for everyone and a meditation retreat can be a great first step, or a great next step.

You Can Chant, Sing or be Silent

There’s no one proper way to meditate, it’s all up to you. Most retreats allow you to be silent or to use both your inner and outer voices, chanting or singing.

You Don’t Need a Meditation Wardrobe

You don’t have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a whole new meditation wardrobe. The goal is to be comfortable, which means what you wear is your own definition of comfort.

Final comments

The FitGreyStrong philosophy encapsulates a full rounded lifestyle approach to improving health, wellbeing and quality of life. Meditation is one key component of that approach that, when done regularly, can significantly contribute to healthy ageing.

Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.

Share this: