The training routine that you should start doing now to avoid gaining weight in menopause

Fortunately, the times when it was thought that, by holding a dumbbell, women would develop a bodybuilder's muscles passed into history.

At this point in the film, no one doubts that

for women's health.

In each of the stages of life, from puberty to menopause, the physiology of women changes, producing

that affect

,

and

, among others.

If, during childhood

, both for girls and boys, when they reach adulthood they are one of the most effective tools for preventing

(loss of strength and muscle mass in old age).

These are, according to Laura Esquius, director of the UOC university master's degree in Nutrition in Physical Activity and Sport, and Cristina Rotllan, collaborating professor of this master's degree, the main

of strength training in women:

1. Reduces the risk of injury.

Strength exercises help

.

Therefore, they provide more stability to the joints.

This helps prevent injuries, which is especially important in women with a predisposition to knee or back injuries and in older women.

"Having strong muscles improves mobility and the ability to react to any unforeseen event, and therefore helps

," says Esquius, an expert in physiology and sports nutrition.

2. Contributes to fat loss.

Strength exercises increase muscle mass.

, that is, they require more energy than fat.

According to Esquius, if we have more muscle mass, the caloric expenditure will be higher.

"When training is particularly intense, oxygen consumption increases, even hours after training. This causes caloric expenditure to increase to achieve more oxygenation," says the UOC expert.

3. Helps prevent osteoporosis.

In Spain, it is estimated that 22.6% of women aged 50 or over have osteoporosis.

This disorder weakens the bones and often leads to fractures of the hip and spine, thereby affecting the sufferer's mobility and independence.

For both Esquius and Rotllan, increasing muscle strength is important, especially in

, because it improves bone density and helps prevent osteoporosis.

4. Improves mental health.

Exercises like running are not the only ones that help improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Endorphins are also released with strength exercises, which contributes to mental well-being.

A study published in 2014 in the journal

shows that the use of low or moderate weights has beneficial effects on anxiety.

In addition, as Esquius explains, it also has benefits for memory and cognitive function.

5. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Rotllan, an expert in Physiotherapy and physiology, explains that working on muscular resistance is an essential tool to reduce the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndromes such as diabetes.

A study published in the journal

shows that training your muscles also improves your ability to absorb and use glucose, or blood sugar.

The expert points out that, in the case of pregnant women, the fact of combining strength exercises with aerobic exercises is associated with multiple benefits, such as the

, the maintenance of physical condition and the Reduced chances of cesarean delivery.

6. Fights effects of aging such as sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by a gradual and generalized loss of strength and skeletal muscle mass among older people, which can lead to physical disability or decreased quality of life.

Rotllan assures that strength training helps combat this disease, as other studies indicate.

7. Reduces the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age.

Women with this syndrome may have

, or excessive levels of male hormones (androgens).

One of the causes of this syndrome is an

.

"Doing muscular resistance exercises is a good strategy to reduce the symptoms of this syndrome, since they improve body composition and reduce insulin resistance," says Rotllan.

BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR WEEKLY SESSIONS

Although Esquius recommends doing strength routines between

on alternate days, it is best to have the advice of a qualified professional who will design

on our physical condition and goals. .

"It is

. This favors the increase in body temperature and the activation of muscles and neuromuscular connections, so that the possibility of injury is reduced," explains the expert.

"

. We can do several repetitions with

(elastic bands, weights, etc.)

, because the most important thing is to execute the movements with the correct technique," she adds.

The great secret of success lies in

and that best

.

In this way, you get extra motivation to continue training and, if you do the right exercises, avoid injuries.

strength plus aerobic

According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN), overweight and obesity are defined as an

that can be harmful to health, that is, when the percentage of fat mass (FM) exceeds 25 % in men and 33% in women.

Obesity is associated with low muscle quality, that is, a decreased ability to produce force per unit of muscle mass.

In this sense, some studies have observed that being a woman is a predisposing factor for poorer muscle quality.

Traditionally, the practice of aerobic physical exercise has been recommended to combat obesity and overweight.

However, recent studies have shown that interventions that include the

than other programs that only consider cardiovascular exercise.

"These exercise programs

fitness ," Rotllan concludes.

DIET AND HYDRATION

For the UOC experts, when working on physical strength, the most important thing is to follow a

.

The necessary macronutrients that must be ingested depend on the main objective of the training, that is, if we want to

or if we want to

.

According to Rotllan, recent studies have found that

strength training leads to myofibrillar protein synthesis, that is, it

.

This growth can be greater than with a diet rich in carbohydrates.

For his part, Esquius explains that women oxidize less protein than men because their anabolic response to

is lower.

Therefore, they

to achieve the same effect.

The expert recommends distributing the

quality protein intake throughout the day and after workouts.

Some authors have indicated that an excessively high-protein diet could be contraindicated in women, due to the risk of increasing calcium losses.

However, other studies have failed to prove this relationship, arguing that

.

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