I grew up Gen X (1971, y'all) and being skinny was my social currency. I was taught to be skinny, at any price, because that was what was valued. But today, I'm 53 and I'm lifting heavy. And often. And here's why:
Once you hit the age of 65, if you fall - which is pretty likely - and you break your hip or your femur (the long bone in your leg), there's a 15-30% chance you'll be dead within the next 12months. Call it osteopenia, call it old age, call it frailty: that's reality. 1 in 2 of us women over the age of 65 will fall and break a bone, and it's a debilitating descent into losing our vibrancy, with agonizing pain. That's why muscle mass matters so much. I want a better destiny for myself. I envision a healthy, strong body to take me into my golden years, so I'm putting in the work now to turn that vision into reality. Lifting heavy is part of my regular workout routine. So is yoga, karate, mobility work, stability exercises and cardio - but those aren't enough, and don't protect your bones the way weight training does.
So I lift heavy, and often. Which means I have definition and muscles. Now, some might argue that having muscles is not "feminine." That it clashes with our modern day ideal of what a woman's body should look like. To which I say: do I really care? I would rather disappoint society's definition of what an older, attractive woman looks like and be vibrant and fit, than frail and weak. Here's to expanding society's definition of body positivity and inclusivity to include women of all shapes and sizes, especially those of us who are strong. 💪
Do you agree? Drop me a note and let me know! xoxo Juliana
Комментарии