Exercise advocate says aging is tied to inactivity and malnutrition

• Much of what we have traditionally thought of as "aging" is actually related to physical inactivity and poor nutrition, according to Miriam Nelson, author of the "Strong Women" book series.
• In a talk titled "Strong Women Live Well: Foolproof Strategies for Effective Weight Control," Nelson said her movement to have older women undergo strength training met with some resistance when she started in the 1980s.
• "People thought of women in their 50s, 60s and 70s as 'old' and that strength training might do more harm that good. Now, women in their 80s and 90s are building muscle," she told several hundred women who attended her talk here, which was sponsored by the Woman's Center for Wellness.
• Regular exercise can enhance performance of daily living activities -- even such simple things as climbing stairs or getting in and out of the bathtub, she said. It can also reduce risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, obesity, osteoporosis, insomnia, cognitive impairment and premature death.
• Women who are not active lose, on average, about a quarter pound of muscle mass each year after the age of 40, she said. However, evidence indicates that those who begin a strength training program, even just once or twice a week, will maintain and even build muscle mass.
• An ideal program is one that combines strength training with cardiovascular exercise, she said. Strength training not only preserves and strengthens muscle, but also helps maintain a healthy metabolic rate, preserve and/or gain bone, decrease body fat, reduce risk of heart disease, and improve sleep and mood.
• Many of the postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 70 who have enrolled in Nelson's strength training program have become stronger than their daughters, she said. A researcher and advocate for women's health, Nelson directs the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University in Boston.
• Also critical is the idea that girls
• and women should be concerned about nutrition and physical activity at every age, she said. Girls and young women, in particular, need to build bone at an early age to stave off osteoporosis.
• Exercise is also a critical component in the equation to lower risk for obesity and diabetes type 2, which are becoming twin epidemics in this country. For those who are already obese or diabetic, physical activity can help. In fact, in one 16-week study looking at the effects of exercise on women with diabetes, 72 percent were able to reduce their medications.
• "The idea is to age as optimally as your genetics will allow. Don't allow your age or condition to limit what you think you can do."
• Nelson gave the following tips for
• long-term weight control:
• n Believe you can lose weight and plan for it.
• n Commit to eating a good breakfast every day.
• n Eat only at the table with the television turned off. Families should try to dine together, and parents should not allow their children to have televisions or computers in their bedrooms.
• n Don't eat after 8 p.m. Close the kitchen.
• n Be vigilant about foods you don't prepare -- especially when dining out.
• n Don't drink your calories. Switch from sugary, carbonated beverages to water and herbal teas.
• n Eat lots of whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables and "snack smart."
• n Watch portion sizes, and limit simple carbohydrates, fats and salt.
• n Women over the age of 40 should consider calcium and vitamin D supplementation.
• n Move! Commit to a regular exercise program with strength training and cardiovascular benefits, and consider wearing a pedometer to motivate you to increase walking.