As you age, managing your weight can become more of a struggle. While women are more likely to put on a few extra pounds at around the time of menopause, weight gain can be avoided or reversed with a healthy eating plan and regular exercise. Jogging is one exercise that women in their 50s can perform to keep excess pounds at bay plus reap the many health benefits of aerobic activity.
Intensity Level
The American College of Sports Medicine notes that women under age 65 should take part in vigorously intense aerobic exercises such as jogging 20 minutes a day, three days a week. Your intensity level should allow you to answer a question but not engage in conversation. You may wish to engage in a moderately intense activity such as brisk walking on opposite days.
Weight Control
While jogging for 20 to 30 minutes several days a week can help preserve cardiovascular health, it may not enough to promote weight loss. Women in their 50s who want to lose weight may have to extend their jogging sessions or other forms of vigorous exercise like singles tennis or bicycling uphill to 60 to 90 minutes.
Women who exercise regularly but do not change their eating habits can lose substantially more weight than less active women, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. Jogging and other aerobic activities generally cause women to lose fat in their arms and trunk, notes UMMC.
Bone Health
Regular exercise can lower the risk of bone fractures in people with osteoporosis. An estimated one out of five women in the U.S. over age 50 have the bone degenerative disease, explains MedlinePlus.
Women in their 50s should incorporate strength training exercises into their workout routine to help maintain bone health. Strength training can also help manage your weight because your body burns calories with greater efficiency when you have more muscle mass.
Considerations
Jogging and other forms of aerobic exercise can help prevent high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, breast cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Talk to your health care provider before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have been inactive for an extended period.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine; Guidelines for Healthy Adults Under Age 65; 2007
- MayoClinic.com; Women's Health; September 2010
- MedlinePlus; Osteoporosis; November 2010
- Oprah.com; The Decade-by-Decade Guide to Exercise; October 2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Exercise: Exercise's Effects on Weight; May 2009
- WomensHealth.gov; Physical Activity; February 2009
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