WHY WEIGHT-BEARING EXERCISES ARE THE KEY TO STRONG BONES?

You may not realize it, but your bones are alive. Every day, your body breaks down old bone and puts new bone in its place. But, beyond 30 years of age, your bones have reached their peak bone mass and you start to lose more bone than what is replaced naturally. The problem in the weight loss process arises when bones are not kept healthy and too much bone mass is lost.Maintaining healthy bones is important in order to boost up the weight loss process and avoid developing osteoporosis, which is when your bones become weak and brittle and you can end up having broken bones. Therefore, keeping a strong bone mass is really important to maintain, especially once you are in your 30s.Physical Exercise is ImportantMost people are aware of the importance of having enough calcium in your diet to ensure that bone density does not decrease. However, it isn’t the only important factor. Being physically active is also super important for preventing osteoporosis and maintaining strong bones for life. This is because increased physical activity can help to building bone during the phases of mineral acquisition and bone consolidation.When it comes to being active, weight-bearing exercises are particularly important in this acquisition and consolidation process. Weight-bearing exercise is any activity you do while on your feet and legs, that works your muscles and bones against gravity.Weight-Bearing ActivitiesDuring weight-bearing exercise, bone adapts to the impact of weight and the pull of muscle by building more bone cells. Consequently, your bones become stronger and more dense and the risk of fracture, osteopenia, and osteoporosis decreases.High-impact weight-bearing exercise includes1. Walking2. Jogging3. Hiking4. Dancing5. Step aerobics6. Soccer7. Baseball8. Basketball9. Tennis, racquetball10. Low-impact weight-bearing exercises are:11. Using elliptical training machines12. Doing low-impact aerobics13. Using stair-step machines14. Fast walking on a treadmill or outsideIt is therefore recommended that you include one of these forms of activity into your daily routine for around 30 minutes every day. In doing this, your bones will become stronger (and so will your muscles!) and you will have a strong and fit body into old-age.Load-Bearing ActivitiesLoad-bearing exercise where you work to strengthen your muscles against gravity can also help build strong bones.They are also known as resistance exercises and include:1. Lifting weights2. Using elastic exercise bands3. Using weight machines4. Lifting your own body weightYou can introduce weight training moves of varying intensity to work the different muscle groups (and the bones they are attached to). Yoga and pilates can also improve strength, balance and flexibility.You may like to mix up your daily routine so that you include a mix of both weight-bearing and load-bearing exercises which will also help keep your exercise routine interesting.If you have been looking for another reason to exercise, then thinking of your long-term bone health could be just the thing to consider when you are wanting some extra motivation to move your body.