Baby's and Beyond Volume 12 I Issue 4 | Page 96

fitness

Reclaim your strength and time

Rediscover your power with smart, time-saving strength training that fuels your body, mood and motherhood.
By Tersia Muller, Body20 Nutrition Doctor
Between work, motherhood and managing the invisible load of family life, women today are carrying more than ever. In meeting everyone else’ s needs, we often neglect our own. But you can’ t pour from an empty cup. Reclaiming your physical strength isn’ t vanity, it’ s self-preservation.
Redefining strength
For too long, women have been told that lifting weights makes them bulky. In truth, strength training is one of the most effective tools for long-term health.“ Muscle is essential to healthy ageing,” says Dr Louise Burke, exercise physiologist.“ It protects bones, stabilises hormones and maintains mobility.”
From our 30s onward, we naturally lose muscle and bone density – a decline accelerated by pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. This can lead to joint pain, fatigue and osteoporosis. Resistancebased training reverses these effects by strengthening bones and rebuilding muscle, improving posture, energy and confidence through every stage of motherhood.
Smart fitness for busy lives
For many women, time, not motivation, is the real barrier. That’ s why shorter, sciencebacked workouts are transforming fitness. One rising method is Electro Muscular Stimulation( EMS) training, which uses gentle electrical impulses to activate muscles more deeply than traditional exercise.
A Journal of Sports Science & Medicine study found EMS boosts muscle tone, endurance and circulation while being gentle on joints – ideal for postpartum recovery or returning to exercise after a break.
How EMS works:
• It activates over 90 % of muscle fibres;
• strengthens core and stabilisers;
• improves posture, metabolism and bone density; and
• it’ s gentle on joints – making it suitable for beginners.
EMS mimics the brain’ s electrical signals to contract muscles safely, building strength and stamina over time. It also improves circulation, energy and mood by releasing endorphins. According to the US National Institutes of Health( NIH), resistance training supports heart health and insulin sensitivity – key for preventing chronic conditions.
Remember, exercise shouldn’ t be another obligation; it’ s an act of renewal. Strength training isn’ t about perfection – it’ s about reclaiming your body, your confidence and your time. �
Three reasons to start strength training...
To protect your bones: Boosts bone density, reducing osteoporosis risk.
To boost your mood: Endorphins ease anxiety and fatigue.
To stay strong for life: Helps you maintain energy, balance and independence.
94 www. babysandbeyond. co. za