Be Smart -- Lift Weights

You can have the mental equivalent of a six-pack. According to a study done at the University of Vancouver, an hour or two of weight training each week improves cognitive function in older women. Women from 65 to 75 were randomly assigned to either strength training with dumbbells and weight machines or to balance and toning exercises.  A year later, the women in the weight lifting group scored higher on tests of the brain processes that plan and execute tasks.

The study results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine on January 25, 2010, showed that women doing strength training once or twice a week improved their executive function by 10.9 to 12.6 percent. Their ability to make decisions, resolve conflicts, and ignore outside stimuli to retain focus on the issue at hand improved while the women in the stretching and balancing group actually saw a deterioration of 0.5 percent.

Older women are the least likely to get out and lift weights, but the importance for them may be greater than for any other group. The good news is that many trainers now work specifically with older women. Strength training is also good for weight control and improved gait speed and precision. We don't need to wait untill we're 65 to get started with weight training, women of all ages benefit from improved posture, reduced bone loss, and increased mental acuity. Grab that dumbell--it may be the smartest thing you do all day.