8 reasons to keep moving

1. OMG, Old With Smile! That's the great title of the new book by Esther Kollmann and Annette Wichmann. It is a handbook for the 40+ woman with tips from head to toe. The book contains everything you (not) want to know about aging: from hair to feet. We asked Esther and Annette why we should keep moving.

First of all, why this handbook?

1. "We started writing OMG because we ourselves needed a complete reference work on aging. A kind of encyclopedia in which you can look up all possible age ailments per body part, with clear and concise explanation of what the body is done and with tips what you can (or cannot) do about this. Since we are mainly talking about medical information, we did not go overnight. We have carefully selected our sources and left every part checked by a medical expert in that field.

2. "We started writing OMG because we needed a complete reference book about aging. A kind of encyclopedia in which you can look up all possible aging ailments per body part, with clear and concise explanation of what the body is done and with tips what you can (or cannot) do about this. Since we are mainly talking about medical information, we did not go without a hitch. We have carefully selected our sources and left every part checked by a medical expert in that field.

Move, move and move again

1. While writing the book, we often found ourselves repeating ourselves when it came to giving the tips. In many chapters it emerged that movement has a positive influence on that particular body part. We know that exercise is good for you, for your fitness, for your muscles, for your mood. But that it has so much influence on the functioning of many more body parts, we thought that was an eye-opener. Our body is very ingeniously constructed; with a single movement you can exert so much influence on the overall picture. By understanding why, you are much more motivated to stick to the minimum daily dose of exercise: 30 minutes of moderate intensity. For a 50-year-old, for example, a brisk walk through the park is already beneficial. " These are the eight most important benefits for your body:

2. While writing the book, we often found ourselves repeating ourselves when it came to giving the tips. In many chapters it emerged that movement has a positive influence on that particular body part. We know that exercise is good for you, for your fitness, for your muscles, for your mood. But the fact that it has so much influence on the functioning of many more body parts, we found that an eye-opener. Our body is very ingeniously constructed; with a single movement you can exert so much influence on the overall picture. By understanding why this is the case, you are much more motivated to at least stick to the minimum daily dose of exercise: 30 minutes of moderate intensity. For a 50-year-old, for example, a brisk walk through the park is already beneficial. " These are the eight most important benefits for your body:

1. Good for the bones

1. We reach the highest bone density around the age of 30. As soon as women start producing less estrogen around their 40s, this bone loss accelerates. During the transition you will lose about 3 to 4 percent per year; after that the decay is a bit slower and it is on average 1 percent. You don't notice much of this loss at first. It is a gradual process that you have to keep an eye on. Exercise is the most important thing for the preservation of your bones. The German surgeon Julius Wolff already noticed it in the 19th century: bones become stronger the more you load them and become weaker when you put less stress on them.

2. We reach the highest bone density around our 30th birthday. As soon as women start producing less estrogen around their 40s, this bone loss accelerates. During the transition you will lose about 3 to 4 percent per year; after that, the decay is a bit slower and is on average 1 percent. You don't notice much of this loss at first. It is a gradual process that you have to keep an eye on. Exercise is the most important thing for the preservation of your bones. The German surgeon Julius Wolff already noticed it in the 19th century: bones become stronger the more you load them and become weaker when you put less stress on them.

2. Good for the muscles

1. Exercise is also important to maintain your muscle mass. By training the muscles they become stronger. As you get older, they take longer to build, so you need to keep maintaining (read: exercising) your muscles or they will shrink. Of course you will never return to the same level as a 25-year-old, that is no longer possible. But you can still strengthen muscles at any age. Good example: 80-year-old model Wang Deshun, famous as China's hottest grandpa, still walks the catwalks with a six-pack. He has to take a few hours every day for it (swimming and strength training) but - and now it comes - he only started training at the age of 50. The degree of intensity of exercise also plays a role, of course. You will achieve less with walking or cycling than with sports such as tennis or swimming. Strength training is most effective.

2. Exercise is also important to maintain your muscle mass. By training the muscles they become stronger. As you get older, they take longer to build, so you need to keep maintaining (read: exercising) your muscles or they will shrink. Of course you will never return to the same level as a 25-year-old, that is no longer possible. But you can still strengthen muscles at any age. Good example: 80-year-old model Wang Deshun, famous as China's hottest grandpa, still walks the catwalks with a six-pack. He has to take a few hours every day (swimming and strength training) but - and now it comes - he only started training at the age of 50. The degree of intensity of exercise also plays a role, of course. You can achieve less with walking or cycling than with sports such as tennis or swimming. Strength training is most effective.

3. Good for too much (organ) fat

1. Between the ages of 30 and 60, a woman who does not exercise enough loses approximately 7.5 kg of muscle mass, which is replaced by an average of 15 kg of fat. That's a good example of a really bad trade. You can slow down this process by exercising more and that is not only good for your figure but also for your general health. Those extra kilos of fat are mainly located around the belly: the organ fat. That fat is unhealthy. One third of overweight people develop type 2 diabetes. This is the most widespread chronic disease in our country and the main cause of heart attacks and strokes, among other things. A lot of (belly) fat can not only lead to diabetes but also to higher cholesterol.

2. Between the ages of 30 and 60, a woman who does not exercise enough loses approximately 7.5 kg of muscle mass, which is replaced by an average of 15 kg of fat. That's a good example of a really bad trade. You can slow down this process by exercising more and that is not only good for your figure but also for your general health. The extra kilos of fat are mainly located around the belly: the organ fat. That fat is unhealthy. For example, a third of overweight people develop type 2 diabetes. This is the most widespread chronic disease in our country and the main cause of heart attacks and strokes, among other things. A lot of (belly) fat can not only lead to diabetes but also to higher cholesterol.

4. Good for the production of the good cholesterol

1. Cholesterol is an important building material for the body, part of which is absorbed into the blood through food. You have good (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). The bad variant sticks more quickly to the inside of the blood vessels, the good variant, on the other hand, removes this surplus. This prevents blockages. After menopause, your LDL level will increase by anything from 10 to 14 percent. Movement causes the production of HDL, so that the increased LDL can be better removed.

5. Good for blood pressure

1. As you get older, you are more likely to have higher blood pressure because the veins become stiffer and narrower. That's not good for your heart; it has to work harder and harder. And it is not good for your blood vessels, which are constantly overloaded in this way. Regularly increasing your heart rate by means of movement is good for the necessary relaxation, the condition of your heart and vessels, blood circulation, flexible blood vessels and for lowering blood pressure.

6. Good for digestion

1. As we get older, the processes in the body all run less efficiently. For example, less digestive juices are made, so that foods are digested less well. Poor digestion can result in insufficient minerals and vitamins being obtained from the diet. Various shortages can arise. Exercise actually helps digestion run smoothly.

7. Good for the lungs

1. From the age of 30 our lungs start to function less well. Obviously this is a very gradual process and you really don't notice it overnight. But your condition is deteriorating; the maximum amount of oxygen that the lungs can absorb is decreasing (a decrease of an average of 1 percent per year). Fortunately, with exercise (especially cardio training) you can ensure that the stamina deteriorates less quickly. And don't panic for the inactive people over 50; you can still catch up with your active peers. Walking briskly for an hour three times a week can improve your fitness by 5 percent within six months. With intensive training you can even make a 30 percent improvement in one year.

8. Good for the brain

1. Exercise also has a positive effect on the brain. Playing sports in a game stimulates your planning and strategic ability. In addition, exercise is good for your memory and can even increase your brain volume. It is not clear why this is so; it is thought to be because the improved blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells. But yes, does it matter? We had to keep moving anyway; you also immediately take your brain with you. And this is not even all. Exercise gives you more energy, you can relax better, sleep better, you have a natural need for healthy food, you get better skin, a better mood and so we can name a few more.

Read more?

1. These tips come from Esther Kollmann and Annette Wichmann, authors of the book OMG Old With Smile. Esther and Annette wondered: what awaits us all? After extensive research and input from experts, they have become a lot wiser. They are happy to share this with us, which resulted in an informative, enlightening and humorous handbook. A must read for every 40+ woman.