Welcome to Wellness Wisdom—Your Weekly Guide to Thriving After 50
Each week, you’ll find simple, effective health tips, inspiring insights, and practical strategies designed to help you feel your best—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
No matter where you are on your wellness journey, we’re here to support, encourage, and walk alongside you every step of the way.
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Wellness Wisdom Weekly - Your Guide to Living Well After 50
Wellness Wisdom Weekly - Your Guide to Living Well After 50
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When most people think about resistance training, they picture stronger muscles, better posture, and toned arms. But there’s another benefit that doesn’t get enough attention: strength training protects your brain.
Welcome to Issue 21 of Wellness Wisdom!
💪 Strength Training for a Sharper Mind and Longer Life
💪 Strength Training for a Sharper Mind and Longer Life
Why Lifting Matters for Your Brain
What Happens Inside Your Brain When You Lift
Why It Matters for Longevity
Keep Perspective
The Best Approach for Brain Health
Practical Tips to Get Started
The West Egg Living Takeaway
Fit After 50 Blueprint
When most people think about resistance training, they picture stronger muscles, better posture, and toned arms. But there’s another benefit that doesn’t get enough attention: strength training protects your brain.
Twice-a-week resistance workouts can do more than build your body—they can sharpen memory, preserve brain structure, and help slow down the natural cognitive decline that comes with age. That’s powerful news, especially for anyone over 50 who wants to stay strong not just physically, but mentally.
At West Egg Living, we believe fitness isn’t just about looking good—it’s about living longer, thinking clearer, and enjoying life fully in the years ahead.
Strength training is one of the simplest, most accessible tools to help make that happen.
Here’s what consistent strength training can do for your brain:
• Keeps memory sharp: Verbal recall and overall memory performance improve when the brain is regularly challenged alongside the body.
• Preserves brain volume: Areas of the brain tied to memory, attention, and awareness tend to shrink with age. Resistance training slows that process.
• Strengthens communication pathways: White matter—the wiring system that keeps your brain fast and efficient—stays more intact with consistent training.
• Boosts total body strength: Every time your body adapts to heavier loads, your nervous system and brain are adapting too.
In short, when you strengthen your muscles, you’re strengthening your mind.
Cognitive decline is one of the biggest fears many people face as they age. But here’s the encouraging truth: you can take steps now to fight back.
Resistance training is low-cost, widely accessible, and doesn’t require a gym membership. Bodyweight movements, resistance bands, or a couple of dumbbells at home are enough to get started.
Think of strength training not just as “exercise,” but as brain insurance.
Every rep helps maintain your independence, confidence, and clarity as you move through life’s later chapters.
It’s worth noting: the benefits of resistance training may come not only from the physical challenge, but also from the structure, routine, and even the social aspect if you train with others. Like anything in wellness, it’s a whole-life practice.
The bottom line?
Strength training remains one of the most proven, adaptable, and reliable tools to keep both body and brain strong.
The routine that shows the strongest results is simple and approachable. Here’s how to apply it:
• Frequency: 2 sessions per week
• Movements: 8–10 exercises that hit all major muscle groups
• Sets & Reps: 3 sets of 8–12 reps per movement
• Intensity: Moderate-to-heavy effort (around 70–80% of what feels like your maximum). You should feel challenged, but safe.
Key Principles
• Full-body focus: Choose compound movements like squats, lunges, rows, presses, and core work. These stimulate larger muscle groups and maximize brain and body benefits.
• Progressive overload: Gradually increase resistance, reps, or sets over time. The brain thrives on progressive challenge just like muscles do.
• Consistency: Two solid workouts per week are enough to make a measurable difference. Show up, stay steady, and let the benefits compound.
• Effort matters: Light stretching won’t cut it here. Aim for a 7–8 out of 10 effort so your body and brain know they’re being challenged.
• Start small: If you’re brand new, begin with bodyweight moves—squats, push-ups against a wall, bridges, or step-ups.
• Add resistance gradually: Resistance bands and light dumbbells are great first tools.
• Prioritize form: Proper movement protects joints and ensures results. If you’re unsure, consider a trainer for the first few sessions.
• Make it social: Training with a partner or group not only keeps you accountable, it can amplify the mental benefits.
Strength training is no longer just about building muscle—it’s about building resilience for your whole self. Just two workouts a week can preserve your brain, sharpen your memory, and extend your quality of life.
It’s never too late to start. Whether you’re in your 50s, 60s, or beyond, every rep is an investment in your independence, your clarity, and your joy.
So if you haven’t yet added resistance work into your routine, now is the time. Your future self—body and mind—will thank you.
If you’re not lifting yet, now’s a good time to start. Because it’s never too late to build strength, or protect what matters most. If you still have questions about how to get started, check out our Fit After 50 Blueprint.
If you’ve missed a past issue of the West Egg Wellness Wisdom Newsletter, no worries—we’ve got you covered! Our full archive is now available, making it easy to revisit every article, tip, and story we’ve shared.
Whether you’re looking to catch up or just browse for inspiration, you’ll find it all in one place. Dive in and explore at your own pace!
If you’re new to West Egg Wellness 50+, be sure to click on the Getting Started icon. There, you’ll find free downloadable materials designed to help you take those first steps toward better health and nutrition. From simple meal planning guides to beginner-friendly fitness tips, these resources are created with you in mind. It’s a great way to jumpstart your wellness journey—don’t miss it!
If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments you'd like to share, I'm always happy to hear from you - just send a message to info@westeggliving.com
I'm here to help!
Thank you for joining us for this edition of Wellness Wisdom! We hope you found inspiration, encouragement, and a few practical takeaways to support your wellness journey. Remember, lasting health isn’t about perfection — it’s about small, consistent steps.
We’re honored to walk alongside you as you create a stronger, more vibrant life after 50. Stay tuned for next week’s issue packed with more tips, insights, and motivation. Until then, be kind to yourself and keep moving forward — you’ve got this!
The content provided by West Egg Wellness 50 Plus is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your healthcare provider before beginning any new health, fitness, or nutrition program. Individual results may vary. West Egg Wellness 50 Plus makes no guarantees regarding specific outcomes.
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I love the video on this one.
I will try dinking water every hourr like I am trying to go 250 steps each hour.. Encouraging idea.
This is great information. I love the new layout. I cannot wait for the next edition!!!
Thanks Riaan.
Great article!