The winter months are here, the holiday season is ramping up, it’s cold, we’re with family and friends and it’s just the perfect recipe for us to gain a few pounds. I’ve been writing a lot about moto stuff lately so I thought now would be a great time to discuss a woman’s issue: Weight.  BTW- This doesn’t mean you should eat fat free, your body needs fat to function, just the right kinds of fat.

As riders, those of us who have had our suspension setup, should be careful about too much weight gain as it will require some adjusting for our ride (later), the feel of our ride, fit of our gear, never mind the self loathing alone should deter us. The key to enjoying this season is plain and simple, portion control and moderation. This in fact should be year round for all of us as we do have the potential of more fluctuation then men do.  There was an article in the Marie Claire magazine in October 2012 that basically spoke about this and broke it down by age group.

For women in their 20’s (you lucky dogs) have a higher metabolic rate, but it can drop 5-10% by your early 20’s because of a rise in your reproductive hormones.  This means that as your body gets ready to have kids, estrogen level rise and increases your body fat.  The table they suggest is 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat.  The suggested exercise routine is at least 30 minutes of cardio 3 – 4 times a week.

For women in their 30’s, the hormones responsible for muscle and bone growth have either leveled or fallen off and the growth hormones that used to help with burning off fat, decrease significantly making it that much more difficult to lose weight (thank you mother nature).  The table suggested is 30% carbs, 35% protein, 35% fat.  The recommended exercise routine is full body conditioning, like cardio with weights, which will burn calories and build muscle at the same time.

For women in their 40’s (I am one of them), for us lucky ones, our metabolism drops more and so should our calorie requirements.  We are also approaching the M (I just can’t say or write this) word and have less estrogen which means that fat goes right to our tummy, not the hips or thighs (yippee!).  The table suggested is 25% carbs, 40% protein, 35% fat.  The recommended exercise routine is the same as in your 30’s complimented with resistance training to help with the age-related  loss of muscle mass.  I will give you an example of my own routine:  3mi run with my dog every morning, 2-3 times a week power yoga (more if time permits), CMS (Body Evo) once a week and if my boys are busy with sports, another 3 mi with the dog in the afternoons on those days.  My routine isn’t complicated and it works for me, find out what works for you and stick with it, do it daily, you’ll end up looking great and feeling better.

The basic reason for this blog is just to keep in mind it is easier to be vigilant than try to work it all off later.  We can enjoy the holiday season completely, we just have to be more mindful of our choices and key words: Portion Control.  Indulge, but in little portions, that way you can have your cake, eat a bite or two and still look and feel fabulous!  I hope this has been helpful in some way, please let me know, I would love to hear from you.

Vixens Ride (although a little less since it’s gotten so damn cold)!

Carol T. Carpenter