Working Out = Better Sex!

This week the topic is sex. Learn how getting in shape will improve your sex life and how orgasms are achieved more frequently and easily by working out...

Less Fat, More Sex!

It's true Babyboomers. Less fat, means more sex and we've got the research to prove it. So, if the increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer don't provide enough motivation for reducing bodyfat levels then certainly the concept that less fat means more sex should provide the means towards a lean and fit babyboomer lifestyle.

Dr. Sandra Leiblum, director of the Center for Sexual and Marital Therapy at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, New Jersey states, "No one disputes the evidence that women of any age can be unhappy with their sex life, but the reasons for their discontent change with age.

While younger women are more likely to report difficulty in reaching orgasm, women over 50 cite other difficulties, such as a partner who can't perform or who doesn't make love in a satisfying way, painful intercourse, or their feeling that they are no longer physically desirable."

The team of Baldwin and Fields are not magicians that will claim to make your partner sexually perform better, but we CAN help you feel physically desirable.

Richard: Sex is automatic in our youth. Evolution has programmed us to procreate, and the young certainly expend much time and energy practicing the act if not actually procreating. By the time men and women reach their late 20s and 30s they often have let themselves get out of shape. Lacking the fit, trim physiques of their youth, people often end up with lackluster sex lives. Other factors, such as the responsibilities of job and family, often interfere with a satisfactory sex life. At the very least, sex is no longer so automatic.

It only makes sense that endurance and strength are important elements in achieving great sex. Athletes have better sex not only because their bodies are more attractive (leading to more interest by the opposite sex, but also more self esteem making one feel more "sexy"), but also because they have the strength and energy needed for great sex.

When I was a young bodybuilder, full of healthful energy, great sex was a given. As I have gotten older, I have had to pay more attention to my health and work harder to maintain energy and strength levels, so great sex is no longer an automatic given. It is a reward for paying attention to the health and fitness of my body.

Middle-aged women often link a lack of sexual desire with age related menopause symptoms. But, Dr. Nancy Avis, Director of the Institute for Women's Research at the New England Research Institutes states, "Our study of women randomly selected in the community suggests that menopause doesn't affect sexual functioning for most women as much as previous reports of patient samples suggest. Menopause has less effect on sexual functioning than other factors such as physical and mental health."

Physical health affects sexual functioning. Train hard, eat clean, sleep for adequate recovery to create a legendary physique and improve sexual functioning. And just so you know Babyboomers... the Baldwin/Fields team is advocating that our readers PRACTICE!

Diane: Take it from me, one that's been on both sides of the fitness fence. If you want to improve your mental health, improve your physical health and vice versa. Both elements, physical and mental are intertwined and need to be considered in an overall lifetime fitness plan.

Want to feel like a million bucks? Getting in shape will help, but the mental aspects of discipline when a goal is set, met and exceeded translates into an unparalleled mental lift. You know the person that's achieved the pinnacle of success. It's in the way they carry themselves, as they are truly invincible.

Dr. Gina Ogden, author of Women Who Love Sex, discusses women, aging and erotic potential. Rather than fall victim to the notion that women lack sexual interest due to menopause, she believes that a rich sex life is a reality into old age once physical, societal and psychological roadblocks are removed.

Boomers, remember we invented the sexual revolution in the 1960s. Do you want to be remembered as the group that started the sexual revolution with a bang (sorry, couldn't help myself) but, ended with no sex?

Heck no! Let's continue that revolution well into our 80s and 90s by getting into shape right now. Shed pounds and have more sex. Try it and send us an email if it improves your mental outlook.

Diane: Are you with me? Now, how do we shed those pounds to have more sex and improve our mental health? Here's your prescription.

  • Eat clean and take in fewer calories than you expend. Five to seven small meals per day every 2-3 hours. Keep your calories nutrient dense. That means lots of high quality protein, moderate levels of complex carbohydrates and low levels of fat. Stop eating junk food! Every time you go for a cookie, think……do you want to have sex tonight?
  • Train hard. Progressive resistance training adds lean muscle mass which boosts your metabolism to burn fat faster and it makes you look sexy. Remember...less fat equals more sex.
  • Intensive cardio burns calories. And it will keep your metabolism burning faster throughout the day. Keep it fun by adding variety such as biking, spinning, and interval training.
  • Supplement for increased strength and recovery. High quality protein such as Pro-Blend, AST and EAS, multi-vitamins, E, C and B-Complex along with Glutamine, Creatine and BCAAs are in our arsenal of great bodybuilding supplements.
  • Rest. Adequate amounts of sleep aid the muscle building process and go a long way to improving mental functioning.

In the Modern Maturity magazine, one reader shares her story of an improved sex life once she lost weight. "Shortly after my 50th birthday, I began losing interest in sex. My husband had to ask for it. Then five years ago, I went on a low-fat diet and joined an exercise class to shape up for my son's wedding. Suddenly I had more energy. I was interested in sex again. Losing 20 pounds turned out to be better than an aphrodisiac for me."

Richard: Men have finally realized that women are no longer settling for out of shape men either. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone have made it impossible for out of shape male actors to be seen on the screen without shirts. It is customary for male as well as female actors to hire personal trainers to get themselves in shape for the big screen.

Since trends in Hollywood always affect the general public, health clubs are flourishing, and late night TV is flooded with get in shape diet and exercise programs and gadgets, yet the general public is still fatter than ever. During our recent visit to St. Louis, Diane and I were shocked at the shape of the patrons of the health club we chose for our workout. It reinforced our conviction that most people are not working out effectively, but even more important are not eating correctly. Diane and I are committed to providing our readers with all the knowledge they need to be fit and healthy, which includes having great sex lives! (Diane: Many thanks to Jay and the staff at Bally's in St. Ann, Missouri, for use of your great facility!)

Still not convinced? Dr. Sue DeSantiis, a national authority on sexually transmitted diseases and author of A Woman's Guide to Sexual Health states, "a change in diet and exercise habits, a reduction in alcohol consumption and cessation of smoking - all can have a positive impact on a woman's libido at midlife and beyond." According to research conducted by the Center for Marital and Sexual Studies in Long Beach, California, people who exercise regularly reach orgasm more easily and often than people who don't."

Boomers, you can feel more sexual desirable and reach orgasms more easily and frequently if you exercise regularly! Ready to hit the gym? But, don't go quite yet, as we've got more reasons to get in shape.

"Sex does change as we age; and that's the good news," says Joel Block, Ph.D., psychotherapist and author of Sex Over 50. Around 50, men tend to become more emotional about lovemaking, and they start seeking the closeness and intimacy they may have disdained in their callow youth."

So, let's recap...

  • When you are in shape, you feel more sexually desirable and have more sex
  • Research shows with exercise, orgasms are achieved more frequently and easily
  • Sex changes with age to include closeness and intimacy with your partner

Now...go hit the gym! Train hard AND have great sex!
Richard and Diane

Train hard, train smart and make it a legendary week!
Diane Fields, Member. Legendary Fitness, LLC.
Richard Baldwin, Member. Legendary Physique, LLC.



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Copyright 2004. Diane Fields, Member. Legendary Fitness, LLC. All rights reserved.

The advice given in this column should not be viewed as a substitute for professional medical services. Before undertaking any exercise or nutrition program, Legendary Fitness, LLC advises all to undergo a thorough medical examination and get permission from their personal physician.