I am always in awe of Jody’s Instagram posts. Her strength – inside and out – is amazing. She’s got some great perspective on how our workouts should evolve and for better fitness in your 50s. – Pamela
Let me first thank Pamela for asking me to guest post once again on her blog. My first guest post was about all the ways things change in the 50’s. LOTS! This time around, she has asked me to share 3-4 tips about how specifically my workout routine is different than it was in my 30’s.
My name is Jody and I blog over at Truth2beingfit. I will be 59 next month. TIME FLIES! How did I get here?
For those that missed my first post for Pamela, I lost my weight in high school – I was 30-40 pounds overweight on a 5’1” body – but it took me many years to get this right! I made many mistakes along the way! I am still learning through all the hormone changes. YES, I still have issues even a few years into menopause. I understand some have hormone problems well into their 70’s. I hope that is not me! I may be thrown in jail for doing something not nice!
1. Let’s start with the obvious – 30’s are young and late 50’s are not old but definitely not young!
During perimenopause to menopause, we go through many many physical & emotional changes. Our bodies are just not the same as in our 30’s.
I have been lifting weights since my early 20’s but in my 30’s I had just started to lift heavier. I was gradually increasing the weight I lifted to prepare to compete in amateur bodybuilding competitions. So, specifically in my 30’s, I was lifting a lot heavier than in my 50’s. My body could handle it better too. In my 50’s, I still lift decent weight but not near my 30’s. My focus is on making sure I don’t get injured with age. My knees have issues so I work around them to make sure I am careful not to make them worse. I see a lot of older people pushing through joint & age issues just to prove a point. For me, that is gone. I want to be able to work out for life so there is no ego for me in my workouts. It is about doing the best I can but being safe. Don’t get me wrong – resistance or weight training is CRUCIAL for healthy aging. Just do it safely!
2. I now use new workout tools I did not use much before my 50’s!
I am trying to be more rounded. I work my balance since that can decline with age if we do not challenge ourselves. I have added a couple new tools – Core Flytes and a StrongBoardBalance to challenge my body in new ways that can be both impact & non-impact (saves the joints). I do lots of push-ups & body weight work along with weight training. I mix in TRX and BOSU training to my workouts. All these things not only help save the joints, but also help us keep our core strong – so important at every age in life. They help with balance so we don’t fall and injure ourselves – especially the hips that are a huge issue for seniors.
3. I still do cardio but I am not running to run fast.
I am not doing some of the very very very challenging cardio I did when I was in my 30’s. I still run but not for time. I do lower impact mixed in with impact cardio. I used to do running for most of my cardio. Now I mix in the StepMill and lower impact cardio to save the joints and knees. I know many people in their 50’s and older run like crazy; do races and other challenging things but for me, I see many injuries too. I want to do what is right for me & for me, being able to work out till I am not longer on this earth is more important to me.
4. We lose elasticity & flexibility with age so maintain proper form & listen to the body!
It is so much easier to be injured if we try to be what we were in our 30’s. I said this in my last post for Pamela. If you had not been stretching all along – and you should have – make sure & do it now! This part is going to be crucial for reducing injuries as we age! I would add also that possibly doing yoga, Pilates, or something like that could help you with joint health & flexibility with age.
5. ACCEPTANCE! OK, I am past 4 points but this is SOOOOOO important!
It is tough getting used to our changing older body especially if you worked out like a crazy person like me or have been pretty dang fit for many years. Things change. This has been a huge learning process for me – still is – but I am learning to accept it slowly. J Always a work in progress! Please read my previous post too. It speaks directly to the emotional & physical and FOOD changes as we age!
I could go on & on, as Pamela knows too well. So feel free to contact me with any questions!
