Midlife Fitness: Three Things to Keep in Mind As You Begin/Resume Your Fitness Journey
The internet is filled with knowledge on health and fitness. What exercises to do at what age and how to do and how many times to do? Indeed, most of these are coming from experts. I am not one. Not now, yet. However, if you are new to starting a fitness regime or you are reviving an exercise or sport after a long gap, you certainly, definitely need to keep these three things in mind.
1) Understand Midlife Fitness Needs
We need to recognize and accept that our fitness needs change during midlife. Various factors such as hormonal changes, metabolism shifts, and potential age-related conditions, are responsible. It is about time we educate ourselves on the specific considerations and challenges that arise during this stage. Once we figure out the changes in our body, we can then make informed choices when tailoring our fitness routine. Adapting exercise routines and embracing wellness practices that exclusively cater to our unique needs and considerations of our life phase is essential.
My journey on this so far: I ‘believe’ I am menopausal, but honestly, I have no idea. I am waiting for my daughter to get into a college (by next month) and then I can get my checkups done on this.
2) Customize Your Fitness Exercises
Maybe your knees are in perfect condition, unlike mine. So you can focus on cardio exercises more. Certainly, all of us need more strength training as our body is getting delicate every passing day. Maintaining muscle mass is particularly important during midlife as it helps support bone health, joint mobility, and overall functional fitness. It is about time that we incorporate resistance exercises in our fitness regime. Depending on how much your body and your current health conditions can take it, start slowly but do it. Baby steps.
My journey on this so far: I have kept a set of very light dumbbells on my bedside table and pick them up now and then to do some exercises. I usually watch some YouTube videos along. Some of these videos are so good. You can see which video suits your needs. However, I have not been regular. I am focusing more on Yoga these days that also has many strength training asana (poses). [Will cover this in a future post.]
3) Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to the signals that our body gives us; don’t just ignore it. Adjust your fitness routine accordingly. What is working for me, may not be working for you and vice versa. Accept it, midlife comes with a huge awareness of physical limitations or conditions. So, modify exercises or choose alternatives when necessary to accommodate any health concerns or joint sensitivities. We must strive for a balance between pushing ourselves and respecting our body’s limitations to prevent injuries and promote long-term sustainability.
My journey on this so far: I stopped running about a year ago when my left knee started to hurt. I am still healing it and I am very mindful of it.
By understanding midlife fitness considerations, customizing exercises, and listening to our body, we can begin and optimize our health and well-being journey during this transformative stage. Midlife fitness is just the beginning to foster vitality, longevity, and a balanced approach to our overall wellness.
Let’s Revive and Thrive.
