Ways for Women Over 50 to Keep Moving
Do a quick search on aging and women’s health and you get endless hits about heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and osteoporosis. Plus, hormone changes mean lower muscle mass, slowed metabolism, and creeping weight gain.
How can you fight back?
With exercise. You don’t need to live at the gym, either. All you need are just the right activities and a keen motivation. Bonus: You may even get relief from
menopause symptoms like mood swings and sleep issues.
Muscle Matters
Strength training isn’t about bulging biceps. Aim for toned, strong muscles so you can do everyday tasks. It keeps your weight in check, helps your balance, and keeps your bones strong.
You can try:
Weightlifting
Elastic bands
Body weight (squats and lunges, pushups)
Dumbbells & kettle bells
Be sure to work all your major muscle groups: chest, shoulders, arms, abs, hips, and legs. Do it least three days a week. Plan on 8-10 different exercises. Aim for at least one set of 8-12 reps for each, with a couple of minutes’ rest in between.
Tip: Circuit workouts, where you move quickly between different exercises, give you strength training and cardio in one shot.
Pump Your Heart
Aerobic exercise -- especially working out hard enough to speed up your
breathing -- is key for heart and lung health. If your bones and joints are
strong, you might try:
Dancing
Zumba
Tennis
Exercises that put less stress on your joints include:
Walking
Elliptical machine
Low-impact or water aerobics
Swimming
Bicycling
Shoot for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 days a week. You can
even break it up into 10-minute chunks. Check your level of effort: You
should have enough breath to be able to have a conversation.
Tip:Â Build cardio into your day. Take the stairs. Walk your dog. Even
housework counts.
Your Health Coach,
Christine!
Contact me directly on this website to register complimentary for 1 week of my line group training to see if this is right for you!
