You’re not the same person you used to be. You’re not the same person you were in your 20s, 30s, or even 40s.
And we love that about you!
As we age, our bodies, lifestyle, and desires change. We may require different fuel and motivation for the activities we do. Now that you’ve hit the golden years of 50+, you may need something a bit different to get you back into the gym.
The beauty of learning to get fit when your 50+ is that you know your body. You know what it needs to thrive and what makes it feel good! The key to retaining that good feeling is to keep moving so you can ensure you have many years of life ahead of you. We’ve said this before in previous posts, and we’ll say it again:
The more you exercise, the more you lift, the stronger you will become both mentally and physically. A body in motion stays in motion!
As we age, life can slow down a bit, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Here are our top tips for getting fit when you’ve reached the 50+ milestone:
1. Go with what you know
Getting back into fitness can seem a bit impossible if you haven’t done any activities for a while. Fitness facilities may look a lot different than they used to, but the functions are the same! To make yourself more comfortable with your new activity, it’s important to start with what you know!
Find an exercise or activity you know you enjoy doing—maybe it’s something you used to do back in the day. You are more likely to stick with something you enjoy.
2. Slow and steady
We don’t expect you to work out every single day for hours a day, so you shouldn’t expect that of yourself either!
You need a starting place you can build from.
Do your best to build up your exercise and activity steadily each day. Even if, for you, that means moving for 10 minutes a day, that is a great start! Don’t overdo it or push yourself too hard at the beginning. It’s not about sprinting to your results, it’s about building yourself up so you can achieve them.
3. The more the merrier
Some people need to be alone to focus. But, working out alone can sometimes lead you to make excuses that you’ll believe—you may be able to convince yourself to stop working out.
Exercise with friends or in a group environment where you will meet like-minded people! Working in groups will help you stay both socially and physically active as well as keep you accountable. You won’t want to let them down by skipping a session!
Building this community support can be a game-changer! If you’re looking for a support system to keep you motivated and accountable, join our community today!
4. Write it into existence
Sometimes you have to see it to believe it. Telling yourself in your head, “I’m going to work out today,” might seem like a joke to you at this point because of the lack of follow-through.
If you start writing down your commitments—whether that’s in your diary, in a calendar, on a Post It note stuck to the wall—will keep you accountable. If it is not written in as a priority, it doesn’t become one.
5. Start small
When you’re faced with a large task, looking at it as a whole may feel overwhelming. But just like climbing a mountain, you have to take things one step at a time.
Start with micro-goals when planning your fitness journey—whether it is walking for 2 extra minutes longer each day, doing an extra set of exercises, or doing a few extra reps when you train. Don’t stop to wonder if such tiny steps are making a difference! Each step forward is a step in the right direction. Before you know it you’ll be on top of your long-term goals!
6. Grow your meal repertoire
You can work your butt off every day in the gym, but if you don’t fuel your body with the nutrients it needs, you won’t see the results you want. We’re not saying that you need to do a complete 180 with your diet on day one. Start small, like with your fitness goals.
Up your plant-based eating a little, starting with once or twice a week—research has shown that eating having a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and more compared with diets high in meat and other animal products. To make the switch even simpler, you can start by seeing if the recipes you already love and have been making for years have plant-based alternatives.
We provide our members with great healthy alternatives to traditional meals as well as nutrition support. Click here to find out more about how Movimento Fitness can help you get on the right track with your fitness and nutrition.
7. Don’t Be Salty
On the note of nutrition, cut back on your salt consumption—a diet high in sodium may lead to high blood pressure, which can cause inflammation in the body. Instead of consuming salt daily, try swapping your salt shaker for a sodium-free seasoning. Start mini-challenges with yourself or with your partner such as the No Chip Challenge for a day, a week, or even a month! We’re not saying deprive yourself of the foods you love—but notice what you’re eating. What you put into your body is the fuel that keeps you going throughout the day. Each small substitution you make in your diet will build to make a huge impact.
8. Eat healthy proteins
Like we said before, you don’t have to cut meat completely out of your diet. Instead, focus on clean, quality proteins such as lentils, nuts, quinoa, wild salmon, tofu, and sardines.
Did you know, women lose about 10% of muscle mass each year? Since you naturally lose muscles as you age, making sure you are getting plenty of protein ensures you’re getting the fuel you need to maintain your healthy muscle mass.
Maintaining muscle mass is important for keeping your overall strength as well as easing your daily activities. Prioritizing strength training in your schedule in combination with eating cleaner can help fight the decline in your metabolism and muscle loss that occurs with aging. Our trainers are specialized in creating nutrition guidance and strength training programs that can build muscle and confidence no matter your age or where you’re coming from. We don’t have a focus on a specific number on the scale (unless that’s what you want us to focus on). Instead, we help you work making healthier choices to become a healthier YOU!
9. Keep an open mind
Don’t limit yourself to only doing cardio or cardio machines. While many people have been led to believe in the last 50 years that cardio is “king” to stay in shape or improve their health, strength training is what truly gives you all the benefits of a better quality of life. Running on the treadmill might make it a bit easier to take the stairs, but strength training can help your daily functional movements.
What is a functional movement? Every time you pick up that weight in the gym, it’ll be easier to pick up your grandkids when you get home. Every time you do a squat in the gym, it’ll be easier to bend down to pick up things that fell on the ground. Each action you take in strength training will make your life outside the gym easier!
At Movimento, we are all about functional training. Each program is tailored to you and your functional goals. Still struggling to figure out what your goals truly are? We’re here to chat! Book a call here.
10. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Make water your most reliable friend. It is your body’s fuel for optimal health!
Your body is 60% water and if you exercise daily you need to consume plenty; 12 cups for ladies and 16 cups for men. When you drink enough water it helps your body control temperature, protect sensitive tissues, lubricate and cushion your joints, and even aid in digestion especially as we age.
11. Find your “why”
As we age, our motivations change. Maybe at one point you wanted to get fit to impress someone or to fit into the latest fashion trend. Maybe your goals are different now. Right now, what is your biggest WHY?
Ask yourself why are you wanting to stay active and healthy now? Maybe it’s because you want to be around long enough to enjoy your kids and grandkids—to see them grow up—or maybe your reason is to be healthy enough to travel the world as you enter your retirement days. Whatever your “why” is, having a reason behind what you’re doing will help you stick with that commitment and make sure it stays a top priority in your life.
Bonus Tip: Be kind to yourself!
If this is your first time getting into fitness or if you’re coming back from a long break, be easy on yourself. You should be proud of taking the first step in taking control of your health!
Now is the time to take the first step, to get to know your body again, and to make your well-being a priority. When you’re 50+ you are the perfect age to start your fitness journey.
We’d love to chat with you about your motivations and help you on your fitness journey. We can do this together!
