Starting a workout program in your 50s can be intimidating, especially if you’re worried about slow results and struggling to find the motivation you had when you were younger. But it doesn’t have to be like that! By following these simple tips to getting fit for women over 50, you can stay healthy and enjoy the best years of your life. This article offers top tips to help you get fit even if you’re over 50 years old.
Lift Weights
There’s a reason why lifting weights is one of my top tips to get fit for women over 50. It’s because, as we age, our muscle mass naturally begins to decline – and we also tend to become less active overall. The best way to combat these issues is through strength training, which helps you build more lean muscle tissue and burn calories even while at rest. As your body composition changes with stronger muscles and a reduced amount of fat, you’ll look better and feel healthier overall.
Walk Regularly
Walking is a great exercise and an easy way to build regular exercise into your daily routine. Walking will help you lose weight, tone up, and keep fit; it’s a simple but effective way to get active. The key to keeping at it is finding ways of fitting walking into your daily life: take walks during your lunch break or before dinner, for example. It’s not necessary to walk for long periods at a time: half an hour three times a week will do as much good as several hours once a week. A pedometer can also be used to monitor how many steps you’re taking per day – they’re very small and cheap, so there’s no excuse not to buy one if you want to count your steps regularly!
Go to Group Fitness Classes
Group fitness classes are a great way to keep motivated and stay on track with your weight loss goals. Research shows that people who take group fitness classes lose more weight than those who don’t. One study, for example, found that overweight women in a 12-week exercise program lost an average of 9 pounds and lost 4 percent of their body fat—but only those who attended 90 percent of exercise classes kept it off six months later. Why? They felt accountable to their fellow exercisers, many of whom were likely friends as well as strangers. If you can commit to something like that, chances are you’ll stick with it! And even if you never meet anyone in the class, your experience will be more positive because you know others are there with you pushing toward success.
Perform Core Exercises
Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle and tone your body. However, it is essential that you also perform exercises that help to build and strengthen your core. This helps with posture and ensures you protect your back throughout your workouts. This means planks, crunches, leg raises, and sit-ups. The latter two can be performed lying down on a mat or while sitting up in a chair at home if they are too challenging or uncomfortable in public.
Eat Enough Protein
The easiest way to get fit and stay that way is to ensure you’re getting enough protein every day. Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, your body still needs a certain amount of protein each day to maintain lean muscle mass. Start with 20-30 grams per day, gradually increasing as needed.
