Women Over 50

I started exercising regularly in my mid-40s, after treatment for stage III breast cancer (surgery, chemo, radiation, follow-on anti-estrogen drugs). I felt so depleted, I realized that that if I ever wanted to feel good and strong again, I was going to have to *work* at it.

I started with some gentle yoga classes. like once or twice a week. I sampled some other group classes, then found a weight training group class for women, twice a week, with a great instructor. Then a breast cancer survivor rowing team was starting in my area, so I tried that, and got addicted to on-water rowing. The team only rowed once a week, so I joined the local club to row more often, usually 2-3 days a week then. I wanted to get better at rowing, so I started doing other things to accomplish that.

Over a period of several years: I got low-impact aerobics videos (this was pre YouTube). I took adult learn to swim lessons. I bought a hybrid bike and taking occasional rides on the trails in my area. I started going to regular spin classes. I went to multiple rowing camps around the country as my vacations, to get more coaching. I bought a rowing machine. I did some rowing machine races, and races in boats. I took more yoga classes, circuit training fitness classes, and other things (not all at once! 😉 Like one or two things at a time, until I was doing something active most days of most weeks, usually half an hour to an hour each time. Some things were at home, some at gyms or adult ed programs.) I bought some miscellaneous exercise tools for home (resistance bands, some weights, balance board, etc.).

Through all of that, I stayed obese, just over the line into class 1 obese, but became pretty fit, by objective measures. Then, back in 2015, I finally seriously committed to lose weight, and began using MFP. Over a bit less than a year, I lost down to a healthy weight, and have been at a healthy weight since.

Now, I'm 64. In the past 7 days, which is reasonably typical, I've weight trained 3 days (dumbbells at home, on alternate days, about 40 minutes each), done 2 rowing machine workouts (just under 40 minutes each), rowed on-water in a two-person sculling shell 3 times (about an hour each time), and gone on one bike ride (easy pace for just over 10 miles.)

If you're just starting out, my advice would be:

* Start with something manageable, that you think you'll enjoy.

* Initially, include rest days frequently (every other day, or more).

* Keep the intensity and duration energizing, not exhausting. (Don't let anyone convince you that exercise has to be miserable and exhausting to be effective. That's a total myth.)

* As you start feeling more fit, gradually increase frequency, duration or intensity of exercise to keep just a tiny bit of a challenge, but keep it energizing still.

* Manage the time you devote to exercise to keep good overall life balance: Enough time and energy for work, chores, social life, anything else that's really important to you. As you get fitter, and need more challenge, you can increase intensity during an unchanged time period, to do that.

* Be adventurous, and try new things. Give them a fair chance (several sessions), so you have time to get over the natural awkwardness we all have when doing a new thing. (In group classes, everyone there was in that spot at some point, so don't feel intimidated. Most people will be supportive, and only a very few will be arrogant jerks. And who cares what arrogant jerks think, anyway, amiright? 😉)

* In group classes, arrive a little earlier to meet the instructor, let them know you're new, and enlist their help with any adaptations. (If you have any relevant physical conditions, tell them. Ask for their advice to beginners.)

* Sample things, looking for things you enjoy, then focus on those. Exercise should be enjoyable, not a painful duty.

* Anything that involves moving more is "exercise": Active video games, walks in the woods, active games alone or with groups, the usual gym stuff, dancing of a bunch of types (casual or classes), things like cycling or swimming or other watersports, martial arts, walking/jogging/running and much more.

* You can do varied things within a week, and over the seasons. That may be more fun, though some people prefer to focus on one thing and get really good at it. Your call.

Good for you, looking to get more active. It's achievable, at any age. Start at a manageable level, increase gradually as you get fitter. Have fun. Prediction: You'll surprise yourself with what you can achieve, and how good you'll feel!

Best wishes!

I do about 30 - 40 minutes of strength training a day and some type of exercise that can burn some fat, walking, cleaning the house, hiking etc a few times a day. It all adds up. Something fun that you enjoy. The strength training builds/maintain muscle and hopefully you lose more fat than muscle!!! I also feel great that I feel stronger.

springlering62 wrote: »

@AnnPT77 summed it up pretty well.

At 58 I amped up my yoga from basic to dynamic. I’ve taken up Pilates, running and weightlifting.

TBH, there’s not really much you can’t do.

I do have to admit, I’m eyeballing the millennial guys who skateboard around town and am torn between asking one to coach me versus “if you break a hip at this age.....”

It looks like sooooooo much fun........

And if I could fit a windsurfer or paddle board in my microcar, I’d seriously consider getting one. (Convertible. Can’t get a roof rack either, besides it would be much longer than the car. )

With apologies to the OP for the digression: Some of my boats are as much as 10' longer than my car**, so that's not inherently an obstacle, though distance from front to back rack on a small car might not be long enough for stability. And no, not on a convertible. (**I have a normal small SUV. But my racing shell is 26' long. All the canoes & kayak are longer than my car, too, but only slightly.) Also, there are inflatable paddleboards - not big. Just sayin'.