When it comes to staying fit, most people think that you have to be young, in your prime, and centered around a gym environment.
But that's simply not true! If you're a woman over the age of 45, there are plenty of ways for you to stay in shape. In fact, with a little bit of know-how and preparation, you can even make fitness part of your every-day lifestyle. So if you're looking to get healthy and take care of yourself in your 40’s, 50’s and beyond, read on for some great fitness tips specifically designed by a certified female personal trainer - who is over 45 - for women over 45.
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Extend Your Warm-up Time
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they work out is skimping on their warm-up time—even when gardening or during other physically demanding activities. This can result in serious injury which can be detrimental to your fitness levels.
You should dedicate at least 10 minutes to warming up before moving on to your activity.
In addition, including warm up exercises in your routine will help get the blood flowing and increase the range of motion in your joints, which will further benefit you during your workout.
2. Avoid injury
You should always make sure you don't push yourself too hard while working out. In fact, you may want to consider taking some rest days during your fitness routine.
In addition, pay close attention to the signals your body sends you. This is important for every person when it comes to fitness, but especially for women over 45. In some cases, your muscles may feel sore for no reason. In those cases, it could be a warning sign that you've pushed yourself too hard and should do even more light cool-down stretches and perhaps take the next day off as well.
Mental relaxation is a big part of fitness, because the mind and body work together. If there is something wrong with your body it will affect your mind and vice versa. Practice mindfulness and meditation to ensure these two parts of you are working together.
Your muscles can give you very important feedback through pain and soreness; pay attention to them!
3. Focus On Flexibility
Fitness experts agree that flexibility is one of the best indicators of overall health and that people should focus on increasing their range of motion as they get older.
Total body stretching is helpful, but many women over 45 tend to forget about paying special attention to stretching and flexibility in their wrists, palms of their hands, neck, ankles and hips. These joints and muscles become more at risk for arthritis and various injuries as you age, so be sure to incorporate them every time you stretch.
Stretching is crucial for injury prevention in women over 45 since it helps reduce the risk of pulled muscles or ligaments.
4. Add strength training
As you get older, it's definitely a good idea to add strength training into your overall fitness routine if you haven’t done so already. You don’t need a whole gym set up to do this - it could be body weights, squats, lunges, push-ups, or hip bridges for example.
In fact, studies have shown that adding in at least two days of strength training per week can drastically reduce the risk of age-related bone loss and increase overall lean muscle mass, which will help improve your endurance levels and cardiovascular health.
5. Do exercises you love
The best exercise is the one you enjoy and will continue to do.
In fact, many people get into fitness for a short period of time and then give up when they realize that what they're doing isn't fun or interesting.
In addition, you should try to vary your exercises so that you don't get bored with the same routine. Most people who stick to their exercise routines over time incorporate a variety of activities rather than focusing on just one.
6. Eat more protein
Women over 45 should make sure they are getting enough protein in their diet. In fact, recent studies have shown that people who increase their intake of proteins while eating fewer carbs tend to lose more weight and body fat while also gaining muscle.
In addition, it's extremely important for older adults to avoid losing muscle mass since it can exacerbate other health problems.
In many cases, adding a few servings of protein into your diet each day will help you sleep better and reduce the number of overall aches and pains that you may experience on a daily basis. It can also increase energy levels, so you have more endurance for your fitness routine, family time, and hobbies.
7. sleep properly
Good sleep might seem like something that doesn't really matter when you're working on your fitness, but sleep is extremely important.
In fact, getting the right amount of sleep each night (seven to nine hours for most people) can improve memory function and reduce stress levels, so you feel better overall, and have improved mood and focus throughout the day.
Our body repairs our muscles while we’re sleeping, so you can feel refreshed and energetic when you get up in the morning which allows you to stay more consistent with your fitness activities.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve found these fitness tips for women over 45 helpful. Remember, it’s never too late to get in shape and make healthy changes for the rest of your life.
I have shared some tips to help you stay healthy, fit, and fabulous. We hope these tips will help you live a long, happy life free of chronic disease.
What are your favourite ways to stay fit?
Interested in learning more or starting your fitness journey in Toronto with a personal trainer? Contact Avaneil John at xquisitefitness@gmail.com to book a consultation.
Xquisite Fitness