Welcome to my blog, Harmony Shift. Every so often I will post about what exercises to do, or what to eat, or how to take care of yourself at any given age. I think it’s important to remember how old we are so we can make the required changes to avoid injury and to be more effective. So, today I will cover my “4 over 40 workout tips” for women over 40. I know while doing shift work especially night shift, it takes a toll on our bodies the older we get. But if we exercise and eat right, we can overcome a lot of health issues in our lives as we age. Everyone’s journeys are different, and sometimes an injury, illness, or even just life can get in the way of us feeling like we’re the best versions of ourselves. Let’s get started and I will give you my 4 workout tips for women over 40 and get you on the right path to feeling more energy, and live a happier, healthier life.
As women get older, you’re more susceptible to illnesses and chronic pain, including heart disease and osteoporosis. Even though moving around may be the last thing you want to do, inactivity increases the risk of chronic disease. Studies show that a little under 23 percent of U.S. adults ages 18 to 64 ( https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr112.pdf) are getting the recommended amount of exercise per week, and 28 percent over the age 50 are physically inactive. Unfortunately, sometimes age becomes a reason people feel they shouldn’t bother working out. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you’re over 40 and looking to start or intensify your workout routine, try my simple tips to get you on the right path to a happier, healthier you!
Take it easy on yourself
Society often asks women to wear several hats. Research shows that women are more likely than men to care for aging relatives, while also making up about half of the workforce. Just look around in the hospital, no offense guys but most of the nurses are women. Working out every day can feel like a mix of a good thing and another item on a long to-do list for a busy woman.
You don’t need to work out for hours every day. Try brisk walking for 30 minutes a day, 5 days per week. If you have less time but can do more intense exercises, such as jogging or running, the CDC says 75 minutes per week is sufficient. That’s only 15 minutes per day! Just remember, it’s important to gauge your intensity if you want to reap the heart-healthy benefits of exercise. If you don’t have a heart rate monitor, a simple pulse check will let you know where you stand. Remember self-care!
Strength Training
Women are more likely to have osteoporosis than men, and 1 in 3 women over 50 will experience fractures (https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/facts-statistics). This can make strength training seem daunting and unsafe, but research shows it actually helps improve the strength and balance of women who already have osteoporosis. For osteoporosis, strength training is one of the best things you can do. For someone who already has it make sure to focus on your back and hips in particular. Research also shows strength training reduces the risk of cardiac death and cancer. In addition to improving brain function in adults ages 55–66 who have mild cognitive impairment. If you’re new to strength training or haven’t done it in a while, I suggest starting with body weight or light dumbbells first and then moving up from there. Body weight is really effective and less intimidating. You have the dumbbells for rows, chest flies, bicep curls, triceps extensions if you wanted to progress and try a little weight.
Remember, the goal is to stress the bones and make sure to build in recovery time for healing. If you don’t have recovery time, you run the risk of stress fractures from doing too much, too soon. I recommend 2 strength sessions per muscle group per week with 2 days of recovery time between sessions.
Do Something You Actually Like to Do
I know this sounds funny, but you would be surprised at the number of people, men and women, who go to the gym or do exercises that they actually don’t like doing and then they get discouraged and/or bored and give up! Look, exercise is challenging enough, but it should be something you enjoy. The most important rule with fitness is consistency. I can tell you the exercises or routines to do that are the most effective, but that doesn’t matter if you won’t show up for them.
You don’t have to go all out. For example, if you don’t like running, signing up for a marathon may not be the best idea. Maybe you enjoy walking or dancing instead. You’re more likely to stick to something you like. I recommend you do things that are fun and that fits into your schedule.
Mix Things Up
Sometimes, a workout you’ve loved for months suddenly doesn’t feel the same. Maybe you’ve hit a plateau on your goal, or it could be just a mental thing. Maybe you’re just bored with your routine. If it starts to feel repetitive, spice it up by adding more intensity or another element to your workout. But remember: Slow and steady wins the race (and prevents injuries). I recommend upping the intensity about every 2 weeks by roughly 10 percent. For example, try 10 percent more weight or 10 percent more reps. You might even try a slightly different variation that is a bit more difficult, like pushups on the floor versus pushups on an elevated platform.
In conclusion these are my “4 over 40” workout tips that you can use to build a happier, healthier life. Take it easy on yourself, perform strength training, do things you like, and mix it up! I hope you enjoyed my quick little tips and keep coming back for more fun tips and tricks that you can do to live your best life.
Until next time,
Darren
Harmony Shift 