Our bodies need to move, but not always in the same way
It’s no secret that I love exercise. Moving my body is a huge part of my life. Running, strength training, swimming, pilates, yoga, walking and cycling are all part of my wellbeing and movement toolkit.
But this has changed a lot over the years, some of it due to my work and travel schedule in my 20s, or to having kids in my 30s, and to the various injuries of my 40s.
I’ve also spent the last 7 years learning about exercise and health, with a particular focus on women’s wellbeing and on understanding what our bodies NEED as we age. After all there’s no doubt that it’s good for us.
I’m also very interested in habits, pleasure and joy and how that impacts on our movement and wellbeing.
One of the things that gets in the way of exercise as we age is our fear of injury, or of the very real impact of joint issues and back pain.
January can tempt us into new gym memberships or dusting off our running shoes and going ‘all in’ to get fit. But we know that if we hurt ourselves they will go back to gathering just again before long.
We can also feel this urge to repeat the experiences of the past, going ALL IN on bootcamps, signing up to 5 classes a week, or running 10K when we’ve hardly run at all in the last couple of years.
As we age we lose muscle mass, and we can also lose flexibility and mobility in our joints too. It’s not inevitable though.
We just need to to keep using our muscles and moving our bodies.
But we also need to factor in our age and stage in life, and as women, the decreasing levels of oestrogen can have an impact on our joints, pelvic floor and energy levels. We are also much more sensitive to stress which has a negative effect on our whole body systems, so we don’t want exercise to exacerbate it.
So what’s the best exercise for us in our 40s?
There are essential ingredients and then there’s the method of application. The latter is down to you.
Ingredients of exercise:
Strength training (this could be body weight, lifting weights, or even climbing and some forms of martial art)
Flexibility and mobility training (this could be yoga or pilates, or a stretch session before and after the gym)
Cardiovascular exertion (this could be running, cycling, swimming, or dancing, nordic walking, aerobics classes, take your pick)
Restorative movement (not all exercise needs to be about strength and fitness, we all need more calm, yoga, pilates and walking can be helpful, as can Tai Chi or Chi Gong).
Method
Forming a habit has some essential criteria
Convenience - does it fit into your routine, is it close by, can you log in from home - that kind of thing?
Pleasure and satisfaction - do you enjoy it, or enjoy the elements around it (the location, the people you get to see, the treat that you give yourself afterwards, the satisfaction of having done it!)
Ease - this can be about the location, the kit you need, the accessibility, is it something you can do from your back door.
Routine and accountability - having a specific time and day for exercise - whether a class or a run with a friend, or just making the time in your diary to do it. Attending a class with a friend, or letting your partner/kids know when it is your time to go for a run can really help you stick to it. As can a personal trainer or coach, of course! But a routine needs enough flexibility for you not to give up if you miss a session or get ill or injured.
So, what will you do, and when this year? Can you make yourself a flexible schedule?
For me, I’m going to try new things and expand the time I spend doing the things I like. So far I’ve had a go at ice skating and mountain biking and loved both. I also want to find a regular yoga class again and create a new strength training routine for myself!
I’m having a break from running my classes on and offline in January and February 2022, but will be back.
In the meantime I am offering 1:1 sessions to help you find a new routine for exercise and set intentions for your health and wellbeing.
Get in touch if this would be of interest.