Hello beautiful! Are you a woman over 40 looking to boost your sense of well-being, increase self-confidence, and live a more healthful and joyful life? Midlife is not too late to reap the benefits of exercise. Adding movement into our days not only increases the longevity of our lives, but it improves energy levels, builds strength, clears our minds, and helps us to attain and maintain a healthy weight.
Middle age is often when we women find ourselves beginning new chapters. Maybe newly empty-nesting or starting a different career. These changes can open the doors to reevaluating our daily schedules. Adding exercise in this stage of life doesn’t have to be complicated, but instead, it can be easy and fun. Yes, you read that correctly; easy and fun. Read below for seven ways to increase joyful movement each day.
Get Your Groove On!
When people ask for my number one tip for losing and maintaining weight, I always respond with dancing. For me, that’s been simply freestyling in the comfort of my own home with my favorite tunes. Create yourself a playlist in your favorite music app, and schedule twenty to thirty minutes to dance your heart out. Or, take dance breaks throughout your day to get your heart pumping, increase your focus, and boost your mood. It’s my dream to one day add a vintage disco ball to my sunroom. Now THAT would be a fun dance party.
Hit the Trail! (or your neighborhood sidewalk)
Never underestimate the power of a walk outdoors with Mother Nature to clear your mind and increase your heart rate. Scheduling a 20 to 30-minute walk each day works your entire body, helps alleviate stress, and improves sleep, not to mention the boost of vitamin D. Plan your route or simply walk to adventure. Better yet, seek out a destination like your favorite coffee shop.
Sign Me Up!
Take the time to explore and find a sport or discipline you love. Then schedule it and show up. It’s that simple. For me, that fitness exercise is Pilates. I have always been curious about the method, and after a nudge from a friend, I tried it, loved it, and then committed. Trying something new is exciting, and as you develop skills, it’s rewarding and motivating. So whatever it is you’ve been curious about, take action. Sign up for that tennis lesson, dance, yoga, or sailing class. Kickboxing is next on my list. Does anyone want to join me?
Lift Your Spirits!
As a health coach, I always encourage my clients to consider adding weights to their workouts. I recommend hiring a personal trainer to go over the proper form if you are new to lifting. Still, you can easily continue this discipline at home with a small investment in handheld weights once you are comfortable. Adding weights to your schedule just twice a week is proven to strengthen your muscles, protect against injuries, boost your confidence, contribute to overall weight loss and lower the risk of some diseases. The question to ask yourself now is, why would you NOT add weights?
Where’s Waldo? I Mean My Car!
Tip number five is to find the furthest parking spot. One of the easiest ways to add extra movement to our days is to either walk to our destinations or, if that is not possible, choose to park in the furthest spot in the lot and walk to the entrance. Choosing this method is an easy and productive way to add steps, stretch our muscles, and get a breath of fresh air. When I am out and about, I will even go as far as returning my grocery cart into the store; doubling my steps leaves me feeling like a rock star.
Double Task It!
Find those moments in your day where you can add movement while crossing another task off your list, whether that’s taking a dance break while you wait for a pot of water to boil or simply stretching your body while taking a phone call on speaker. These opportunities to move our bodies throughout the day can be plentiful and fruitful. Don’t let these moments get past you.
Be Your Own Competition!
My last tip is to invest in a fitness/step tracker. Not only do they track your steps, but they record your heart rate, evaluate your sleep, and more. I find it the best way to hold myself accountable for the fitness goals I’ve set. A fitness device allows you to track your progress and look for areas of improvement. You can follow along with friends in a healthy competition or simply use a tracker to help you become a healthier you. I truly believe what the world needs most now is more strong and healthy women to lead the way.
As middle-aged women, we do not need to feel overwhelmed or view adding exercise as a complicated task. Instead, look for opportunities during the day to add movement. Take the time to try something new and pick and choose what sport or discipline brings you joy. If it isn’t putting a smile on your face, then change it up. Get outdoors, move in the comfort of your home, or find a community at a local club.
Most importantly, set a goal. Start small and build from there. Anytime we move our bodies, we choose to be a healthier version of ourselves, and what a beautiful choice to make in this mid-life stage of our lives.
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