Exercise for Midlife Women Simplified

We have to start somewhere, and I decided to start with the basics. We are in a time where we are realizing the vast importance of exercise to overall health, wellness and healthspan. As we learn more about the scientific foundation of exercise’s benefit for the body and health, we are necessarily receiving more detailed recommendations about what exercise is best for a particular issue. This data however is limited and can lead to confusing and convoluted recommendations. While we will all have different levels of fitness and athletic ability, we can start at the beginning point of, just get your muscles moving. This movement of skeletal muscle will in turn release chemical compounds into the bloodstream, called myokines. These substances allow muscles to communicate with many other tissues in our body resulting in benefits to many diverse aspects of health including brain health, mental health, cardiovascular health, metabolic health, bone health and other health concerns.

if you have been sedentary, my general recommendations are not to be used as a starting point. I would recommend starting slowly and working up to these recommendations.

Core Recommendations

Ramp up gradually if you have not been exercising

  • Strength training 3 times per week, with 48 hours recovery between

    • Strength training (also known as resistance training) is a type of exercise that causes your muscles to contract against an outside resistance. The outside resistance can be from your body weight, weight machines, medicine balls, resistance bands or dumbbells

  • Aerobic/Cardio 150 to 300 minutes per week

    • Zone 2 training recommended

      • Zone 2 is where the body uses fat as its energy source and it is sometimes called “base training”

      • It is a consistent pace of 60-70% of your maximal hear rate

      • Benefits include

        • It is “fat burning” as this is the zone where the body uses fat as its fuel source

        • It leads to less inflammation and faster recovery than higher intensity workouts

        • It leads to improved cardiovascular fitness

        • It contributes to better mental health

        • It contributes to better sleep

        • It prevents injuries as it puts less stress on your body than higher intensity workouts

        • It may be easier to adhere to when compared to more intense training

  • Stretching and restorative exercise one day per week

Example of a typical exercise week

  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday strength training

  • Tuesday Thursday, Saturday Zone 2 cardio for 50 minutes each of these days

  • Sunday stretching, gentle yoga

How to calculate your Zone 2

  • Step 1: Calculate your maximum hear rate:

    • Subtract your age from 220 = your maximum heart rate

    • 220 - age in years = your maximum heart rate zone

  • For Zone 2, multiple the maximum heart rate by 0.7 and this equals your Zone 2 target hear rate

Tips for Staying Motivated

  • Find an Activity You Enjoy: Exercise doesn't have to be a chore. Find something you love, whether it's dancing, hiking, playing a sport, or any other physical activity.

  • Workout with a Friend: Having a workout buddy can keep you accountable and make exercising more fun.

  • Track Your Progress: Keeping a log of your workouts and seeing your improvements over time can be very motivating.

  • Reward Yourself: Set milestones and reward yourself when you achieve them, whether it's with a small treat, a new piece of workout gear, or a relaxing activity.

Getting Started with Exercise

  • Set Realistic Goals: Start with manageable goals that fit your current fitness level and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts.

  • Mix It Up: Incorporate a variety of exercises to keep your routine interesting and work different muscle groups. This can include aerobic exercises (like walking, running, cycling), strength training (using weights or resistance bands), and flexibility exercises (like yoga or stretching).

  • Stay Consistent: Make exercise a habit.

  • Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body feels during and after exercise. It's important to push yourself, but also to rest and recover to avoid injury.

Remember, the most important thing is to get moving and stay active. Even small amounts of exercise can have significant health benefits.