To cardio or not to cardio in your 40s

I agree about conflicting "advice" from "medical experts" - but most of them are trying to sell something and gain followers, which means they adopt more extreme positions or argue over things that at most will make a marginal difference to experienced people....just ignore it all and do what the NHS says and as you get into it you can find other trusted sources of ideas.

Our bodies are amazing and if you haven't got underlying conditions or injuries then just find what you enjoy that ticks the basic cardio and strength boxes and have fun, see where it takes you, and ignore all the noise.

Once you aren't a beginner, there may be tweaks you want to make (lifting heavier for example, low reps) - but all the hormone balancing nonsense will probably have vanished by then and they will be onto something new!

I play sports at aged 48 and unfortunately I get bad anxiety the nights I exercise. I can’t sleep
for hours and feel very weird. I keep at it though as I very much enjoy the sport.

Gosh yes cardio for all of the above!

Cardio classes are great for endorphins, for stamina, for exercising your heart.

i do 3 a week and 2x a weak strength training and i have never felt better in terms of endurance, stamina, strength and flexibility. I am stronger and fitter than 25 years ago.

Twice a week definitely fine. Keep going. Good for you. Agree with MsMartini - Be wary about much of the utter nonsense being spewed out on social media by so called health experts.
I am 50, still do HIIT 2-3 times a week as well as other stuff. Just had a physical assessment and my physical age is 30-35. I would not be in this position had I stopped cardio through my 40s!

I’m pretty sure that your two classes a week will not result in a detrimental level of cortisol.

Twice a week is not too much. If you have a sedentary job, a cardio class every day is not going to be too much

Cardio is currently out of fashion.The heart is our most important muscle, though.

We need some combination of strength, cardio and mobility training or else we are going to run into problems as we hit old age.

I do Caroline Girvan for strength, yoga and Julia Reppel for mobility, and fun classes for cardio. I also walk my dogs daily.

Ignore all that stuff about cortisol and hormones and zones from fitness influencers and people (even Drs) selling content or programmes - focus on the evidence-based basics the NHS recommends - and within, or on top of that, do what you enjoy and works for you!

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/

This advice doesn't change all the time and allows lots of scope to find what suits you.

Later down the line, you may want to tweak things, but it is a disgrace that women who don't currently exercise much are being told NOT to do certain forms of exercise, for no reason.

It is brilliant you have found some cardio classes you enjoy! That box ticked (assuming you are doing some eg brisk walking every week too). Now add in some strength training (and again, don't worry too much at first about what it is - just get going with what is available and works for you - if you get stuck in come back here and get advice down the line).

Where are you reading that pricklycitrus?
I would have thought the cortisol released through stress to be far more harmful.

Of course you should. And a class twice a week isn’t “too much”. It’s hardly marathon training is it?

I am really into strength training. But I also do cardio because both are important. I’m 58.

As for cortisol, beware of having your head turned by the latest social media buzzwords.

Move more. Lift heavy. Enjoy it.