Getting strong, fit and flexible at 50. Possible?

Can you add me to your thread as well, please? 50 next year and I joined a gym in January as I was feeling very blah and middle-aged at the end of last year. I'd like to be more toned and energetic and lose weight without super strict dieting.

I did. Started at 49, I was menopausal, flabby and unfit. I’d gained 2 stone after a hysterectomy.

I started seeing a PT which was a great investment, worth every penny. I still see him weekly. I also run, but less than I used to as I developed raging plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis.

Also do yoga with Kassandra, I couldn’t bear Adrienne. Try a few to see who works for you. I’m not massively supple but much better than I was.

I love lifting weights. I’m stronger, leaner, fitter and more toned. I hate classes and am a solo runner and yoga person. In the gym I stick my earbuds in and off I go, a mix of cardio, weights/resistance and body weight stuff.

I get bored easily but 2 years later I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, try and run 1-2 times a week and do a few short yoga online sessions when I can.

I’ve also got RA and my symptoms have improved a lot since I started working out. It’s crucial for older women to develop muscle and bone strength.

I would also like to join OP. 50 and lockdown has knocked me back - lots of extra weight, new injuries, so stiff and sore. Need help!

Absolutely! I’m 51 and started working on my fitness when I turned 50. It was during lockdown so I started with c25k and I now run about 20-25 miles a week. I do need to work on my strength though, so I’ve started weights at the gym and I’m also learning to swim. If I have to dial back on the running as I get older I want to have other things to turn to. I’m also starting to try some yoga and a bit of Pilates for flexibility.

I’m in no way super fit but I’m a lot fitter than I was and a healthy bmi.

Early fifties and loving Caroline Girvan. A combination of strength, hit and the all important functional fitness. I eat low glycaemic and that works for me.

[quote Alooffoof]@coodawoodashooda
@Snowdropsarelovely
@GoodnessTruthBeauty

And anyone who may be interested I will start a thread for anyone getting fit around or after 50 and hopefully we can support and inspire each other.

Thanks again everyone for the encouragement, there are some inspiring women on this thread.[/quote]
Hello, if it's OK please can you add me? I'm just getting back to fitness after long covid and will need the motivation !

Thankyou

I was a Humpty Dumpty until 3 years ago at nearly 55. Got out of breath walking up the stairs. Now a nice toned size hourglass who hits the gym most days and loves the hills. Same as others, yoga, weights, tho I’m not keen on HITT at my age. The key is consistency. Fair enough if you have a bad day / week as long as you get back on it as soon as possible. I honestly believe anyone in reasonable health can do it OP. Also, the benefits to your mental health are fantastic.

@coodawoodashooda - I had read you should do weight training to help stave off osteoporosis when menopause strikes. Wanted to do it safely so I took up an offer of reduced price personal training they were advertising at our gym. Expected to hate it, but we started working with kettlebells and I loved them.

I need to get fitter but I'm in my late 50s and have fibromyalgia which limits me quite a bit. I did manage over 5000 steps today!

I started at 46. I had never in my life been fit before and had mostly been overweight or obese. I love weight training (expected to hate it) and boxing and it has made such a difference to my shape, confidence and fitness levels. I am now in my early 50s.

Try various things to see what you like but definitely try to include some weight training. With proper, heavy weights. You do need to give it some welly to get results, so get some training if you can, so you can do it safely. You need to eat decent amounts of protein to support weight training.

Go for it!

After each birth weight training was what got me back in shape and losing 2 or 3 dress sizes.
At 48 I got incredibly fit, losing 30lb and shrinking from a 12/14 (uk) to an 8/10.
I felt amazing and that was all with weight training with a trainer. Unfortunately I spent my 50th birthday flat on my back with cancer. Now at 53 and on HRT I am sure I am get back to where I was (gained 40lbs) but I need the motivation! Its DEFINITELY possible, the head game is really where it starts. Eating healthier is also important.

I'm doing it. Ongoing process (i had a lot of weight to lose.)

I'm not yet back to the flexibility I had in my twenties but I am fit and very strong now, and much suppler than i was. Two years ago I climbed a mountain with Dteens and arrived at the summit an hour after them and arrived down three hours after them. Last year I climbed a mountain with then and arrived two minutes after them and down 30 mins after them. In one year I had al most reached their peak fitness. I'm late 50s

I swear by body pump. There are classes at my gym. It looks intimidating, I was apprehensive at first. But it’s been a game changer for me.
No one gives a damn about how much you load your bar, do whatever you wish, 2.5 kg, doesn’t matter. Start small and don’t sit still between sets if you’re feeling nauseous.
Good luck.

Watching with interest as in 49 and want to get fit again!

I'm in a similar situation op.

Could you afford a personal trainer? I started with one three times a week in the New Year and am seeing a huge difference.

It's keep me accountable and I love that the exercise types are tailored for what I need.

Weight training for muscle and bone reinforcement is the most important exercise to do once you are in the menopause, when the risk of osteoporosis increases a lot. I wish I could get motivated to join a gym but I hate exercising inside and find weights so dull! I love outside sports, I've always walked a lot but took up running at 48, ran my first marathon the following year and went on to do several more. I walk, cycle and swim too and have done a few triathlons.
I'm 56 now - a friend of mine in the running club is still running at 78, it's never too late to get fit. You just need to find a sport you enjoy. Good luck!

Another vote for yoga. And it doesn't have to be super specialist IMO, any yoga class if you go regularly you'll feel the strength and flexibility improving like magic.

I went back to a sport I used to do years ago which was rowing. It is just magical in the amount of fitness change it causes. However, I found it too time consuming and ended up stopping again when my dad got ill.

Yes it's possible. Weights (dull as shit but effective ) and yoga .

Yoga - I can recommend asana rebel app (paid but not too expensive) which drives you a bit harder than Adrienne (on YouTube excellent and free to use).

My local (council run and not glamorous ) gym does an induction and sets a programme for you. Might be worth looking to see if you have something similar near you ?

www.eatingwell.com/article/289961/top-vegetarian-protein-sources/

I sometimes have a protein shake to bump my protein up.