AIBU to think the pressure for ‘older’ women to exercise is wrong?

[StitchInLime]

So as a woman in my late 40s, I keep getting told (via ads, from some people in my life, via tv and so on) that I need to do strength exercises and cardio if I don’t want to suffer later in life. And yet, it’s the woman I know who did f-all exercise at my age and before who seem to be thriving in their 60s/70s (eg my aunts) and the ones who did more exercise at my age now have issues with knees, hips etc. I find it difficult to find the motivation in light of this. If you have opposite examples, please share as I really need to motivate myself!

I'm 55 and have just finished my 4th boot camp of the week.. I'm fitter and stronger than many that are 20 /30 years younger...its not about how I look it's about how I feel.

High impact exercise for example running can cause a lot of wear and tear on joints as you get older you need to maintaining strength and flexibility and consider if you are better doing lower impact/ joint friendly aerobic exercise. I do pilates/ kettlebells/some cycling/rowing and youtube videos but have completely stopped running after knee injuries a few years ago. Some people obviously do run successfully into old age but it’s not for me

This. It's impact that tends to bugger the joints.
Walking, as long as it's brisk, is good too.

Running doesn't seem to be bad for older adults ?

There is a strong genetic predisposition to osteoporosis that is underplayed by those who make financial gain from promoting exercise, HRT & supplements. Staying active is key and if you are able to HRT is a good idea but you don’t have to spend a fortune on gym membership. Walking is by far the best exercise. A diet rich in calcium helps and not being underweight. Why spend a fortune on gym membership when doing your own housework take the same time and effort? A weekly shop is probably the equivalent of 30mins in the gym and takes about the same time. Modern life is very much to blame for the increasing levels of osteoporosis.
HRT while you are going through menopause is beneficial because this is when we see a significant reduction in bone density, but once through menopause it slows down. The current advice is HRT up to 60 but after 60 the potential risks outweigh the benefits. For women who already have osteopenia or osteoporosis perimenopausally then HRT is recommended.
A new drug has been developed for osteoporosis which may be a game changer. It slows the rate of bone loss against bone formation. For those with a strong genetic history there is hope for the future.

Views on the fat acceptance movement? A bit off topic nevertheless related to the subject. Fat shaming is wrong but to say obesity has nothing whatsoever to do with many health issues is ludicrous. It is wrong to promote health at any size. How can a person so obese they can hardly breathe, or worse be confined to the house because they can hardly walk be healthy. Those people also say losing weight will not prevent or cure type 2 diabetes. My aunt was on her own admission far too fat. She ended up with type 2 diabetes then went on a strict healthy diet and lost 3 stones. She's been in remission for over 5 years. I'm sure most of us could do with losing a few pounds to feel better, I know I should but to tell people actual obesity is not contributory to health issues is failing to tell them the truth.

It depends. If you are continuing to run, it's probably better than for new starters. There are better options for the latter.

All the older people I know who exercised in their thirties and forties are a lot better off health-wise than those who didn't bother.

I guess it depends if you want to increase your chances of living into your 60s and beyond really - it’s no secret that healthy people look happier and healthier than the average couch potato.

I’m a late 30s man and I’m slowly realising I really need to get my fitness sorted out - most of my friends are regular gym goers and look much more healthy than I do!

I think having a healthy BMI is probably a lot more beneficial than exercise. I'm sure that some exercise is good but it is a balance as easy to injure yourself. Also, while studies might show that those who exercise in old age live longer, it's hard to know which came first. i.e. are they more healthy because they exercised or are they able to exercise because they are more healthy?

I don't feel there's that much pressure is there? Recommending isn't the same as pressurising.

I have to say, though, i have really noticed the difference now between the health of my parents, in their early 70s, and ILs, in their mid to late 70s - ILs have always kept fit and healthy and even though they are older than my parents, they clearly have a lot more energy and ability to cope with what life throws at them compared to my parents who weren't exercisers. My main motivation for keeping exercise up these days is knowing that, if I'm lucky, I could be 'old' for quite a long time and exercise could make add years of mobility.

My Mum is in her 70s and is very fit and healthy but has never done exercise for the sake of fitness/appearance in her life. What she does do though is walk every day, carries bags of shopping for miles (she can drive, just prefers to walk!), is constantly clearing out cupboards and moving furniture round. She was a teacher by profession so I am sure she was active throughout her working life too.

By contrast I feel like my lifestyle is far more sedentary because I have a desk-based job, only commute once a week, get my shopping delivered and drive most places. I really need to make an effort to fit exercise into my day/week otherwise I'd be doing really little. I think probably overall having an active lifestyle that includes lifting heavy weights and moving about most of the day is probably more effective in keeping you fit and healthy than doing an hour a day of 'exercise' and spending the rest of your time being sedentary.

Having a healthy BMI does help (as in, it takes pressure of your joints and your heart and lungs) but it won't keep you flexible or stop your joints from seizing up as you age, nor will it help your stamina or overall fitness - all of which make a big difference if you get sick or injured and need to recover.

Exercise really is key to that - walking, swimming, yoga and pilates are all great low-intensity exercises that will make a huge difference long-term. Getting up and out and getting your heart going is so important.

A lot of it is just luck and genetics though. My parents are in their early eighties and in very good health for their age. In laws seem a lot older including FIL who was a runner. Like many older people, he has Parkinson's -diseases are often pretty random and I think people kid themselves about how much control they have.

I know a 101 year old lady who goes to a “stretching” class. She still lives independently.

Use it or lose it!

I’m not sure exactly what point you’re trying to make here but it’s definitely not that your mum has lucky genes.

Everyone I know who run, are having their knees replaced. Those who walk everyday, and follow a sensible eating plan are slim and healthy without joint pain. I do believe that eating healthy fats is important, especially during the menopause. I use olive oil every day.

You can get away with being overweight younger but if you’re overweight later in life it puts a massive strain on more vulnerable joints. Muscle strength and agility strengthens joints and prevents injury. You don’t have to do an Ironman but you should be keeping fit and active.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23559628/.

Brisk walking probably produces similar benefits to running and is gentler on the joints. Cycling is very good too.

I agree some very intense forms of exercise seem more like masochism than anything else (and may damage your joints), but moderate exercise is really important, and people are mostly doing way to little, not too much.

I chuckled a bit at that.

OP you do what you want. I personally am going to stay mobile and active for as long as I possibly can. Keeping your body strong comes into its own in the elderly years. It's bugger all about how you look.

I was a runner for years, in a club etc. I got fed up of the mentality of the club - boasting about how many empty, body-stressing miles they were churning out in a week.

Around the time I turned 40 I changed to strength training and my body is completely different - strong, injury free, my balance is better, my general day to day functional strength is vastly improved.

I don't think you can conflate something like running with strength training.

Every bit of research shows exercise makes a massive difference to how healthy older people are. As others have said it doesn’t have to be running marathons or going to the gym.

I swim quickly, for half an hour, twice a week, walk quickly every day and do Pilates. I’m 57 feel supple, flexible and strong and will continue to do this for as long as I live.

Obviously no one should sit on the couch all day but I don't think there is really any good evidence that those who exercise a lot (versus just normal walking around) when younger are the most healthy in old age. I'm in my late fifties and a few people I know who were actually very fit have recently died from cancer, heart attacks etc which has really made me realise that a lot is down to luck. My parents who are in their 80s are in good health despite never visiting gyms or swimming (although they are slim and not couch potatoes).

A lot if it is luck and genes, that is true. But those that exercise and do survive in to old age have a healthier and more active old age than those who don't.

As we have said on this thread the issue now for people in middle age and younger is that life alows people to be more sedentary, wheras many older peolle have lived naturally active lives.

I am only in my early forties but it was considered perfectly fine in the late 80s for us kids to walk or cycle the four mile round trip to primary schol in the next village. Many people nowdays would drive their kids.

You're totes right OP. Exercise is all just a big ole scam to manipulate older women into looking better.

We know that for a fact because your friends, Sue and Linda, have never set foot in a gym and are still alive and kicking in their 60s/70s!

There really is no counter argument to such a well researched/reasoned point is there? 🙄