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!

My point is that a big percentage of fit and healthy elderly people who will tell you they ‘never exercise’ do more exercise than some regular gym goers.

Absolutely. That's what they found all Blue Zones (areas with longer than average lifaspan) have in common - people are active as a part of their everyday life. So yes, if you work as a gardner, you probably don't also need to go to the gym after work. Different story if you're an accountant.

Exercise yes - walking, hillwalking, swimming, pilates, yoga, upper body strength training are really good. Not sure about running as a novice when you're older and carrying excess weight, I think that's a recipe for disaster really. I'm interested to know what weight training older women do that works, as I need to lose weight round my middle.

I was told that keeping my dog a healthy weight was the most important thing to prevent joint pain and arthritis in his old age.

So I’m thinking the same for me!

I’m 57 and this year joined the Curves gym near me. It’s women-only and it’s a specific 30 min strength training circuit. It sort of targets women like me who’d never go to a regular gym because they have no idea what they’re doing or feel a bit intimidated by all the gym fanatics hogging all the machines.

I'm enjoying it and it fits into my schedule cos it’s only 30 mins. I now go 4 days a week after work. And there are staff there to help and encourage. No smelly sweaty blokes.

I’ve been going about 4/5 months now and have noticed I feel much fitter and can walk up the big hill near me much easier than I used to be able to. Might all be a load of bollocks in the long run like OP says but I dunno, got to be better than me just going home and sitting on my bum having a cup of tea like I used to?

When I said they weren't couch potatoes, I meant they didn't sit on the couch all day watching television. I didn't mean that they made an effort to be active and "get their heart rate up". They went for a walk at the weekend but apart from that nothing beyond just not sitting down all day which I think many people do anyway.

The NHS is screwed. There will be no money for plastic knees in the future and we all know that older people who break a hip/femur go into hospital and never come out.

Other people cannot afford pay for our poor lifestyle choices anymore and it is vital that middle-aged people do more about diet, substance abuse and exercise to stave off physical conditions and dementia.

I’m 64. I have been a member of a gym, with a pool, for most of my adult years. I have always enjoyed lifting weights. I have also swam, done regular pilates, yoga, step classes in the old days and I had a horse for many years (lots of physical activity in that). There have been periods of lapses in all this when other parts of life have taken over, but I feel I have retained a strong body. I cancelled my gym membership last year because the weight room was full of heavy breathing and I just didn’t want to keep contracting Covid. I had two little dogs, but bought a large breed pup in the spring, so long walks are part of my life. I have just bought a Bala bar for some weight work. It is indisputable that resistance work is extremely important for the health of older people.

But "going for a walk at the weekend" is exercise!

I'm a big exerciser, mid sixties and am just a much better mover (quicker, more flexible, more balanced) than less active people my age. The thing is to keep the weight off too, but together they will help you stave off the inevitable ravages of time and keep life to a better quality for longer.

Im 51..tbh the jobs i did when you younger have buggered my body up. Proper labourous. My knee, hip , shoulders...all had it from years of hugging stuff about, getting on hands n knees, carrying etc. Also arthritis runs in family massively. I still carry heavy bags and move things around ..i walk..etc. i definitely am looking at yoga or something gentle. Keeping moving is key

It's got to be the right kind of exercise, under supervision to make sure you don't knacker your knees, hips etc.

Keeping active is really important. The fit and healthy elderly women we see about who never went to am exercise class did loads of bending and stretching as part of their housework routine throughout their lives.

It's so easy to lose your capacity to do physical activity - human bodies are hugely adaptable and the amount of activity you can do easily with no effort will always be a little bit less than the amount you do regularly with effort. If you never do anything that is physically difficult then your capacity will definitely reduce, and you end up unable to do the things you'd like to.

Of course. It is probably what most people do though and not the level of exercise I think is being talked about here.

There are two ,imo, important exercises.

1. Walk plenty as this helps to tone up your stomach and bladder muscles. You will note that with lack of mobility incontinence is more likely.
2. Especially in women after menopause tone is lost from the shoulders especially. Therefore strengthening this area is important.

@Loubelle70 you are right too and that is the other factor that we cannot avoid - genetics.

It's not about weight lifting, it's resistance work we need. This can be done via swimming.
I've been fit all my life but yes ive suffered with slipped discs but bang covid hit and I got lazy and Into bad habits.
I've now got high blood pressure and Diabetes.
I'm 51
So now I'm back on it.
Yes I'm afraid it does matter.
I think doing extreme stuff like I did, judo, triathlons etc can bugger you but 10,.000 steps a day and gentle resistance will help a lot.
As well as all the other healthy stuff we need to do in moderation. (Low sugar,salt, fat, stress)can all help.
We can't avoid genetics but we can definitely make positive steps to help.

im 47 and I have re started exercising and eating healthier because I want to feel and look the best I can. It’s a choice, no one is forcing me to do this.

I think running buggers your knees.
i am 56 and I weight train at home using Caroline Girvan. I want to keep my bones, my muscles, grip and balance strong.
my late mother did nothing. She fell down the stairs and broke her hip. I want to be able to right myself when I trip because I have good balance, strong legs and hands.
The non scale victories I notice on a day to day basis from strength training are huge.

i am doing all of this into invest in my older years.

That's my point, though.

If you lead a naturally active lifestyle that includes weekend walks as standard, then you don't need to specifically add it in as an extra.

I think anything you can do in middle age to help prevent limiting conditions later is a good thing. Whether you choose to do it or not is another thing. I’m 47 and I think it’s definitely important to do some exercise. I largely walk, can easily and often do 8-10 mile walks. But I do also a bit of strength and cardio

I try not to carry heavy bags at all tbh. If I've got shopping I'll use a backpack. Personally, I can feel a drag on the muscles in my lower back if I lug heavy shopping home, sciatica-type numbness even, and it mightn't be great for the pelvic floor either (3 childbirths).

I'm late 40s and stats like 50% of women over 50 will break a bone have definitely given me a kick up the bum. I'm exercising for my old lady body not bikini body is another one that hit home.
My mum is late 70s. Never been to gym but very active. She walks miles. Carries shopping. Swims a couple of times a week. Does lots of physical housework and gardening - sweeping leaves, washing windows etc.

With running I think less is more.
I do parkrun 5Km most weekends and each week one or two 3km jogs in between along with getting my 10000 steps most days and one or two classes involving weights.

My knees are fine, probably because I am very slow and because I don't do excessive distances. My son pokes fun sometimes at me, but I tell him to come back to me when he is 53 and can still jog his away around a 5km course.

If you want to stay strong, resilient and flexible into old age - exercise.

If you're not bothered about these health qualities - don't.

Simple.

In my family you live to a ripe old age, it seems. So you can spend your last fifty years feeling like shit if you don't look after your body, or you can keep on trucking being able to do the things you love until you're 100, albeit at a slower pace, if you do daily exercise. You can really see how that plays out in my parents generation - my parents drank and smoked and did no exercise and are now suffering for that, overweight, watching tv all day, heart problems, pre-diabetes. Their siblings had active lives and didn't drink and smoke and are still healthy - gardening and walking and going on active holidays well into their 80s. My fear of decades of being unable to do what I love keeps me motivated.

Some exercise is more high impact such as running, or people used to do more aerobics and that can cause wear and tear on the joints. I'll still try and do some high impact cardio though lol.

For sure we should exercise for our health.

It is depressing all the adverts that tell us we need to buy their secret routine for exercise etc as we're so past it.

Just follow NHS health recommendations.