Getting strong, fit and flexible at 50. Possible?

[Alooffoof]

I was always a fit active person but over the past few years I’ve had a combination of health and family issues that have really taken their toll and I have realised that I don’t even have a basic level of fitness anymore 😦

So I’m starting from scratch at 50. I don’t need to lose any weight but I’m desperate to improve my strength, stamina and flexibility.

Does anyone have experience or tips for this? Anything that gives me reasonable results fairly quickly would be a good start. I’m in it for the long haul but I’m motivated by improvements for sure.

I’m also vegetarian with a pretty poor diet. I’m going to work on that too and would appreciate any ideas on where I can get advice on the correct foods to give my body the best chance at getting the most from training.

Anyone else doing similar, requiring support?

It is definitely possible. I started at 49 and used a combination of walking/running, swimming and martial arts to build flexibility, aerobic capacity and general fitness.
I have a horror of classes full of women so I wanted something I could do on my own at any time (running) and an enjoyable mixed class without any competitiveness.
I'm 58 now and can run 10k on a good day, I feel better than I ever did. But don't rush, let fitness build gradually.

Of course you can. Start walking every day, even just for half an hour. After a week or two start finding hillier routes. Try Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube for flexibility.

I think @MintJulia makes a great point about finding something you can do on your own whenever you feel like it. There are now loads of different options available on YouTube and you just have to find what you like.

Personally, I do a lot of cycling, swimming, walking and some yoga or pilates. The thing that gave me the fastest results in overall fitness is HIIT (High impact interval training) - I did that for a while and my fitness went up considerably.

Look up Joan MacDonald (@Trainwithjoan) on Instagram- she started at the gym at age 70, she tracks her food intake (she had a lot of weight to lose, but also to make sure she was getting enough protein) and she is doing incredibly now.

Getting enough protein whilst vegetarian might be your biggest challenge. Try tracking your 'macros' and see if you can incorporate a protein supplement.

Weight training is absolutely amazing for giving you strength, stamina, help you lose inches and improve your posture and general health. If you get a trainer or go to a gym and have them give you a routine to follow and you go 2 or 3 times a week you will be amazed at the results in 6 months. Its also essential that as we get older we maintain our strength and bone mass as women.. Walking and pilates are low impact but can also help you get the fitness, strength and flexibility you are hoping for.

Fit Mother Project: Weight Training for Women over 50 www.fitmotherproject.com/weight-training-for-women-over-50/

Weights!
At 50 I am the strongest and leanest I have ever been with a combination of starting running in lockdown & then weight training at home with Caroline Girvan vids on youtube.

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

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

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 ?

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.

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!

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.

Wow so many brilliant replies. Thank you all for taking the time to reply and for the excellent suggestions. I’m really starting to feel I can actually do this.

I'm in a similar situation op.

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

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.

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

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.

@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.

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!

@CovidCurious

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!

Well done! How did you start?

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!

@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 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.

@EducatingArti

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!

Start with light weights - 2kg each, or even 1kg hand weights and build from there. I'm late fifties and started 18 months ago. I've lost over a stone without dieting, and lots of really painful joints, plantar issues etc have vanished.

[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