Starting on the road to fitness after 50 (or thereabouts) Support thread.

[Alooffoof]

Hi. I’m hoping this thread will be useful for anyone who is finding it overwhelming or is struggling to get started on the fitness journey.

We are possibly facing similar hormonal, health and family etc obstacles. And can help and inspire each other to keep going.

I’m 50. I’m starting from a fitness level of zero. I had long Covid and now I’m breathless just going up the stairs.

My goal is to get strong, fit and flexible.

I’m looking at yoga in the first instance but I’m hoping to add some weights and cardio into my training soon.

Please join and let us know where you are at and what your goals are.

We have got this!

If you need a bit of inspiration (and lots of strength programmes) there is Caroline Girvan on you tube and the 'women over 50 doing Caroline Girvan' group on Facebook. It's a great motivator.

I'm your stage of life but have exercised most of my life one way or another

I'd start with Adrienne yoga - the home series takes it slow , tells you what to do

Walking more is also a great start

Caroline is quite intense / hard. Start with body weight only and notice that she sometimes stops

Thanks @Figgyroller will take a look

@mudgetastic I was the same. Outdoors horsey type. Never ever thought I could be this unfit! I’m hoping it will stand me in good stead for quick progression but realistically I think it’s going to be a slog. But I’m ready for it. Thank you for the good advice, I will take it onboard.

Not good advice but in a similar situation if you want a buddy. Planning to restart yoga today and do more walking to start with. Have issues with painful joints etc so know I can’t rush in to it. Got a walking holiday booked at the end of June so need to improve my fitness seriously

(shuffles onto thread). Me too please. Almost at menopause - mood dipping and need to lose weight.

Am using weights but need to up cardio for heart health and watch portions and biscuits

Need endorphins because lack of oestrogen is causing me to get low.

Am a fan of slow progression - want to be a healthy bmi and build exercise in. I want to be able to move well in old(er) age.

body weight exercises are an excellent idea - I'm in remedial lunges and pressups at the moment

OP, I am a retired doctor, two years into my own long Covid, and I need to caution you about exercise. Overdo it, and you will trigger a relapse.
You need to find where your current limit is, then very cautiously and gradually extend it, factoring in rest days as you go.
I was breathless at 100 yards when discharged from hospital. It’s taken me two years to reach being able to walk one to two miles a day. I managed a four and a half mile walk including an 1100ft climb in January, but was stuck on the sofa for three days afterwards.
Pace yourself and take it very gently.

OP Babdoc is wise (and very qualified). I had a chest infection and viral infection in January 2020 and was very ill. My GP cautioned me to be careful about jumping back into everyday life at 100 miles per hour. I'm glad I listened because it was a very slow recovery. Like me you are only 50 - there is plenty of time.

Thank you @Babdoc and @BeanAnTae

I do hear you. I just feel I have missed so much time already now. I’m desperate to get out with my dog but I’m still having to hand her over to others to do the fun stuff. I am made to feel that it’s been long enough and I need to “battle” it by family who have lost patience with me. But you are absolutely right @Babdoc I did too much yesterday and I have hardly been out of bed today so it will have to be baby steps. I need to carry on but I will slow to a sensible pace.

I’ve had a lot of weight to lose but it’s coming off. My aim is to keep busy, I swim and try and do at least a pool mile a week then in the summer I do a lake mile but at the moment I do a lake dip. Then just do things like gardening, dog walking and try and find things that don’t involve sitting on the sofa scrolling through devices.

A friend I swim with is still suffering from covid after effects she is building up the swim very gradually.

Oh poor thing. Recovery is horrible and you deserve support not impatience

I remember my dads slow recovery ( 10 years ago). We measured it in lampposts - first lamppost from the house was a huge milestone , as was the second lamppost. He got to mountains in time and leading ramblers in the end , but only by building very very slowly

I have always walked a lot. In November I decided to swim instead but walk on days I don’t swim. Because of the weather I sometimes didn’t do either. I now struggle to walk for an hour and a half . I have to keep sitting down, am out of breath and feel the worst I’ve felt for years. The lack of light has made me feel mentally awful too. I simply don’t understand why swimming has done nothing for my fitness! I swim three times a week for half an hour.
I’m giving up swimming and going back to walking. I would like to do weights but don’t know where to start. I also need to start doing yoga again.

@FlyingGeeseAgain don’t give up the swimming it was the worst thing my mum ever did. It keeps you moving without putting any pressure on your joints and is great for stretching out.

What kind of stroke do you do? I only learned front crawl when I was in my early 40s and it’s been the best thing I ever did. I can do good distances now.

I do breaststroke and hate putting my face in the water so that’s not great for my back. Before I started swimming I walked about 3 or 4 miles about four times a week. I struggle to do that now and have no stamina.
Also just been clothes shopping and my body looks terrible. I have never looked so fat.

Hello, thank you so much for this thread. I’m 53, could do with losing a bit of weight but mostly am just really aware that my fitness has really plummeted and it’s time to do something about it or accept it’s downhill from here! I used to do quite a few classes but hadn’t been since before COVID struck up until a few weeks ago when I thought I’d relaunch with a step class and nearly died with the exertion! I was bright red for hours afterwards. I’ve booked a gentler class for Tuesday evening but am nervous.

Can I join, or lurk. Need the motivation! Am 58 suddenly and don’t look like the film star I thought I did. Sigh. Also out of puffvery quick.

I was thinking of similar. Just trying to improve from a low base.

Can we join? 52, put on lockdown pounds and need to sort out fitness

I in in! Before lockdown I was doing 5 exercise classes a week. My fitness really took a nosedive during lockdown, so long just stuck at home and just lost motivation. I'm doing a Zumba class, but that's nowhere near enough and I feel blobby and sluggish. Not good!

This is great so many of us! And lots of reasons some of us need to take things slower.

Where is everyone at today?

I went for a steady little walk but I have also started doing some stretching for flexibility exercises. These are a revelation. Not too much exertion but I can feel that they are making a difference. I will take that at the moment and follow the programme as long as I can. I’m feeling much more positive again now. And only 2 more weeks and the clocks go forward! We have all got this!

Hello everyone, would love to join you

I'm heading towards 60, and luckily retired so I have time (finally) to sort myself out.

I made a good start last year and went from quite overweight, and breathless walking up the stairs, to normal BMI and walking a fair bit.

So I'm better than I was, but I don't feel 'strong' or really very fit, so I'm hoping for ideas and inspiration.

I'm 52. DH and I joined a gym this weekend, first time ever. We'll see how it goes.

In my experience of recovering from a viral infection keep expectations low. I had "post viral syndrome" in my 2Os it was bloody awful. I began to improve when i stopped trying to be more active. I'd do something then relapse. Basically it takes time I think. And nourishment, rest, sunshine: all the early 20th century sanatorium style things. And I was going to suggest stretching and even breathing exercises. Xx

Hello

I'm 51 and in the middle of the menopause, I used to be very fit but have really let things slide over the last couple of years

I do have weight to loose but my main aim is to get fitter and stronger and generally just feel better

This thread is a great idea, thank you

Lose