Tips to start exercising at 50?

[CountUpTo3]

Any good motivational fitness apps, where you get little stars for completing things, or tips for turning exercise into a habit?

I'm in a real mess. Turning 50 this year, last five years have been really stressful at home/work and I haven't been paying attention to myself at all. Now I'm back up to BMI 29, with arthritic hips/knees, pre-diabetic with high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Get out of breath walking up hill. Rubbish sleep as being fat makes me snore and I wake myself up. Feel very ashamed.

I know I need to get over myself and start fasting again, and do some exercise, but just thinking about it makes me want to cry. I really, really hate sport/exercise: it makes my joints hurt and I've always been really bad at it. I've forced myself to do stuff over the years (Couch to 5k, gym classes, rowing, cycling, walking, swimming, pilates), but have never found anything I enjoy. Anything competitive totally turns me off (so rowing didn't go well!). I damaged my elbow doing yoga during lockdown and have just got myself into a huge funk about everything. Literally crying rn, so maybe menopause mood swings not as sorted as I thought.

Haven't ever really got that 'endorphin high' - instead, exercise makes me feel rubbish while I'm forcing myself to do it, then really achy and depressed afterwards.

I really need help with my motivation. Don't have many local friends and my job is pretty full-on, so not much time in the week. I'm a really indoor person but super-social. Don't drink or eat meat. Will happily walk to the shops or to get the train, but feel like just 'going for a walk' is a horrible waste of life. Feel totally out-of-touch with my body. Anyone been here and got any tips for how to turn themselves around?

I'm very much like you and started this week doing this I REALLY had to force myself, but I can't tell you how much better I feel after just two days, in fact today I did her wake up morning session to get me motivated for work and an extra 5 minute one at lunchtime.

I'm needing to stick with a routine and the thing that has worked for me in the past is a chart with stars. I did one for weight loss with Etsy and lost 2.5 stone and have kept 2 off. I kept the chart as a little reminder.

You can see it, so nicely motivating. I personalised it with my name.

I did a similar thing with a calendar ticking off days when stopping smoking.

So for exercise I think I will do a similar process. Atm I am only v short term motivated e.g. night out, agh quick work out lots for 2 weeks then nothing. I think what would work for me is 6 and 12 week goals with a little reward at the end. It's all just tricking the mind into focusing on it.

The other lynch pin is diet - it has to be high protein good fat and high veg.

Exercise wise, I bought myself a deck of cards with exercises on them. I can pick and choose the ones I want in whatever order I want. I chop and change them depending how motivated I am. Even 20 mins a day or every other day is something. I've tried a few apps for habit tracking but haven't found any I like yet. I've started small. I'm getting up at a set time every day which allows me to do certain things like wash my face and do a proper skincare routine. I set an alarm for 11am to fit in a workout. If you schedule these things in, you are more likely to do them. Just be kind to yourself. It takes a while to adjust to a new routine.

You could start with Jessica Smith Walk and Talk, 10 mins ish.

Or Get fit with Rick. Both on YouTube. I did them while recovering from broken vertebrae. I was really low after the injury and they cheered me up too, especially Jessica.

Have a look at what menopause does to you. There is an app called Balance. it has some fantastic articles to read, and activities to help you exercise. If appropriate, go on HRT, and all the other stuff becomes so much easier.

Don't do what I did and suddenly start trying to do 10,000 steps a day. Within a week I'd seized up. Turns out my muscles were too tight and not ready for it.

Start with little warm up walks, lots of gentles stretching of every possible muscle you can, then slowly increase the walking over several weeks. There are loads of stretching videos online.

I thought I had joint injuries and arthritis but thankfully I didn't - I just had to stretch out my muscles to stop them pulling on my joints and making them hurt.

I've only being doing the stretches 10 mins a day for 1 week and the pain has already subsided in elbow, shoulder and both knees. Fitness isn't all about running - stretching hugely counts and is a good way to start!

Hi OP I feel much like you although am slightly younger at 46... I used to be slim and fit pre-DC, now I feel old and knackered. The DC are almost 8 now so I don't even have the baby weight excuse any more

Have you tried something like OYG Davina - where you count up points from exercise - or the Body Coach app, which gives instructions about exercise cycles and some recipes? I think both offer a free trial.

Could you try joining a walking group or dancing or similar, for exercise and also the social side - it might encourage you to keep going? I loathe team sports but enjoy both of those...

If you PM me I can give you a 60 day free peloton app trial? It's £12.99 after the trial but you can cancel it before

Has walks, runs, yoga, barre, bodyweight, Pilates, stretching etc and you get little medals for day/week streaks and ones for 1/10/50 classes etc
There is everything from 10 min upwards and you can filter by music type/instructor/difficulty
Also stream it to your TV or play on phone or iPad

I bought the bike and love it but the classes/app are genuinely great and 10 mins stretching is great if you really can't be bothered

I have started doing yoga at home and wow the difference since new year is brilliant. My flexibility much improved. Just start anywhere with anything. The hardest part is showing up, as Adrienne keeps telling me.

P.s the app trial doesn't gain me anything and it's unlimited so anyone who wants it can PM me

Thanks for these inspiring messages. I am making a list so that I have everything written down, then will take a look at each app and YouTube video - I'm sure I just need to tighten my laces a bit and find what works for me. @trythisforsize I'll make sure I start small, but I will start!
Have a lovely weekend everyone 🤗

Can you afford a personal trainer @CountUpTo3? There are lots of advantages to this - firstly, they'll design an exercise routine specifically for you, around your weight/fitness/objectives etc. Second, because you've paid for their services, you have to go!

But also a trainer will make sure that you make progress, in a way which suits you and isn't going to lead to injury of any kind.

How do you watch it ?

I'm in my 30s but I regularly do workouts with this woman on Youtube, whose entire channel is focused on women 50+ going through menopause, and how your body and its exercise needs change.

She's completely adorable, never stops yammering, but in the loveliest possible way. And the workouts are actually really good – all focused on light, consistent exercise that doesn't push you too hard but also doesn't feel limp and pointless.

She's probably a bit of a Marmite option – I'm sure she'd drive some people up the wall(!) But I hate watching super-toned perfect people leaping about with beepers and bad dance music behind them, and her constant chatter gives me things to focus on that aren't just the exercise I'm doing.

I can't give you any quick hacks, @CountUpTo3, but you mention that you have a job. Would it be possible to walk to work and back rather than use some kind of transport? That's a way that people who don't like walking for the sake of it can incorporate it into their normal routine.

I'm 50 odd, got my BMI from 30.5 to 28.7 at the moment - small calorie deficit, emphasis on eating a bit more protein and doing a beginner weightlifting programme online for over 40s women. 20 minute weights and I add 10 minutes floor: LiftwithCee on youtube

https://youtube.com/@LiftwithCee

What about dance videos? I'm constantly getting adverts for Body Groove and I see there are some free videos on youtube so you can try it out before getting a subscription. Or just have a kitchen disco.

If you're not keen on formal exercise it's probably a good idea to try and build as much incidental exercise into your day as possible. Walking or cycling to places you need to go to as much as possible.

Have you tried exercising at different times of the day, does it suit you better to go swimming in the morning, have a run at lunchtime or go to the gym in the evening? If you can fit something into your daily routine that makes it easier. Do you prefer doing exercise at home on your own or going to a class?

@userxx on your phone, iPad or stream to tv

I never got an endorphin high from exercise until I discovered strength training which I now absolutely love. The reason I'm posting at 630am is cos I'm up early for a session. No hardship, I'm super excited. This would not have been me with any other exercise.

If you had unlimited resources, in your position I'd get a PT for motivation and technique, and try strength training and see if you like it. I was put off PTs as I thought they'd shout and belittle (hello school PE!) but mine doesn't do that at all. They're nice supportive knowledgeable people.

The Les Mills app is cheap and there are loads of different types of exercise you can try and you don't need any expensive equipment.

Les Mills

Also if you can afford an Apple Watch/request one as a present. It can help you keep motivated by giving you badges for completing exercises. You set your own achievable goals.

Lastly, get checked out for Menopause symptoms. You may/may not chose to go down the HRT route but if you can attribute as to why you're feeling like you do you can either take HRT or OTC supplements.

I didn't realise the Peloton app included different classes @Rebel2 , I thought it was all about the bike!

@CountUpTo3 I would second @BIWI 's suggestion of a personal trainer, if you can afford it - or if not, could you join a reasonably priced gym? The trainers there will often do you a starting plan and review it regularly with you, all within the monthly cost. Could be an option if you find a gym you like?

Yes loads! I do a lot of the stretch classes, weights and meditation, there's even foam rolling ones
Haven't tried the outdoor audio walks yet

Following!

Go on the Fabulous 50s Facebook and you tube pages. The woman there Schellea is brilliant. She does short exercise programs for women in their 50's, gives tips on women in the menopause and does videos for those with restricted mobility, including make up etc for the older woman.