Those of you in your late 40s, what does your exercise routine look like?

[mummarunner]

I’m 47 and quite fit thanks to the gym in my 20’s and lots of running in my 30’s and early 40’s. Nowadays I can’t run as far, fast or as often as I used to. I am completely fine with this, it is to be expected, but I’m struggling to find a new routine that suits my age and my lifestyle (full time work, two kids who have club commitments most weeknights).

Current routine looks like this: 5k run twice a week, half hour light (5kg) dumbbell workout once a week, walk 10k steps a day. I also love road cycling but I don’t do this as often as I’d like, and when I do it is a substitute for a run.

How can I improve? I don’t need to lose weight, but do need to maintain weight as it’s easier to gain these days. I am interested in strength, flexibility and I still love running. I’m considering adding Pilates to my routine?

Would be great to hear what others do, particularly if you’re used to exercising and have adapted your routine as you’ve got older. Thank you!

Love Stacy Sims. She had a really good episode on Huberman Labs podcast

I'm 49 and in a week I do:
Punchbag fitness class x2
Circuits class x1
Weights sessions x 1 or 2
Walk the dog for approx 40 mins daily
Do a 15 min online stretch at home with DH roughly x5

I enjoy classes as I get pushed and do a couple of them reasonably early - 6am and 8am so I can just get on with the rest of the day. Lifting weights and hitting a punchbag are both very theraputic for me as they seem to keep the mid-life anxiety under control. The stretching is something that we've only been doing for about a month but it's been really great and some persistent niggles have completely cleared up. As I get older, I've had to shed pretty much all of my vices so intense exercise with loud music is one of the few ways to get a bit of a 'high'!

I have been doing strength training for over a year now and I have become much stronger and fitter from it. I also like yoga/pilates once/twice a week but I have now replaced those with swimming. There are lots of great videos on YouTube for strength training and also yoga/Pilates if you want to do them at home. With weights I do as heavy as I can lift with 8-12 reps and I need to increase the weight quite frequently. I suppose one could do lighter weights and longer reps.
Love Stacy Sims too and just listening to one of her interviews atm to see what I can learn more.

I use Joe Wicks app for strength training and HIIT - he also has a Strength in Menopause series and plenty of free workouts on YouTube. I also do some pilates (Action Jacqueline on YouTube- her workouts are really challenging) and 25 to 30 miles of walking a week (with dog and on a walking pad at home).

Run three times a week, HIIT workout three times a week.

I workout 6 days a week.

A combination of HIIT, shadow boxing, dance, yoga.

I also aim for at least one long walk a week (3 hours+)

I work PT and no young children so have the time.

Alternate leg and arm day

Nothing serious light weights on the arm day and bodyweight exercises on the leg day

Helps with appearance and keeps legs working well as possible, knees a bit dodge

I am 49 and do hot yoga, power yoga, barre, reformer. Walk 12-15k steps per day, no other cardio. I find barre /power yoga really raise my heart rate while being low impact. I spent all my youth running/doing hiit - no more of that now, and have no more joint pain/injuries (knock on wood)

Wow, some great responses, thank you. You all seem to be doing so much more than me, and I thought I was quite fit! I have a long way to go but I’m getting some great ideas, really good to hear some different routines so thank you.

I need to read through everything again, but the message I’m getting is heavier weights, earlier starts and don’t give up the cardio.

I am much more likely to keep up a routine at home rather than the gym as I can fit this into my lifestyle more easily. I completed Caroline Girvan Iron last year (using a fraction of the weight!). I really enjoy that kind of workout. Thinking I might find something similar, with heavier weights, and still considering adding yoga or pilates into my routine.

Most you are doing at least five days a week too. I need to up my game.

I walk 10k steps a day and then either cycle about 30 miles or do a 15 mile hill walk on a weekend day. Enough to burn between 1400 and 2000 calories. That keeps my cardio in a good place, especially uphill/downhill for muscle groups. Elevation tends to be about 1000 ft. I do a lot of gardening as well!

Busy mum of 2 and a full on job. I train at 6am for 75-90 mins during the week, I might squeeze 30 mins in during lunch or in the evenings as well. At weekends I usually do 2h sessions. I prioritise it and do a mix of heavy lifting/ CrossFit / type training and cardio such as swimming/ running. At least 10k steps a day too. I think I’m in perimenopause and instead of long cardio sessions strength is more important now from what I gather. I’d love to do trail ultra marathons but from what I’ve read it’s not the best for you health wise during this age.

Walking - never less than 15k a day.

i aim to run 3 times a week, sometimes 4 - a couple of shorter runs of which 1 is sometimes a speedwork session and a longer one. Currently averaging around 25 miles per week
walk at least 10k steps a day - last year my daily average was nearly 16k
weights twice a week, ideally 3 although sometimes the 3rd session is strength work as part of a circuits type class
would love to do pilates but can never get a space in a class!