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Critique my exercise regime (complete exercise aversion until i was 57)

9 replies

Katypp · 21/11/2025 21:11

As the title says. I took up exercise in a semi structured way about 18 months ago and ramped it up in April and again in September. Any comments from experts welcome, good or bad.
I am now 58, no obvious health issues. I am 5ft 4in and up to May 2023, my weight yo-yo do around 20 stone.
I now yo yo around the 13 stone mark at the moment as i am having a bit of a atressful time and i am a comfort eater. I iintend to get down to 10st eventually but am not putting myself under any pressure.
I diet by 800calories intermittent fasting two days and around 2000 calories the other 5. When I behave, i am happy with my loss rate. I see exercise as an add -on for weightloss and do not expect it to help me lose weight at all.
I have literally NEVER enjoyed exercise, ever. Yet to my amazement, in the depths of my out-of-control eating, i stuck to my exercise regime.
So, my question is, does this sound sensible for a 58-year-old woman? Too little? Too much?
I walk around 5 miles a day every day, at about 2.5m/h. We live in a hilly area. About once a week, we do a 6-8m longer walk/hike.
Every morning, i do 10-15 mins exercise vid, alternating arms/shoulders and çore, using 3kg dumbbells.
I have just finished the c25k and did my first Beyond c25k yesterday. I have no aspirations to run more than 5km although I may try to improve on my 5.5km/h speed.
Any feedback gratefully recieved

OP posts:
Sillysoggyspaniel · 21/11/2025 21:19

I think you're doing brilliantly. The health benefits of that level of loss will be huge, and continuing to lose will make your walking and running more enjoyable as well. Keep up the good work!

vincettenoir · 21/11/2025 22:03

5k runs sound good to me. Longer runs are more likely to lead to injuries ime. It sounds like you are really going for it atm and are really focussed which is great. If you lose a bit of momentum at a later stage make sure you maintain a routine which is enjoyable and sustainable. Well done.

HedgeWitchOfTheWest · 21/11/2025 22:20

You need to increase the weights to maintain or improve muscle and bone. You will likely have to go to a gym for this. Low reps and high weight (you can lift far more than you think you can). Ask the gym staff to help you with a routine involving low risk lifts (you do not want an injury). Use machines if you like. Dr Stacy Sims is the authority on this.

Between gym days add in some mobility (& stability) work. Tom Morrison is excellent here.

The running & walking is great for your heart health (and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women). Well done there!

But sarcopaenia (muscle loss) leads to frailty and eventually to falls. And osteopaenia (bone loss) means you’re more likely to break bones when you do fall, with a 30% chance of death in the year following. Both of these are prevented with weight training. (And weight training makes you feel super powerful and awesome!)

Bufftailed · 21/11/2025 22:31

I think this sounds amazing well done. I get a buzz from excercise - do you get that? You have to do it regularly, but it feels great!!

Edited to say agree with pp about weights. Have run a lot over the years but got into weights this year and plan to never stop. In the gym! So many benefits now and in future.

SisterTeatime · 22/11/2025 14:11

Sounds great. I agree with pp that you should add heavier weights. See if there is a friendly gym or CrossFit place near you. I started CrossFit this year and it took me a while to get into it but I am now really enjoying it - I’m the weakest by a long way there, but in other classes I do (Pilates, Barre) I seem much stronger relatively speaking - so it shows how little those classes are pushing me in terms of actual lifting (obviously I get tons of other benefits). It’s amazing to me how strong some of the women at CrossFit are, including some in their late 50s (I’m 50). I love the group vibe, push myself more and feel inspired by the others. My DH has a personal trainer for weights so it’s just one-to-one. It’s horses for courses I guess. But I would say weights are non-negotiable. Make sure you’re eating a lot of protein. Agree with pp that Stacy Sims and Tom Morrison are good people to follow and learn from.

Summerhillsquare · 22/11/2025 15:14

Brilliant. Add some pilates in if you feel stiff? Tbh I am quite evangelical about pilates for the older woman anyway.

MenoCoach · 24/11/2025 10:13

I'm a PT. Do I have it right that you lost 7 stone on your own, by good diet and exercising? If so, you're unbelievable and should be so, so proud of yourself. Posts like this make me so happy to read!

I wouldn't personally worry about upping running unless you have a huge passion for it as the hiking you do is really very effective and way, way better for your joints.

What I'd add in now is weights...because being post menopause ish in age means bone loss mgmt should now be a central focus. You need to focus specifically on spine (often forgotten) as well as the usual joints where bone loss can present. If you tell yourself this is for an epic quality of life later on it might give you a better boost to stock with it, if you feel you don't get a big exercise high (saying that you might really feel that way with weights as it raises so many different hormone levels that cardio can't).

You can get a PT to work with you or you can get great dumbbell workouts at home (I read you already do a home one). The key is great technique and upping the weights to put down new bone/stop bone loss. You need to make sure you're adding in back work (upright rows, bent forward rows, etc) as well as shoulder, bicep, tricep, abs, glutes, calves, hamstrings and quads. But tbh you do great hiking so the biggest focus for me, for you, would be upper body weights at this point.

Also do you have a seated job? If so, and you do a lot of uphill walking, you might end up with a bit of lower crossed body syndrome (tight psoas is usually the basic reason for that) and get a v stiff lower back so it'd be good to add some added work to counter that. If you do think that's the case, lots of good back, leg and hip stretches, as well as shoulder stretches, and also strengthening abs and really stretching will really help rebalance the body.

Finally when you eat well add good protein and fiber as that'll keep you fuller longer and will encourage the body to use food as fuel and not store as fat.

Katypp · 06/12/2025 20:30

Thanks to everyone for responding and i am sorry I haven't returned to the thread before now.
I joined a gym! First session today and i am amazed at the weights i can lift using the equiptment there as opposed to free weights at home. I also intend to have a couple of sessions with a PT but probably after Christmas now.
@Bufftailed Sadly not. I get a buzz AFTER exercise but that's probably relief it's over! Satisfaction might be a better word.
@SummerhillsquareI did try this and yoga but i am not very flexible. I found yoga pretty impossible tbh
@MenoCoach i must admit i pretty much ignore my legs in my exercise regime as they are already quite muscley from all the walking!⁷

OP posts:
Summerhillsquare · 07/12/2025 09:19

all the more reason to keep trying, inflexibility will cause issues as you get older.

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