Health and Fitness Tips for Women Over 50

Staying active is a big factor in healthy aging for women over 50. Regular exercise can help lower the risk of chronic disease, prevent falls and ward off the weight gain and loss of bone and muscle mass associated with menopause. The stronger you are as you cross over the proverbial hill of 50, the better off that you will be as you age. LivingBetter50 has some similar and unique fitness tips for women over 50.

Playing sports and staying active benefit women 55 and older in many ways. 

What kind of sports and exercise are best for women over 50?

Women over 50 should enjoy a range of different activities to cover aerobic, strength and balance training. Working on all three of these fitness aspects since they each benefit aging bodies in different ― and essential ― ways. After checking with your doctor to ensure sports and exercise are safe for you, take a look at these suggested health and fitness tips to get you ready and moving.

Aerobic Fitness Exercising

Aerobic exercise gets your heartbeat going and over time can help improve heart health while burning fat. Speak with your doctor or fitness expert to calculate your maximum heart rate and a target heart rate based on your age and fitness level. Stay in your heart rate range and don’t overdo it. Also, be sure to invest in supportive shoes appropriate for each activity.

You can get a good aerobic workout by engaging in activities such as:

• Bike riding
• Running
• Pickleball
• Walking
• Swimming
• Water aerobics

Anaerobic Fitness Exercising

While the aerobic exercising develops through cardiovascular activity, the anaerobic exercises build strength. Aerobic fitness can be compared to a sprinter while the anaerobic fitness is more that of a marathon runner. You will want to build strength over time rather than following the latest trends of strength training. 

If you are like me and hate the inside of a gym, here are some other activities that build muscle strength:

• Use your own body weight, doing pushups, squats, lunges and crunches
• Climb that flight of stairs, taking 2 steps in one stride if possible
• Resistance training with activities like rowing or kayaking or resistance bands at home

Balance and Core Strength Exercising

Balance problems, including vestibular balance disorder, are more common in older adults. Medications can have dizziness or vertigo as a side effect. Training can help minimize unsteadiness and make it safer for you to walk, exercise and avoid falls. To build your balance, practice standing on one leg, or on both legs with your eyes closed. To make sure you do this daily try brushing your teeth while standing on one leg or invest in a balance board for while you watch your favorite tv show.

Recovery and injuries for women over 50

Our bodies are not as fresh and energetic as they once were. It seems that everyday I wake with more aches that before, but especially following exercise. Combat stiffness and achy muscles with magnesium malate and by increasing your alkalinity. Stiffness is caused by lactic acid build up and so increasing the pH in your body will combat the encroachment of acids.

Looking after our bodies is important, it is the only one that we are given. In order to live a long blessed life, we need a body that can finish the race!

LivingBetter50 is a magazine for women over 50, offering an over 50 magazine free download for women of spirit!