The Joy of Exercise in Midlife
The joy of exercise came later in life, and now that I have found it, I will never let it go. No, seriously, not even two days without moving my body in a row.
So, why this sudden love of exercise after being sedentary for years?! Because moving my body makes me feel alive, and quite frankly, we all should be very grateful for the gift of exercise.
When I first quit drinking in 2013, I had recently joined a gym about 10 minutes from my house. I had gone to enroll and take a tour, and then I didn't go back much until I realized that I needed an outlet besides Chardonnay and Champagne.
I had put a lot of time and energy into drinking, so like any other person on this planet who has given up alcohol, you quickly realize you need an alternate way to spend your time.
I should also mention that I was in the thick of perimenopause when I decided to go alcohol-free at forty-five. The THICK of it!
For the first year of sobriety, I made exercise a hobby. I took my drinking time and turned it into research time, where I Googled how to build muscle in perimenopause.
I dreamed of having a lean body with muscular arms for most of my life. I thought (seriously) that my body did not come equipped with muscle, and therefore, exercise worked for everyone else, not me.
I thought well, I'd tried it before, and it didn't work; it's just me.
This way of thinking kept me stuck in all-or-nothing mode with not only exercise but several areas in my life. I was someone who wanted a quick fix, and if I didn't get results right away, I was onto something else.
One of the top lessons I've learned in recovery is anything worth having takes time, work, and perseverance to get the results you want, especially when it comes to getting sober and changing your body in midlife.
What can you do today to feel better, look better, and show up for your life?
Move your body daily by starting with 10 minutes, then 20, and then 30 minutes. The slow start is key to maintaining long-term JOY for exercise.
Sounds easy, right? It's not, especially if you are someone who like me, doesn't exercise, but it's doable.
Here are a few of my favorite tips to help you start:
Commit to JOY vs. working out.
Make a plan and find the movement that you enjoy.
Schedule your exercise like you would a hair appointment, nail appointment, or date night. Write it in your calendar, sister!
Get an accountability partner or join a group to keep you motivated and on track.
Mix it up each month to keep you excited (not bored) and keep your body guessing.
Practice consistency vs. perfection. Aim for 4-5x a week of daily exercise.
Listen to music to get you started! Download my favorite playlist on Spotify here.
In 2020, exercise is more important than ever. Your mental health is taxed, which in turn wears you out physically and emotionally.
My gym closed in March due to COVID, so I went back to Beachbody's tried and true programs to work out from home.
Team Beachbody is an online platform that gives you everything you need to better your mental and physical health from home.
From meditation and yoga to strength training and dance, I have completed so many programs that have given me results like I never thought possible.
Plus, a nutrition plan to go with each fitness package. It's a one-stop shop!
These are my favorites and the ones that I think every midlife woman who is physically capable of exercise complete:
The cool thing about the workouts today is that they have a modifier for every plan, so you don't have to skip doing exercises that you think are too extreme.
I modified everything!
I started doing these programs in 2015 and since then have helped people from all over the world get moving and feel better than they have in years.
You can also try any of these programs and more free for 14 days by clicking here.
Whatever you do, do something that you enjoy and do it daily to reap the benefits!