6 Common Fitness Mistakes of Women Over 50

6 common over 50 fitness mistakes

My PURPOSE in life is to help Women Over 50 Get Moving and Feel Better!    And I am doing it with hundreds of exercise videos designed just for us “women of a certain age 😀”.

But I still hear a lot of women say they aren’t seeing the results they expect from the exercise program they are doing.

If you’re over 50 and you aren’t getting results or you keep getting hurt or feel terrible after an exercise session, maybe you’re making one of these 6 common fitness mistakes:

1. TRYING TO DO WHAT YOU DID 30 YEARS AGO

Yes, we’re over 50, we have aged, it’s a FACT OF LIFE so why do we have such a hard time accepting it.  I still, every once in a while, make this mistake and go back to the things that helped me lose weight when I was in my 30s and I pay the price.   A few months ago the weight had crept up and my first instinct was to workout harder so I did a random YouTube video and then BAM (and not in the good way that Emeril says)  The next day my low back was hurting.    Let me help you NOT do this!  Learn from my mistakes and exercise for where you’re at in your fitness journey.  It doesn’t mean that you have to do those chair workouts (although I have a few on the Be Healthy Enough Online Exercise Platform and they can kick my butt) but you don’t have to do those burpees or jump squats or you pick your favorite back in the day, crazy move!   

When that little devil on your shoulder starts to tell you to push harder, kick him off.  Do some exercise that FEELS good.   You know what that is and if you don’t, reach out and I can help you figure it out.  Listen to your body, move it but don’t beat it up.    Have fun, feel GREAT, not curled up on the couch with an ice pack.

2. MODERATE STEADY STATE CARDIO 

This is what I used to do and thought an hour on the treadmill or elliptical where I was slightly out of breath was the ticket to losing or maintaining my weight.  Over the last few years I have learned so much about what’s best for women over 50.   My favorite over 50 fitness teacher Debra Atkinson from @flipping50tv says long steady state cardio where you are in Zone 3 of the Zone 1- 5 scale you are in the “no benefit zone”.    After 50 it’s much better to either go long and slow in zone 1 doing something that you enjoy (and is stress reducing) like walking, golfing, paddle boarding, etc)  OR do HIIT High Intensity Interval Training where you spend some time being very out of breath (zone 4 and 5) and some time catching your breath (zone 1-2).   Moderate steady state cardio does little for fat burning and could be the cause of some chronic injuries.   Switch it up to HIIT workouts (keep them low impact) and spend one of your exercise days doing one of your favorite activities.  

3. INTENSITY IS TOO HIGH

I’ve run a marathon, taught boot camp classes and most of my personal exercise sessions years ago were over an hour and I left feeling exhausted.  That’s what I was taught and thought I was supposed to do. Did you know that for the last 4 years I rarely exercise for more than 30 minutes and I am exactly the same weight, if not 2-3 pounds lighter?   I have more energy because I’m not beat up and I definitely feel better now than I did in my 40s.   I am living proof that you do not have to beat yourself up to feel your best.   In fact exercising at too high an intensity can be detrimental to your health when you are over 50 in the form of injuries both acute and chronic.  It can also raise your hormone called cortisol or your stress hormone which can be the cause of weight gain of course in all the wrong places like the belly. 

4. NOT PRIORITIZING STRENGTH TRAINING

Gone are the days of doing one thing for exercise like just cardio, just walking or just Yoga or just…to be healthy enough over 50.   You should be prioritizing strength training above EVERYTHING else and doing this while challenging your balance and working on your posture.   I could go on for hours about this one and have created several videos, blogs and workouts to help.  Here are a few:

Blog – What’s Your Excuse for Not Strength Training

Video – Benefits of Strength Training for Women Over 50

Workout  Basic Strength Training Full Body Workout for Women Over 50

 5. RUSHING, USING WEIGHTS THAT ARE TOO HEAVY AND NOT USING GOOD FORM

Have you ever taken that exercise class and felt compelled to pick up the same weight as your 30 year old neighbor?  Or have you given yourself a short amount of time to get through your planned workout video (you know I keep track and you want to get credit!) and you rush to get the repetitions you think you need?  This is when most women over 50 get hurt.

I absolutely love that I have workout videos online now!  I can reach more people, it’s much less expensive than hiring me for a personal training session, you don’t have to drive my hill to come to a group class BUT I am terrified that you’re going to hurt yourself because I’m not there to correct your form.  When you were 30 you could tweak a joint and it would feel all better the next day or 2…not anymore.   You have got to make sure your form is good, you’re using light enough weights until you do have good form and not rush through your workout.   Slower, lighter, more purposeful moves beats out more reps or weight hands down.

 6. NO PLAN

“Failing to plan is planning to fail” – Benjamin Franklin.   I just talked to a potential new member and she told me that she wants to exercise everyday but doesn’t have a plan, doesn’t know what to do for her body and ends up skipping her workout most days because of it.    There are a lot of workouts out there but not having a plan for at least a week or even a month in advance is a big mistake.  When you have a plan, block out your calendar, treat that time just as important as you would a doctor’s appointment you are more likely to get your workout done.  If you have to think about, fit it in or figure out what to do your brain will come up with so many excuses as to  why you should just skip it today, then tomorrow, then the next….

Each week or better yet at the beginning of the month plan out when and what you will do for exercise.   Make sure it’s balanced so you’re getting in the over 50 basics;  low impact HIIT, strength, core, balance and posture work.

If you are a member of my online exercise platform you have no excuse because I create a new workout plan each month and I have many custom 4 week plans for all different types of fitness goals; Build A Strong Foundation First, Get Stronger Over 50, Knee Friendly 4 Week Plan and more.   You can click the links and check them out!. 

Those were the top 6 mistakes I see.  I’m assuming that you read this to the very end because you aren’t seeing the results you expected from your exercise program.   Are you making any of these mistakes?   If you are, it may be time to rethink your exercise program. 

If you’d like some help with your health or fitness journey why not schedule a FREE 30 Minute Wellness Consultation with me. I’d love to help in any way that I can. Click the book now link below and find a time that works for you

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If you’re a women over 50 and you’d like to get moving and feel better you should try one of my online workouts designed just for us; low impact cardio to protect our joints, strength training because its a must as we age, Pilates because a strong core = a strong body and more.

Oh and you can try ALL of my workouts FREE for 7 Days by clicking HERE and signing up!

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