Why is it important to get fit or keep fitness after 40?

As women get older they undergo a lot of hormonal changes and as menopause approaches, it is important that they look after themselves and incorporate regular exercise into their lives to help to make the transition easier.

The benefits of exercise for women over 40

There are many benefits of exercising for women as they approach, go through or transition out of menopause, including;

• Helping with weight control – women start to lose muscle mass and gain abdominal fat around the menopause. Regular exercise will help to prevent weight gain, give you more motivation to eat well and help to slow down the reduction in muscle mass.

• Strengthen your bones – exercise can help to slow bone loss after menopause, which lowers the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.

• Reduces the risk of disease – A healthy weight has been shown to reduce your risk of certain cancers. Excess weight also increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

• An improvement in mood and a reduction in depression and anxiety – Research has shown that exercise has a huge effect on mental wellness. Women have been shown to have higher anxiety levels and incidences of depression during his period of their lives and regular exercise can help women to improve and manage these symptoms.

So, what exercise should you do?

The recommendation for women is 150 mins of moderate aerobic activity a week or 75 mins of vigorous aerobic activity per week plus strength exercises twice a week.

You are much more likely to continue to exercise if you find something that you enjoy! So, I would recommend trying different things. You don’t need to join a gym, there are so many outdoor exercise classes now, and the benefit of these is a boost of vitamin D and just the overall feel-good feeling you get from being outside. There are also many different online options that mean you can exercise from home. This can make it easier to fit it in around a busy home and work life. I would say that if you are doing online workouts make sure that you find a reputable source and work within your own limits. Don’t add weights etc until you are happy with bodyweight exercises and if something doesn’t feel right don’t continue.

Different exercises to try could be a mixed ability outdoor or indoor circuit class, these can be good for strengthening as well as aerobic and for meeting other women too. If you want to get some more aerobic exercise, try getting out on a bike, swimming or brisk walking. Yoga and Pilates are also good for strengthening, stretching, stability and can be very mindful too. Or you might want to start running so find a running group and start with walk/run intervals.

How to keep yourself motivated?

Set realistic, achievable goals. Plan your exercise into your weekly schedule rather than just trying to squeeze it in. Try and find something that makes you feel good after you have done it and also build up gradually. I would also recommend joining a group (face to face or online) or sign up for a term of classes, this can help to keep you going and build up a community of like-minded women.

Don’t wait, prioritise self-care and get yourself fitter and stronger.

Find out more from Bernice at www.bfitascot.co.uk