I’m not sure if staying active and motivated after 50 is trending or if it’s popping up everywhere because that happens to be my age range, but it seems to be a hot topic for women who are over 50 these days.
Gone are the days of feeling like the second half of our life has to be boring and less active. Women over 50 are realizing they can take full advantage of this stage of life, and it can be exciting.
You don’t have to run a marathon or give up delicious food. You can easily create healthy habits for a healthier lifestyle and feel great! I’m all about baby steps. Start small, but START!
Staying Active and Motivated After 50
1. Get Sleep – The older I get, the more I realize the importance of sleep. Sleep is connected to our productivity and even our eating habits. Sleep is crucial, yet it can be hard to get as we age. How many times have you woken up at 3 am?
Dr. James DiNicolantonio says, “As soon as your sleep goes, everything else goes….. Your health, your performance, your mood…..everything. Don’t neglect your sleep, or you will literally become a different person. And I guarantee you won’t like that person. “
Staying active during the day can help you have a better night’s sleep. I also take Magnesium (Glycinate) at night, which also helps.
The benefits of a good night’s sleep are:
- Get sick less often.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
- Lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease.
- Reduce stress and improve your mood.
I track my sleep with my Oura Ring. My goal is to get a good amount of REM and Deep Sleep each night.
2. Eat clean. What you eat is key to staying healthy, feeling good, and looking fit in your 50s and beyond. It’s important to eat foods with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
I also like to drink clean coffee; this is my favorite brand.
Here are a few foods I love to eat:
- Avacodos
- Nuts
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Bacon
- Bananas
- Berries
- Greek Yogurt
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Nut butter
3. Drink plenty of water. Water helps with every function of the body. As we age, water’s health benefits become even more important for energy, kidney function, and so much more.
I drink water throughout the day and love adding Re-Lyte to my water (I usually add it twice daily).
4. Exercising regularly. Just 30 minutes a day gives your metabolism a jump start. You don’t have to join a gym to exercise. There are plenty of workout programs online.
Strength training has so many benefits, especially as we age. It helps prevent losing muscle mass, improves arthritis symptoms, prevents osteoporosis and diabetes, and lowers the body fat percentage. Of course, walking is great too!
If you’re looking for some home workouts, check out Pamela Reif.
5. Eat More Protein – I try to eat more protein (over 100 grams) and fewer carbs. That doesn’t mean I don’t eat carbs, but I try to watch my carb intake. Protein makes you feel full, helps with muscle mass, boosts metabolism, can help you lose weight, and generally helps you stay fit as you age.
Lightweight Puffer Jacket (small) // Tank Top (small) // Leggings (small) // Hat // Sneakers // Sports Bra // Ankle Weights
Staying Active and Motivated After 50 | Workout Gear
Since moving our body is key as we age, having workout gear at home is a great option to get us moving. Set aside time, even if it’s just 15 minutes to workout with weights.
Sliders // Foam Roller // Adjustable Dumbbells // Wrist/Ankle Weights // Dumbbell Hand Weights // Resistance Bands // Yoga Mat // 15 lb. Kettlebell // 25 lb. Kettlebell
Staying Active and Motivated After 50 | Activewear-Leggings
Leggings are a staple athleisure item. These are some of my favorite quality leggings, and they’re reasonably priced.
17″ legging // 19″ legging // 23″ legging // 28″ legging // Side Pocket legging // Fleece Lined legging
Staying Active and Motivated After 50 | Activewear- Tops & Sports Bras
These are some of my favorite tank tops and sports bras. I also like to wear sweatshirts and jackets during cold weather months.
Half Zip Sweatshirt // Pullover Fleece // Long Sleeve Workout Shirt // Tank Top // Tank Top // Strappy Sports Bra // Racerback Sports Bra
What are your tips for staying active and motivated after 50? Share them in the comments below!
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to stop by my blog. I’m also on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Beauty For the Heart™– She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. Proverbs 31:17
Truth: The Proverbs 31 women stays active and dresses herself in strength. How do we “dress ourselves” in strength?
We fuel our minds with God’s word. We nurture our bodies with care and make healthy choices. We practice forgiveness and compassion.
Let your beauty shine from the inside out today!
*Disclosure: The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
My daughter gave me a smart watch in case I should fall. It has an app on my phone. I now use it for steps counting, sleep info and other health info. I wear it all the time and feel undressed without it. Have a good winter, very little snow here in southern MN.
Thank you Cyndi for bringing this “taboo” topic to light. My mother would never discuss this topic with me. I suppose it was her generation. So when I began pre-menopause, she had already passed and I had to rely on what I could find to read. There was NOTHING printed that was similar to what I was going through. I did not want to take HRT because I was afraid I would start cycling again. So I suffered in silence – even the tops of my feet would sweat!! I recently found a great doctor that prescribed a low dose anti-depressant. It has made a major change in my daily hot flashes and severe night sweats. I know it is not for everyone, but this did work for me.
I definitely agree with you Cyndi that life at this stage after menopause is certainly a gift. I’m going to purchase some of those wrist/ankle weights since that’s something I don’t already own.
This is a continuation of my previous post. The program keeps posting before I click for some reason.
When I discontinued HRT patches I was immediately slammed with severe rebound symptoms. My research indicated that most women would be back to baseline at the 3 year mark. Not me. I was still miserable – insomnia and an average of 7 night sweats and hot flashes every single night at the 5 year mark. At that time there were finally some rational books available, including “Estrogen Matters”. I decided that the worst health decision of my life was to allow myself to be taken off HRT. I found a new GYN in early 2020 and have spent the past 4 years nudging her to get my HRT dosage up to an appropriate level to alleviate my symptoms.
She started me on ultra low dose birth control pills. They did not alleviate any of my symptoms, but did lead to spotting. The doctor tried two more ultra low dose birth control prescriptions before deciding she’d just have to put me on traditional HRT. She started me at .5 mg of estradiol. It helped somewhat, but I was still very symptomatic. It took me a year of being on that dose and then experimenting by taking two pills a day instead of just one to convince the doctor to double the dose. This fall I decided that 4 to 5 hot flashes and night sweats on average 5 times a week was still unacceptable. My GYN apparently believes in the mantra “the lowest dose possible for the shortest time possible.” I have changed GYNs as of last month and she increased my dose of estrogen without a fight. I am now on 1.5 mg of estradiol. I still have hot flashes on average once or twice a night. I may ask the doctor in February at my annual check up if I need to have my dose increased to 2 mg. To sum things up, I started having severe menopause symptoms practically to the day of my last period in May 2008. It has taken me until this past December to get appropriate treatment. I find that unacceptable!
Kathy I am so sorry that you have hadto suffer. It is unacceptable. It’s so important that we push for better care as menopausal women.
Since I am retired, it is easier to get up and exercise daily. If I exercise first thing in the morning, it is easier for me. I am not a gym or class person, so I exercise at home. I do yoga daily, 30 minutes of HIIT daily, 10 minutes of core conditioning daily, three times a week I do weights for upper body/arms, and I do the vibration plate most days. I am still fighting post menopause belly. I like videos I find on youtube for exercise which aim for women over 50 so I don’t have to watch a 20 something super toned woman or man doing the exercises. I won’t ever have their body, and I don’t want their bodies haha!
Since I do Intermittent Fasting, I have to really concentrate on getting enough protein in the 5 hours of my eating (a snack and dinner).
I love seeing your posts on workout wear, especially from Amazon. I am looking at the 2 sports bras you list. It is hard for me to find a good supportive sports bra for my larger bust without feeling like I can’t breath. Is finding a supportive, not too constrictive sports bra an impossibility?
Happy New Year!
I too wholeheartedly recommend Estrogen Matters by Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris. It is incredibly well documented and debunks so much of the fear that was engendered by the Women’s Health Initiative study that was published in 2002. Dr. Bluming is an oncologist who specializes in breast cancer. He will tell you unequivocally that estrogen does not cause breast cancer.
If you like YouTube videos, check out Menopause Taylor. She is a retired OB-GYN who does weekly tutorials on everything menopause related. She offers a wealth of science based information on her channel. She recommends the book “Estrogen Matters” and always backs up everything she says with documentation. She is not afraid to say that there are not enough studies to answer a particular question if that is the case.
I am 15 years past my last period and am on HRT. I am one of the unlucky people who hit menopause at just the wrong time, I.E., when the fear mongering of the WHI was rampant. I was misdiagnosed with fibromyalgi both by my GP at the time and a nationally known researcher based out of the University of Cincinnati. What was actually wrong with me was severe menopausal issues. I was put on hormone patches (at a dose that was too low) between 2012 and 2014. Then my insurance company refused to pay for them. I could not afford the out-of-pocket cost,
Loved the post today! I fractured my ankle in early November and have become a couch potato. I’m ready for some exercise. It’s amazing how quickly the body gets less flexible. Thanks for the encouragement.
Also, the magnesium glycinate, is it a pill or a powder that you add water to reconstitute? Brand?
This is what I use https://shopstyle.it/l/b6Jdr
I take 2 every night so that bottle would last 3 months. I order mine from Fullscript where my doctor puts in all my vitamins.
Happy New year Cyndi.
Thank you so much for your advices and recomendación .
Aida
Happy New Year Aida!
BFTH WAS GREAT TODAY…I NEEDED IT THANK YOU CYNDI – YOUR BLOG BRIGHTENS MY DAYS!
Thank you Beth!
Menopause can definitely wreak havoc on your body and life. I’ll be 52 on Saturday the 13th but went through menopause in my late 30s…had to have ovaries out – medically necessary. Nonetheless, I tried HRT and testosterone injections but I felt like I was super angry all the time…and had weight gain (not muscle) – even though I was eating low carb/low fat and working out. I had terrible gut health, IBS/C, eczema, low energy, apathy, etc. It was horrible – until I started eating Carnivore! I know everyone should listen to his/her own body when it comes to eating but the Best thing I (and my husband) have ever done is stop eating carbs altogether! And l won’t even get into the plants and how bad they actually are for us and our gut health. Nonetheless, it’s a long road to heal the gut and rid the body of inflammation but I have never felt more energetic, clear minded, happy, and motivated in all my life! Oh, and I’ve lost quite a few pounds and inches and no longer take medication for IBS. Life is good! Blessing to all!
Casey so glad you’re feeling better! And yes, there’s no one size fits all. We all have to figure out what’s best for our body.
Good tips. I’ve been exercising for most of my life. For being 69 I am in good shape and people don’t think I am as old as I am. I never took HRT. I considered bioidentical hormones because I am for natural over regular pharmaceuticals. These pellets are injected on you every 4 months. It’s too expensive for me. I figured I would just age like God wants me to. I would be careful with what big pharma offers and consider bioidentical hormones. Many times regular gyn docs don’t offer this. You may have to search for a doctor that practices holistically. I have a doctor who’s a MD but practices outside the insurance companies.
Hi cyndi, enjoyed your post today. Could you please share the brand of magnesium that you take?
This is what I use https://shopstyle.it/l/b6Jdr
I take 2 every night so that bottle would last 3 months. I order mine from Fullscript where my doctor puts in all my vitamins.
Thank you for sharing this ! I also follow Mary Claire and just started researching. And I agree , life after 50 is amazing and I want to do all that I can to be healthy
to enjoy this phase of life !!!
So happy you addressed this! As women, we don’t have to silently suffer anymore. I turn 50 in a few weeks so this is timely. Two books that helped me as I entered my 40s and had noticed changes were Suzanne Somers’ “I’m too Young for This!” and Dr. Anna Garrett’s Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony. At times it can seem like we are starting to lose our minds and these two books helped me.
I agree, the brain fog is real!
Thanks so much for this, Cyndi! I’m 52, reallllllly close to post-menopausal, and have been super-into the whole female hormone thing since I got off the pill fifteen years ago. I’ve been on HRT for six weeks. I have osteopenia plus a host of other symptoms and dialing in my estrogen has been a challenge. I’m progesterone intolerant to boot, so that will present its own challenges once we get my E figured out. My menopause ninja (I love her) is also interested in adding T into the mix (my levels are basically zero) if the E doesn’t get me where I want to be.
I *do* run marathons and strength train twice a week, and the last five years have been a bizarre transition, esp since I started running later (late 30s). Just when I started to get into a good running groove, peri blew everything up. My trainwreck training cycle and worst-ever performance at the 2022 Honolulu Marathon had me saying “no more”, but I don’t give up that easily and my husband and I have registered for it again this December. Menopause is more of a “shift” than I expected (why I don’t know, my hormones have always been a mess!), but we all shall endure!
Have a blessed Wednesday!
Yes!! You can do it, good for you for registering for that Marathon.
I try to do what you do. I didn’t like my bone density test since petite and the lady that did it said petites were the world’s worst getting osteoporosis or having bone loss. So I went and joined the Healthplex and started working out with a trainer first then she had Pure Strength Classes & started her classes.She made a list of the machines to do also in a folder and I do them once a week. I love zumba and water aerobics too . I gradually moved up into heavier weights now and my shoulders widened which I was narrow shouldered before. Overall after a year I am much stronger. It is an investment in your future health so you have to look at it from that prespective when you wanna not go. Happy 2024 and a healthy one too!!! I would love for you to discuss sometime healthy snacks after the gym if you have some!! You look great, btw!
I have read both books and have been supplementing hormones for over a decade in various forms. I would also HIGHLY recommend the book Testosterone Matters More. It’s very enlightening and will give you a well rounded view 🙂
Thanks Paige, I’ll get that book too!
Thank you Cyndi for posting all these great products to help improve our health and workout wardrobe!!! I really need the fleece lined leggings. I will be in Chicago at the end of January. Brrrrr