Top 5 Exercise Tips for Older Women

Maintaining health and fitness is important for everybody, and this is particularly true for older women.

Let’s look at our top tips for helping our older Australian women stay healthy:

1. Don’t be afraid of lifting weights. Strength / resistance training is absolutely essential for women as they age. This is because regular strength training helps to promote strong bones and muscles, and this reduces the risk of developing Osteoporosis (weak bones) or Sarcopenia (age related muscle loss). By having strong bones and muscles, you can reduce the risk of falls and fractures which can be detrimental to long-term health.
2. Get your friends together: Exercising with friends can lead to greater accountability, which might increase your chances of staying consistent with exercise! Not only can you remain accountable, it can also make exercise more fun! Find a friend and an exercise type you both enjoy, and you will be much more likely to continue!
3. Work on your mobility and flexible: Being mobile is more than being able to do the splits! It is about being able to bend over to put your shoes on, reach around the take your bra off or even stretch overhead to grab something in the kitchen. Regular stretching and mobility can really help to maintain those day-to-day activities that we might take for granted later in life.
4. Focus on your sleep: Often, sleep can be a real challenge once menopause hits. You might feel restless, hot and sweaty or you simply can’t get yourself to sleep. It’s important to remember that sleep is essential for long-term health. If you are struggling with sleep, consider a night-time routine, limit caffeine after lunch or chat with your GP.
5. Listen to your body: As you age, you might find you don’t recover quite as well as you used to! Recovery days are just as important as exercise days because this is when your body repairs and grows. Focus on your hydration, nutrition and sleep to enhance your recovery and get the most out of your exercise sessions.

Need help getting started?

Our team of Accredited Exercise Physiologist’s can help you start exercising by providing a tailored exercise exactly to your needs. We can teach you the lay of the land in the gym, or how to move your body safely and efficiently.

Get in touch today to get started!