Exercise has been a huge part of my life for decades. It has been omnipresent in different forms throughout the different phases of life. I have spent hours in the gym bodybuilding as a teenager and in my twenties. My thirties consisted of quick hit style workouts and running or cycling with a jogger stroller or bike trailer with 2-4 kids in tow. This was the fittest time of my life. I was a mom of 4 and never sat down, multitasking was an art form and my diet was scientifically calculated and followed perfectly. This was relatively easy to do because I was always with my 4 kids, consumed no alcohol and while I was always very social and enjoyed hosting events often, these events were family-focused and ended by 8 pm.
My forties were a struggle. My kids were older, so I had more adult time with my husband and friends. My husband’s business changed, so he was home way more often. We started going out more, having a lot of fun and still very busy with kids, sports, etc. My workouts in this phase were chaotic. I did all the things that worked for me before and found I was always sore, tired and gaining weight-hello perimenopause (an article for another day) At 51, I have come full circle to my twenties when weight training, following the progressive overload principle combined with a high protein diet and walking twice a day started to work. I still enjoy variety in my fitness program but strength train 4 days a week as a non-negotiable. Start light and increase the weight, lift as heavy as you can safely and do it consistently. Hire a trainer to help you learn proper form and design a program you can follow.