Read more about the article 8 ways chest exercises for women sculpt an amazing physique

Want an amazing physique?

 

In this post, I’m sharing 8 ways these chest exercises for women will help you create that amazing physique.

 

Strength training, in general, is the single most effective way to build muscle, lose body fat and transform your physique.  That is true for all muscle groups – shoulders, arms, back, legs and CHEST. 

However, women frequently overlook chest exercises thinking these are only for the men.   However, chest exercises won’t give you a manly looking chest.  Instead, they will actually build muscle around the breast tissue which can then help to lift the breasts.   This can help counter the effects gravity is having on us as we get older.

 

There are numerous benefits to doing chest exercises.  Following are the top 8 reasons I firmly believe women need to include chest exercises in their fitness routine.

New here?   Thanks for stopping by or welcome back.  After you read this blog, be sure to check out some of my other articles for women over 50 who want to lose body fat, build muscle, create phenomenal bodies they love.

You may recall the cardio craze of the 80’s and 90s where women were directed to the cardio room while weightlifting was considered a “man’s” workout.  Those were the days of leotards, leg warmers and headbands. Bring back any memories?

Well, that was me, in the beginning. Aerobic classes, treadmill, elliptical machines.   Until I discovered strength training.

Despite often being the only female in the “men’s weight room”, the one with the heavy dumbbells, barbells and squat racks, and receiving frequent looks like “what are you doing in here?”, I somehow continued showing up.  To be honest, it was incredibly intimidating in the beginning.

 

So, if you can imagine this primarily men’s group.  What was the main exercise they were doing?  If you guessed bench press, you’d be right.   I think some of them were bench pressing everyday, not something I would recommend.

 

I had never done chest exercises before, but this was my start and I haven’t stopped since. 

 

Our chest muscles should be treated as any other muscle group.  You don’t want to ignore them.  So, let’s talk about why not?

Chest exercises for women... avoid muscular imbalance

Our muscles all work together as one unit. Although strength training is no longer just for the men, women still often ignore chest exercises.  Here’s the thing… ignoring one group of muscles, like the pectoralis muscles in the chest,  can lead to muscular imbalance, which then can lead to pain or injury. 

 

Without a strong chest, other smaller muscles may try to compensate which is likely to result in an injury.

Chest exercises for women... improve your posture

When you think of good posture, you may think about your shoulders and back.  But did you know that your chest muscles (ie. pectoralis major and minor, or pecs) play a major role in good posture?    Your pecs work to stabilize your shoulder joint.

And, if you sit hunched over a computer all day like I do, you are inadvertently shortening your chest muscle fibers.  

Chest exercises will help to open up and lengthen these muscles and therefore, improve your posture. 

 

So, if you have a desk job, this is a major reason to get your chest workout in.

Chest exercises for women... make it easier to breathe

Stronger chest muscles can make it easier to breathe.  Specifically, the pectoralis minor, helps to expand your rib cage and opens up your diaphragm.

If you’re doing anything strenuous, you want to get oxygen to your muscles.  By lengthening your pectoralis minor you’re able to take deep breaths and get more oxygen to all your muscles.  This can improve your stamina and overall strength.

Chest exercises assist with building other muscles

Many chest exercises are compound movements, which simply means you are also using a variety of other upper body muscles, like your shoulders, back and triceps, to perform the movement. 

 

Although your pectoralis major is the primary muscle worked during most chest exercises, your triceps, back and shoulders are working too. 

 

Working your chest is a great way to get an overall upper body workout.  Have you seen women with impeccable shoulders and triceps?  You can almost bet they are working their chest, in addition to specific shoulder and tricep exercises

Chest exercises for women...create an extra calorie burn

Large muscles burn more calories!  So, since the chest is one of the largest muscle groups, and more muscle means burning more body fat, it’s another great benefit of including chest exercises in your fitness routine.

Chest exercises... improve functional fitness for women

You may not realize it, but you use your chest muscles in many of your everyday movements.   If a movement requires pushing or pulling, you can bet your chest muscles are working.  Picking up a large suitcase… yep, your chest is working.   Same goes for opening a heavy door.

 

These are activities you may take for granted now or you may be noticing that these things are getting harder and blame it on getting older.  They aren’t harder because you are getting older. They are harder because your muscles are getting weaker.

 

And, that is most likely because you aren’t working them.  If this is you, no worries.  It’s not too late to add strength training and more specifically, chest exercises to your daily fitness routine.

Chest exercises are empowering

When you first begin doing chest exercises, you will likely find them to be hard.  I know they were for me.  Accomplishing hard things is empowering.  Remember, what you may find hard today, will get easier.

 

I know most women cringe when I mention pushups. Without a doubt, this is one of the most empowering exercises for women. Not only are pushups the ultimate in chest exercises, as you get stronger you’ll likely experience an amazing sense of accomplishment. 

 

Pushups are my favorite exercise.  Not because they are easy, because they are not. But, because they are hard.  You don’t get a huge sense of accomplishment from doing anything easy. 

When you do a set of pushups, how can you not smile with pride?

Chest exercises help create an amazing physique

I mentioned earlier that chest exercises also work other muscles, like shoulder, triceps and back.  While chest exercises are strengthening your chest, they also help sculpt a better overall physique.  If the look of firm arms is appealing to you, adding chest exercises should be non-negotiable.  

 

As your chest gets stronger, you also get the added benefit of toned, sexy arms that pop in your tank tops, and sleeveless dresses.  Can you feel your confidence rising?

 

So, hopefully by now you are convinced that adding chest exercises to your routine is essential. 

What are the best chest exercises for women?

There are a lot of variations, but I’ll stick with 3 primary chest exercises.  This is all you need for a strong chest.

Pushups

As I said before, the pushup is the ultimate chest exercise.  I’ll share  2 variations. A modified pushup where you’re on your knees and a regular pushup where you’re on your toes.

Modified pushup... on your knees

How to do it: Place your hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart with knees and toes on the floor.

 

Bending your elbow and keeping back flat, lower your body so that your chin either touches or comes close to the floor. Then push your body back up to the starting position.

Regular pushup... on your toes

How to do it:  Place your hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart with toes on the floor. Keep your back flat.  Knees are off the floor.

 

Bending your elbow and keeping back flat, lower your body so that your chin either touches or comes close to the floor. Then push your body back up to the starting position.

Do 10 – 15 pushups.  Rest for a minute.  Repeat. Do 2 – 3 sets.

Dumbbell Chest Press

How to do it:  Lay flat on your back on either the floor or a workout bench.  With a dumbbell in each hand, bring arms to a 90° position with palms facing toward your feet and triceps resting on or parallel to the floor.    Knees are bent and feet are flat on the floor.   

 

Press arms up over chest, extending dumbbells toward the ceiling and bring dumbbells together at the top.  Slowly, lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position without resting your triceps on the floor (if doing these on the floor).

Do 10 – 12 reps.  Rest for a minute or less.  Repeat.  Do 3 sets.

Dumbbell chest fly for women

Dumbbell Chest Fly

How to do it:  Lay flat on your back on either the floor or a workout bench.    Knees are bent and feet are flat on the floor. With a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms directly over your head. 

 

Lower your arms out to the side keeping a slight bend in your elbows.   Lower the dumbbells until they are approximately shoulder height, squeeze your chest and raise arms back to starting position.  Don’t  allow your elbows to dip below the bench or touch the floor.     

 Do 10 – 12 reps.  Rest for a minute or less.  Repeat.  Do 3 sets.

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Read more about the article 5 ways the scale is lying to your dream body

Did you get on the scale this morning?  Did the number have you rejoicing or wondering “what the heck?”  What if I told you…

The scale is lying!

You did not lose or gain a pound of body fat during the night.  It’s simply not possible.    

 

So, you may be wondering then what is the one-pound fluctuation on the scale.   In this article, I’m going to explain 5 ways the scale is lying to you.  But, don’t go throw out your bathroom scale just yet.

New here?   Thanks for stopping by or welcome back.  After you read this blog, be sure to check out some of my other articles for women over 50 who want to lose body fat, build muscle, create phenomenal bodies they love.

What does the scale tell you?

To understand how the scale is lying, we first need to understand what it is telling us.   The scale is a great tool for measuring total body weight.  Your total body weight consists primarily of bone, water, fat, and muscle.  So, how do you know if the movement on the scale is bone, water, fat or muscle?   The fact is… you don’t.

Even scales that say they give you body fat, lean muscle and even water, are not accurate.

Should you use the scale if the scale is lying?

Despite the fact that the scale can be misleading based on any ONE reading, I still get on the scale daily for a couple of reasons.

  1. The scale is still a good indicator of trends. Is your weight going up or down over time? More about this shortly.
  2. The scale is especially helpful at getting us back on track with healthy eating after a weekend binge on chicken wings, pizza and dessert.

Although you may be tempted to skip the scale because you don’t want to see the impact that weekend binge had on your previous fat loss, not getting on the scale does not change the number.   

Beyond the reminder to get back on track and looking at trends over time, the scale can provide right down inaccurate information or at least we may misinterpret what the scale is actually telling us.

Placing too much emphasis on a daily scale reading can lead to frustration and disappointment.  For some women, an extra half-pound on the scale can even influence how we feel about ourselves for the rest of the day.  

And, if you’ve been following your plan and doing “everything right” and you “gain a pound”, unfortunately, you could become so discouraged that you may ditch all your efforts assuming “it just isn’t working”.  When in fact, the problem is simply that the scale is lying or rather misleading you.

 

But, before you completely throw out your scale, let’s take a look at what is going on.

Why does the scale fluctuate day to day?

There are a variety of factors that can influence your total body weight from day to day. First, let’s talk about carbohydrates or carbs, for short.

 

Carbs are needed for energy.  Carbs can be used for immediate energy needs,  stored as glycogen for use later or stored as fat. 

Carbs are great to consume prior to physical activity.  These carbs are used immediately and have no impact on the scale.

How the scale is lying...Carbohydrates stored as glycogen and water

A limited amount of carbs can be stored in the liver and muscles.  The liver can store approximately 100 grams of carbohydrates and your muscles can store approximately 500 grams of carbohydrates.   The liver releases these glucose molecules into your blood to keep your blood sugar regulated.  Your stored muscle glycogen is used solely by your muscles during exercise.  

Each gram of stored carbohydrate binds to 3 grams of water.  So, if you are storing 600 grams of carbohydrates, you also have 1800 grams of water, this would equate to approx 5 pounds. This is not body fat! 

However, please note, the opposite is true if you deplete your glycogen storage, which can give you false sense of “body fat lost”.  This can occur if you use up the glycogen storage and consume fewer carbs on any particular day.   When you re-fill your glycogen storage, those 5 pounds are back!  Again, this is not body fat!  But, can leave you feeling like you’re on a weight loss rollercoaster.

Cutting carbs add to how the scale is lying

This also explains why you can drop several pounds immediately after cutting carbs from your diet. The scale is telling you that you’ve lost weight, which you have.  Your total body weight is down, but you have not lost body fat.

Hopefully, this reason alone has you convinced to not get overly obsessed with the day to day fluctuations on the scale.  Instead look at the trend over a period of a few weeks.  I still like to weigh myself daily. 

 

If you only chose to weigh-in weekly or even less frequently, how do you know if you’re weighing on a day when your carb storage is full or empty?

How the scale is lying...Cortisol related water retention

You may be familiar with the hormone, Cortisol.  It is often thought of as the “stress” hormone. This article is not a deep dive into Cortisol.  Instead, I’ll keep this strictly about how cortisol contributes to why the scale is lying to us.   

Stress can increase the hormone, cortisol, which then signals your body to “hold” water.  The stress can be physical or psychological.  Long-term dieting can cause stress within your body.  Hard workouts over time can cause stress to your body.  However, there are far more factors than I can discuss here. 

Just know that the weight gain on the scale is not necessarily body fat.  

Body fat occurs when you consume more calories than you use.

How the scale is lying...Slow moving bowels

The last point I’ll make, although not necessarily the only other reason the scale is lying is all the food you’ve eaten – from the time you swallow to the time you expel the remnants. 

Ok, there is no easy way to beat around the bush so I’ll just say it. 

Have you pooped today?

Food doesn’t just magically disappear after we swallow.  I’ll keep this simple.  The food you eat weighs something.  So, how soon you get on the scale after eating will impact the scale.

But, did you know…?   It can take 2 – 5 days for the food you swallow to leave your body as poop.

The scale moved. Is the scale lying?

With the many factors influencing what the scale does on a day to day basis, how do you know if you lost/gained body fat or it’s just a temporary blip?

Scale is not lying...Calories in are greater than calories expended

OK, this is the weight gain you need to focus on.  Whether these excess calories come from carbohydrates, fats or protein, excess calories will be stored as fat.  Because of the other factors previously mentioned, the easiest way to know if this is the source of your weight gain is to look at the trend over time.

Notice the day to day weight fluctuations in the graph above.  Some days the scale jumped up and others it came down or remained the same.  What’s important to note is the downward trend. 

 

This coupled with the fact that this woman is exercising and following a healthy nutrition plan, is a good indicator that she is losing body fat.

To gain a pound of body fat, you need to consume an extra 3500 calories above your daily maintenance calories.  Your maintenance calories are how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight.  Let’s say your maintenance calories are 1600. To gain a pound of body fat in one day, you’d need to consume 5100 calories.  That is a LOT  of calories for the average person.

And, that is rarely how body fat is gained.  Instead, it is more likely that someone would eat an extra 500 calories per day for several days.   With the same maintenance calories of 1600, let’s say you eat 2100 calories every day for 7 days.  That would add up to an extra 3500 calories and unless you are doing extreme exercise to burn it off, you are likely to gain a pound of body fat.   

 

In this case, the scale is not lying.  

 

Looking at how your weight is trending over a longer period gives a much more accurate picture of what is really happening.

How the scale is lying...You're gaining muscle

Another source of weight gain from the scale’s perspective is muscle gains.   The scale cannot accurately distinguish between body fat and muscle gains. If you are following a strength training program, you should be building muscle.  It’s also possible that you are losing body fat and gaining muscle weight and the scale does not move.

 

This can be frustrating and give you the opinion that what you are doing is NOT working, which would be completely inaccurate.

The scale is just one piece of data.  If you are following a strength training program, I highly recommend taking periodic body measurements.  I frequently hear comments from clients like this one

 

“I was so disappointed because the scale was not moving.  I decided to take my measurements like you suggested.  AND, I lost 9 inches!!!”

In addition to muscle gains, as you build muscle the bone that the muscle attaches to gets stronger, more dense and weighs more too.  The scale is not lying. These are both weight gains you want and need!

How the scale is lying...What the scale cannot tell you

Although valuable, the scale is just one tool.   The scale does not tell you

  1. If you are getting more fit  
  2. Your overall health is improving
  3. Whether you are gaining muscle
  4. How your clothes fit
  5. How you look in the mirror

I am still a huge fan of weighing in every day.    In addition to getting on the scale daily, I track my weight daily.  In my opinion, the tracking is the most important part.  This way you can see the trends. 

Keep in mind, the scale is not meant to make us feel bad or guilty.  If getting on the scale can ruin your day, then you may want to weigh in weekly instead of daily for a while. 

 

But, as I mentioned earlier, you risk weighing in on one of the anomaly fluctuations and in order to see the trend it will take longer than it does if you are tracking daily.  However, it is a personal choice.

 

I will caution you.  Not getting on the scale because you think you won’t like the result, does not change the result.

Also, make sure to use other methods for determining if you are gaining/losing body fat like measurements, photos, and how your clothes fit.  If your clothes are getting tight around your mid-section, it’s probably not because your glycogen stores are full or because you’re gaining muscle.  Just saying.

If you decide to follow my advice and weigh yourself, here are my tips:

  1. Weigh yourself Daily (weekly at a minimum)
  2. Always first thing In the morning
  3. Weigh-in with no clothes (or minimal – same every time) and after you’ve used the bathroom
  4. Write it down so you can keep track of your progress
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Read more about the article 10 Ways Strength Training Builds Confidence in Women Over 50

Strength training builds confidence!

 

Strength training, also known as weight training or resistance training, like most forms of exercise builds self-confidence.  Before I go any further, I want to dispel a myth many women have.  

 

MYTH: I have a successful career; therefore, I must be confident.  I’m supposed to be confident. And if I’m not, there is something wrong with me.

Wrong!  

 

There is nothing wrong with feeling like you need or want more confidence.  I will bet MOST women feel this way.   I’ve met, talked to and read about some of the most successful, most beautiful women in the world.   These are women that you would think HAVE IT ALL.   They exude confidence!   How could they not be confident! 

 

Well, they may be confident NOW (ie. they haven’t always felt confident).  Or, they’ve gotten very good at hiding their insecurities. 

 

They may be confident behind their desk at work, they may run a multi-billion dollar company and secretly spend hours trying to find something to wear that hides a body they hate.

New here?   Thanks for stopping by or welcome back.  After you read this blog, be sure to check out some of my other articles for women over 50 who want to lose body fat, build muscle, create phenomenal bodies they love.

If  you can relate to ever feeling this way, let’s talk about how strength training builds confidence.

1. Love how you look in your clothes

How many times have you tried on multiple outfits, stood in front of the mirror and thought..

  •  These pants make my butt look fat or I have no butt
  •  This top shows my flabby arms
  •  This is too tight fitting, you can see my tummy roll

NOTE: I’m talking about your perception of how you look.  This is often NOT how others see  you.  Self-confidence is about our own perception, not that of others.

 

And how do you feel when you finally have no choice but to get dressed and get on with your day?

I will speak for me and perhaps you’ve felt this same way at some point.  

    • When I feel good about how I look in an outfit, my confidence as I walk out the door is high.   My energy is high.  I’m far more social throughout the day (still an introvert though).  
    • On those days, I do not like how I look, I shrink.  By that, I mean, I will spend more time behind my desk. I will avoid contact with others. Probably won’t initiate conversations with co-workers in the hall.  I just want to stay out of sight, hidden. 

Strength training builds muscle and burns fat.   With more muscle and less fat, your clothes begin fitting differently.  You’ll no longer feel the need to hide under baggy clothes or wear all black (although black is still one of my favorite colors to wear).  You’ll look forward to the conference room getting warm so you can take off your blazer and let your toned arms show.  

You’ll look forward to throwing on a pair of shorts with shapely thighs and a tight butt instead of dreading how hot you’re going to get with a pair of jeans on while you sit under the scorching heat to watch a baseball game.

How will your life be different when you love how you look in your clothes?

2.Achieving strength training goals builds confidence

The first step in strength training is to set a goal.   I know you may be tempted to skip this step.  You may think it is not that important. Except, it’s impossible to hit a goal if you never set one!  Having a goal gives you something to work toward.    As you track your progress toward your goal, confidence rises.   You begin proving to yourself that you CAN achieve your goals.   Here’s the thing…

 

We often start off with doubt.  We’re unsure we can really achieve our goal.  We don’t believe in ourselves (all part of our lack of confidence).  To gain confidence, we have to prove to ourselves (no-one else) that we can make changes, we can work hard, we can stick with it and we can DO IT.   And, when you realize you can do this through strength training, you can apply it to other aspects of  your life.  

 

What other goals could  you accomplish that require hard work, dedication, and a belief in yourself?

3. Building muscle and losing body fat makes you healthier

Being healthier is often an “unintended” consequence of strength training.  Why is that?

Because we often don’t think about our health until… we aren’t healthy.  

However, if excess weight has you hating your body or you frequently judge yourself for being fat, your confidence is taking a beating.  Lifting weights is one of the best ways to lose body fat and build muscle as well as improve your overall health.

 

Strength training also reduces your risk of major lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and osteoporosis.  Who doesn’t feel more confident knowing you have a reduced risk of these diseases?  Yes, there is no guarantee, but I feel better knowing I did everything within my power to stay healthy.  I don’t ever want to think “if only I had taken  better care of myself…”.

 

4. Strength training improves your mood

When you are lifting weights, your body releases endorphins which can produce feelings of euphoria.  This is also true of most types of exercise.  You may have heard of the “runner’s high”.   It is that same kind of feeling where you get a boost of energy, you feel empowered like you can keep going forever (which of course you can’t, you will physically tire.); however, your mood can stay elevated for up to 24 hours!  This can also help to relieve symptoms of depression, or feeling down after a rough day at work.

 

The release of endorphins can also lead to decreased feelings of pain, fewer negative effects of stress and help reduce your appetite.

5. Strength training builds confidence for your future

Not only does strength training make you stronger in the short-term, it prepares your body to remain stronger as you get older.  We started losing muscle in our 30’s and that gradual muscle loss picks up speed as we get into our 50’s, 60’s and beyond.

 

Strength training can slow, stop and reverse this natural muscle loss.  The more muscle you have as you get older, the easier life will be.  Those activities you take for granted now, can get incredibly difficult if not impossible later in life IF you continue to lose muscle.  

Perhaps picking up a 10-pound bag of potatoes at the grocery is not a big deal today, but what will that be like when you are 80?   What about carrying the laundry basket? Bending down to tie your shoes?

 

Knowing that you are doing something that makes you stronger, not only today,  but long into the future, can remove the stress or worry about what life will be like when you’re 80 and beyond.  Will you be active, able to get in and out of the car with ease, go out to lunch with friends, do your own grocery shopping? 

 

If you’ve experienced watching a family member struggle with health issues from obesity, heart disease or physical pain related to lack of exercise, you may have a heightened awareness of potential health issues.  I know I do.

Taking care of your body now can boost your confidence just by knowing you are taking control and doing your best to stay healthy and vibrant for years to come. 

Curious how you can get started with a strength training program.  Check out one of these free workout plans.

Great for beginners

3-day 15-minute workout

3 and 4-day options

7-day at-home and gym training plan

Upper body only

Sexy arms workout plan

6. Strength training + nutrition build confidence

There are numerous  benefits to strength training and not all of them are visible from the outside. I will go out on a limb here and say if you are like most women,  you are not going to stick with strength training, or any exercise for that matter, if you aren’t seeing physical results in the mirror. 

Yes, we know we are getting healthier, but we need to see it!

So, if you’re putting forth the effort to lift weights, and you want to see the best results (which, of course, you do, right?), a healthy nutrition plan is essential.  You can not undo poor nutrition in the gym.  When you eat the right foods, your body has the energy to work out harder so you get leaner, and stronger with firm muscles that you can actually see (ie. not hidden below a layer of fat).  

The more results you see, the more likely you are to stick with your strength training and healthy eating, which leads to even more confidence as you love how your body looks and feel a sense of pride as you prove to yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to.

7. Strong firm muscle is sexy

Feeling sexy is a state of mind.  There are no expiration dates.  No age restrictions.  Over 50?  Over 60? In your 80’s?  Doesn’t matter!   What does sexy look like to you?   It will be different for all of us, but the one thing that will be the same…

 

It’s hard to feel sexy if you don’t like your body.  That’s not to say you need a perfectly sculpted body.  This is all about what makes YOU feel sexy.

When you feel good about how you look, you will feel more confident and sexy. 

8. Get outside your comfort zone to build confidence

Who doesn’t love their comfort zone?   It’s one of my favorite places to hang out.  It’s comfortable, relaxing, safe and…

 a place that’s sure to keep you stuck.  

 

No growth happens in your comfort zone.   To live an eventful, rewarding and sensational life, we need to try new things, and push outside our comfort zone.    If you are like me, it is so easy to get stuck in a routine, doing the same “comfortable” things day in and day out.  

 

Strength training is a great way to step outside your comfort zone.  If you haven’t done much strength training in the past, it will likely feel a bit scary and uncomfortable.  New exercises that you’re not sure how to do, new pieces of equipment at the gym that seem completely foreign to you, the fear of looking silly or “doing it wrong”. All of these can send us running back to the safety of our comfort zone.

 

However, if you can push yourself beyond your comfort zone it will become more comfortable as you get stronger, see new muscle definition, lose inches, and have more energy.  In time, the satisfaction and joy that come with these amazing benefits will far outway the comfort you find in your “comfort zone” (or maybe your strength training workout will become your comfort zone!)

9. Challenges of strength training build confidence

Lifting weights can be challenging and empowering.  Curl a 5-pound dumbbell for the first time and you may find it to be hard.  The thought of curling a 10-pound dumbbell may even seem unlikely.  

 

Remember, hard is good.  Easy does not build confidence.  Confidence comes when you face a challenge, work hard and overcome it.  After a few weeks, you notice that the 5-pound dumbbell is getting easier. Time to try the 8 – pound dumbbell.  A few weeks later you realize you are curling 10 and 12-pound dumbbells.  

 

How rewarding does that sound?

 

Not only are you getting stronger, each time you face a challenge, your confidence increases.  You realize you have the power to face any challenge or obstacle (not just with lifting weights) and succeed.

10. Strength training helps you feel better

How do you measure “feel better”?  How do I even explain it?  This is one of those things you must experience for yourself.   How you feel today may be all you know.  Until you “feel better” you may not realize that what you’re feeling today doesn’t even compare to how you could feel.

 

If you always feel a certain way, it becomes your norm.  It’s what you expect.   It feels right.   For example, if  you always have heartburn after you eat,  at some point it is so normal that you don’t think anything of it.  You may even think…  “Doesn’t everyone feel this way?”   

 

A quick story…

 

When I was in the 4th grade, I got glasses.  I will remember this until the day I die.  I just came home from the eye doctor with my first ever pair of glasses.  We lived in the country on top of a hill that overlooked a wooded area.  As I looked out our large picture window, I yelled to my Mom “I can see the sky between the trees.” 

 

Up until that day, all I saw was green and brown trees all blended together as a  blob.  There was no sky showing between branches.   That was my norm.  It never occurred to me to tell my parents what I saw.  I thought that what I saw was the same thing everyone else was seeing.  I had no idea what I was missing until I put on those glasses.  From that day forward, I would never be happy only seeing the blob of trees!

 

Once you know how good you will feel when you are lifting weights and eating nutritious foods,   you’ll never want to go back to feeling any other way.         

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Read more about the article Top 7 reasons women over 50 don’t get results from working out

Ever feel like you’re doing everything right and still not seeing the results you want? 

Well, you’re not alone.  I’ve been there too.    However, there are seven reasons women over 50 don’t get results from working out.  And, the good news? 

They can all be “fixed”!

Whether you have a goal to lose body fat or gain muscle, when you don’t get the results from working out that you want it can be incredibly frustrating, discouraging, and disappointing.  You may start thinking… 

Nothing will work.

It just isn’t possible for me.

I’m too old.

And unfortunately, this often ends with giving up.

New here?   Thanks for stopping by or welcome back.  After you read this blog, be sure to check out some of my other articles for women over 50 who want to lose body fat, build muscle, create phenomenal bodies they love.

Let’s draw a line in the sand.  I’ll share the reasons and the changes you may want to consider so there will be no more thoughts of giving up.  Deal?

1. You won’t get results from working out if … you’re not consistent.

Working out once this week and twice next week, skipping the following week etc won’t get you results.  You need consistency.   If you’re just getting started, try committing to twice a week.   Then, increase to 3 – 4 or 5 days per week over time.

Twice a week, even if you’re consistent, likely won’t get you any significant results, but it is step one in creating a consistent workout habit.   If you’re looking to sculpt your body by losing body fat, and building muscle, I recommend you work up to a minimum of 4 days per week.

2. Take some time to evaluate your expectations

I’m incredibly impatient so I totally understand that you want to get results from working out NOW.  Wouldn’t it be so much more motivating if every time we worked out we could look in the mirror and see a change?  If only it worked that way.

The truth is it takes far longer to build muscle and lose body fat than you probably think.

You may want to have firm muscles or lose 15 pounds by next month, but is that really realistic?

Just because we want it doesn’t make it possible.    And, unrealistic expectations set us up for one thing… disappointment, which often leads to quitting.

Not only will you not get results when you quit, you are likely to gain more body fat and continue to lose muscle.

3. No magic pills or potions

Often related to unrealistic expectations is the notion that you can find a quick fix.  A special fat burner, a supplement, that burns fat instantly and allows you to eat anything you want.

Or a special diet,  “just eat these 3 foods for 6 weeks and you’ll lose 20 + pounds”.  You think, “I can do anything for 6 weeks!”

And, you might even drop those 20 pounds on the scale.  You think, “Yes! I found the secret.”

Except 2 months later…

… you find that not only did you gain the 20 pounds back, but you gained an additional 5  pounds.

This is incredibly common and if you’ve been on a “diet” before, you may have experienced something similar.  

There is no quick fix…

At least not one that lasts.

4. You won’t get results from working out if… you ignore nutrition.

Your workouts cannot make up for poor nutrition!  How much you need to focus on nutrition will depend on your goals and how fast you want to see results.   One thing is true for all of us, we cannot completely ignore what we are feeding our bodies and expect great results from working out.

If you are eating too many calories, you will not lose body fat.  If you are eating too few calories, you will not build muscle.

And, it isn’t just about calories.   

For best results, I also recommend keeping your macronutrients in balance.  In case you aren’t familiar with macronutrients (ie. macros), these are the protein, fats and carbohydrates in the foods you eat.

And, the best way to know if you’re getting a balance of these nutrients is to track the food you eat.  If you have never tracked your food before, you may be surprised at what you find when you do.

For more info on macros, you may want to check out “5 reasons you want to start counting macros today”.

5. Cardio, Cardio and more cardio

When you think about losing body fat or exercising, does your mind automatically go to cardio?   Maybe it’s walking on the treadmill, going for a run, or taking a spin class…

While cardio does burn calories, and it’s great for improving your cardiovascular system, cardio does not build muscle.

In addition, women tend to overemphasize cardio in their workout routines.  

And, as women over 50, we are already battling with the natural loss of muscle, we don’t need any extra help from too much cardio.

 

How much is too much cardio, you ask?  Well, that depends on your body, your genetics, your goals and your current fitness level.

If cardio is the only type of exercise you enjoy and will do consistently, then by all means, keep up with your cardio.

 

My preference, however, is to incorporate strength training to get results from working out.

6. You won’t get results from working out without strength training

As I’ve mentioned before, we started losing muscle naturally in our 30’s.  The pace of muscle loss gradually picks up speed in our 50’s and beyond; however, you can slow, stop and even reverse this natural muscle loss through strength training.

You can lose weight on the scale without strength training.  But, when you lose weight through only diet or diet and cardio, you are not just losing body fat.  A portion of those pounds lost is MUSCLE.

The result?

You weigh less, but look the same or maybe even “softer” or flabbier. 

Yikes!  That is not what we are going for.

By adding strength training, you are building muscle.  Muscle makes us look tight and firm, not jiggly.  Muscle also burns more calories than fat- all day long too.  

 

Since muscle burns more calories, as you lose muscle, you are burning fewer calories.

 

If you eat the same calories when you are 50 that you ate when you were 40, assuming all else remains constant, you will gain weight since your body needs fewer calories due to less muscle.

 

This loss of muscle may only account for a pound or two a year.  So, that doesn’t sound like a big deal.

Except, that could mean 20 extra pounds by the time you’re 60!

7. You won't get results from working out if...Workouts are not challenging enough

If you have been working out consistently for a year or more and have not seen any significant results, it is likely that you are not challenging your muscles to grow.   We get stronger by overloading our muscles – pushing them to do more.

What often happens is that we get comfortable.  Let’s say you always do 10 bicep curls with an 8-pound dumbbell.   After a while, those 10 bicep curls are getting easier and your muscles have no reason to get stronger.

If that’s the case, then maybe it’s time to add an extra rep or two or pick up the 10-pound dumbbell.  Even, if you can only get a couple reps using the 10-pound dumbbell, that’s ok.  Just make sure you still have good form and don’t need to swing your whole body just to lift the weight.  Do as many reps as you can with the 10-pound dumbbell, then finish your set with the 8-pound dumbbell.

Now, you are challenging your muscles to continue to grow and get stronger.  

Ready for a fresh start?  Grab your copy of a free workout plan.

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Read more about the article How can women create an amazing strong and fit body after 50?

Before you can even begin to consider what’s needed to create an amazing strong and fit body after 50, you must WANT it.  And…

 

you must BELIEVE it is possible. I know that sounds crazy, but if having a strong and fit body is not truly important to you it will NEVER happen.

Strong fit body over 50

So, let me get super real with you.  

Building a phenomenal strong and fit body at 50 is hard…

 

And quite possibly one of the most rewarding accomplishments you’ll ever achieve.

New here?   Thanks for stopping by or welcome back.  After you read this blog, be sure to check out some of my other articles for women over 50 who want to lose body fat, build muscle, create phenomenal bodies they love.

How is creating a strong fit body rewarding?

Why?  Because it is hard.  From my experience, the harder something is to accomplish the more rewarding it feels. Most women (even while on the journey toward the body they want) have shared

 

  •     They feel incredibly proud
  •     Their confidence skyrocketed
  •     They stand taller, have more energy

 

 And much of this is because they know they accomplished something most women over 50 will never even try! 

Scared by the word "hard"?

Don’t let “hard” scare you.

 

Yes, it’s hard work.   You’ve done hard things before, right?   

  • Graduated from high school/college?
  • Raised children?
  • Have/had a career in Corporate America?
  • Been married, divorced or lived a single life?

 

Life in general can be hard, but we don’t give up when life is hard.  We keep going. So, hard shouldn’t stop us from creating an amazing strong and fit body after 50.

…If you really want it.

A strong and fit body requires...

There are two critical pieces to the puzzle when you are creating your amazing body.

I bet you already know what they are too.

  1. Nutrition
  2. Strength training

 Before you dive into another diet or pick up your dumbbells, I want to go back to the beginning.  Remember when I said you must really WANT it and BELIEVE it is possible?

Do you really want a strong and fit body?

I truly hope your answer is yes, but it honestly might not be.    

 

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Why is having an amazing strong and fit body important to you?
  • Is it important enough that you’ll follow through on your commitment even when you don’t feel like it?
  • What are you willing to give up to reach your goals?  That might be junk food, TV time, etc.

A strong and fit body over 50 needs a goal

Assuming you are feeling confident that you really do want to create an amazing strong and fit body, next you’ll need a goal.  It’s great to have a long-term goal, but you also need a shorter term goal to keep you focused. 

I’d recommend creating a 10-12 week goal.

Take some time and get clear on exactly what it is you’d like to accomplish.  What does an amazing strong and fit body look like for YOU?  We all have a different vision of strong and fit. 

There is no right or wrong answer.  It’s your body.  You get to decide.  What actions could you take to move in that direction?

Make sure your goal is realistic.  Wanting to lose 50 pounds and  have  your high school bikini body back in 2 months will only lead to disappointment.  If you’re wanting to lose body fat, remember, 1 – 2 pounds per week is realistic. The closer you get to your goal weight, the slower you’ll lose body fat. 

             

If you’re wanting to gain muscle, which I highly encourage all women over 50 to consider, I like goals that are action based.   Such as, “I will lift weights 5 times a week for 45 minutes”.

Turn your goals into a plan

You have a goal.  You have action steps that will get you moving toward your goal.

Now it’s time to create a detailed plan so you can create your amazing strong and fit body. Let’s use the action goal “I will lift weights 5 times a week for 45 minutes.”   Please note: This is only an example, if you have not been doing any strength training, you may want to start with 2 or 3 days a week for 30 minutes. 

Also, make sure you check with your doctor before starting a fitness program.

Here are some things to consider:

  • What days will you workout? Will you take weekends off?
  • What time of day?
  • What other commitments do you have that may get in the way of your workouts?
  • How will you adjust if you miss a workout?

Strength training is non-negotiable

In order to create an amazing strong and fit body after 50, strength training must be a non-negotiable.  We began losing muscle naturally around age 30. 

 

Without strength training, you will continue to lose 3 – 5% every decade.  We need muscle for everyday living.  You know those things that we take for granted now, like, lifting the groceries out of the car, standing up from a seated position, and carrying the laundry basket.

 

And let’s not forget, tight, firm muscles look better on us than flabby excess fat.  Just because we are over 50 is no reason to stop caring about how we look.

Get started creating a strong and fit body over 50

If you need a strength training program to get you started, check out one of my free workout plans or for even more support, join Strong Start, which is my 8-week starter program.

To learn more, click on one or more of the photos below.

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Read more about the article 4 critical things women need to know about chronic inflammation

How much do you know about chronic inflammation? 

In this blog, I share four critical things every woman should know about chronic inflammation, including the foods to eat and those to avoid to reduce chronic inflammation.

New here?  Thanks for stopping by.  After you read this post, check out my other blogs for the woman over 50 who wants to lose body fat while building muscle  and creating their ideal body.

1. Inflammation can be good and it can be bad.

The good…  Inflammation is part of the body’s natural defense system.  It occurs when our body recognizes some sort of trauma (ie. a skinned knee, a bruise) and begins the healing process.  This is referred to as acute inflammation.

The bad… However, chronic inflammation occurs when the body is unable to repair or heal from the trauma.  There are several reasons for this, including autoimmune disorder, which are outside the depth of this article and require a visit to your doctor. 

Chronic inflammation is often brought on by or made worse through lifestyle choices such as our diets and physical activity, or lack thereof.  It can also increase the risk of other diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and even Alzhiemer’s disease.  

 

The good news…

 

Although you don’t have control over every risk, such as aging, you do have significant control over some major lifestyle choices. These lifestyle choices include smoking, your diet and physical exercise.  

2. Foods that contribute to chronic inflammation

It will probably be no surprise that the foods that contribute to chronic inflammation also contribute to obesity and many other diseases. Just one more reason, to limit these foods in your diet.

Added Sugar: sugary beverages, such as sodas and fruit juices are some of the biggest contributors when it comes to added sugar.  

 

Study after study confirms that excess added sugar contributes to chronic inflammation.   As little as 40g of added sugar, which is equivalent to one can of regular soda (ie. Coke/Pepsi) consumed on a regular basis may be all it takes.

Refined carbohydrates:  white bread, pasta, white rice, crackers, sugary cereals.  Refined carbs have a similar effect as added sugar.  They lack fiber and are processed quickly within the body causing an increase in blood sugar which creates the inflammatory response.

Fried foods: french fries, fried chicken, egg rolls, mozzarella sticks. Often prepared with saturated fats, which should be limited to 10% or less of your daily calories.

Processed meats: deli meats, beef jerky, bacon, hot dogs, smoked meat.   Processed meats are often high in saturated fat. 

 

A serving with more than 4 grams of saturated fat is considered “high” in saturated fat.  Small amounts of saturated fat can be incorporated into your diet.   It is highly recommended that saturated fat be 10% or less of your daily calories.

Trans fats: shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, margarine.  Trans fats have no nutritional value and have been deemed unsafe at all levels of consumption.  They are officially banned in the United States.

3. Foods that reduce chronic inflammation

The following foods have been found to help fight inflammation.  If you’re like me, you’ll be happy to see this list of anti-inflammatory foods is a lengthy one.

Berries have antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects.  They can also boost immunity and reduce your risk of heart disease. The most common are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

Fatty Fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel and anchovies contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce inflammation that leads to metabolic syndrome, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.

Broccoli is rich in an antioxidant that fights inflammation.

Avocados are loaded with potassium, magnesium, fiber and monounsaturated fats (ie. good fats).  They’ve also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer.

Green tea has been found to reduce inflammation related to heart disease, Alzheimer’s and some cancers.   Green tea can interfere with some medications so check with your physician before adding green tea to your diet.

Bell Peppers and chili peppers are loaded with antioxidants that reduce inflammation.

Mushrooms include antioxidants that can reduce inflammation; however, one study found that cooking them may lower the anti-inflammatory benefits.

Grapes contain several compounds that can reduce inflammation.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of the healthiest fats.   It also provides powerful anti-inflammatory benefits.

Dark chocolate and cocoa are packed with antioxidants that lower inflammation.  Make sure it contains at least 70% cocoa.  The higher the better.

Tomatoes contain antioxidants that lower inflammation.  You can also cook tomatoes in extra-virgin olive oil for even better benefits.

Cherries also contain antioxidants that lower inflammation.

Here’s a summary of the anti-inflammatory foods you should eat more of and the inflammatory foods you’ll want to limit as much as possible to avoid chronic inflammation.

4. Best exercises for reducing chronic inflammation

Aside from eating a healthy diet, working out is also an effective way to reduce inflammation. Just two and a half hours of exercise per week has been shown to decrease inflammation by up to 12%. You may be wondering which types of exercises work best with chronic inflammation.  If so, here are 4 types of exercise for you to consider.

Walking. A consistent 20-minute walk helps significantly in reducing inflammation. It’s also great for muscle recovery and reducing stress.

For tips on how to start a walking program, click here.

Yoga is also a great way to reduce chronic inflammation since it combines deep breathing exercises and gentle movements. It also helps in lowering blood pressure, reducing anxiety and improves flexibility.

For additonal benefits from improved flexiblity, click here.

Resistance training is the best way to build strength.  You can start with bodyweight exercises to limit the stress on joints and add additional resistance with bands and weights if and when you are ready. Furthermore, research shows that resistance training can improve inflammation in middle-aged to older adults.

For free at-home workout plans, click the images below.

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Cycling is a great way to diversify your workout routine. This is a good choice for people with joint pain or arthritis since it’s low impact. It also promotes a range of motion for both the knee and hips.

Pulling it all together ...

  • Eat a variety of anti-inflammatory foods.
  • Limit foods that are known to cause or worsen inflammation
  • Keep moving.  Find the exercises that work best for your personal situation.

Remember, the benefits are far more reaching than just reducing chronic inflammation.   To remind you of just a few of those benefits:

  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Reduced risk of heart disease, alzheizmer’s disease, some cancers
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Read more about the article 10 Fitness Truths You Need to Know to Get Amazing Results

Want to have a body you are proud of?  Are you willing to work for it?  Follow these 10 fitness truths that I’m about to share and you will get amazing results.

In this article, I’m sharing fitness truths you need to know if you want to get in better shape, lose weight, have more energy, be healthier and look damn good. 

There are no quick fixes when it comes to fitness.  There is no pill you can pop every morning that washes away the fat and builds muscle.   And, women need to build muscle.

If you are new to my site, welcome!  I hope you find valuable info you can put to use immediately.  My goal is to help you get the body you want!  Be sure to check out some of my other articles for women wanting to lose body fat, and gain muscle.

Fitness Truths #1...

You have to work for it.  No whining, no complaining, no excuses…

Are you willing to work?  If not, it’s your choice and your body.

BUT, if you are willing to put forth a bit of effort, the sky’s the limit.

  • You don’t have to be perfect.
  • No working out for hours a day.
  • You don’t have to jump in with both feet.

You can work at this gradually at your own pace.  It all depends on how fast you want results, how badly you want results and what results you actually want.

All you have to do is make the decision to start.

NOTE: If you find excuses are hindering your ability to get started or stay committed to your fitness routine, YOU ARE NORMAL!  Make sure you check out my article on how to get rid of excuses.

#2... Patience

The results you want are likely to take longer than you want. 

 

Depending on your current fitness level, it’s possible to start seeing results within a week or two.  But, you aren’t likely to see the significant changes you are looking for that quickly. 

 

Are you in it for the long-haul or just looking for that quick fix? 

Forget about quick fixes.  They rarely happen and when they do they never last.

#3... Be realistic

You must set realistic goals.  Again, forget the quick fix. 

 

You didn’t gain 50 pounds last week and you are not going to lose it this week. 

 

Setting unrealistic goals is a surefire way to end your dream of being more fit.  You’ll just end up disappointed, convinced that “it” doesn’t work and quickly give up.

 

Instead by setting short-term realistic goals, you will see success early on, gain confidence as you celebrate the small wins, feel more optimistic and excited to continue on your journey. 

 

A small win every week is much more motivating than one big win that you had to wait a year to obtain (if you even last the full year).

Fitness truths #4...

You must lift increasingly heavier weights.

Doing 25, 50 or 100+ reps with light or no weights will not build muscle.

I know…  I’ve seen the YouTube videos that promise sexy arms if you just do a bunch of arm circles.

Trust me on this.  You are not going to have sexy, no flab arms doing arm circles.  Ever!

Check out Top 16 exercises to eliminate flabby arms.  You won’t find any arm circles in the list.  

NOTE: Arm circles are a great way to warm up the arms BEFORE your workout.

 

You need to progressively overload the muscle to make it grow.  Your muscles will respond by getting stronger, your bone density will increase, your metabolism will increase.  Light to no weight is  just not going to overload the muscle enough to make it grow.

NOTE: When you are just starting out, you are likely using a lighter weight.  That’s fine.  It should still FEEL heavy.  Your body doesn’t know if you are lifting a 5-pound dumbbell or a 25-pound dumbbell.  It only knows if it is being pushed/overloaded.  As you get stronger, increase your weights.  If you can do more than 15 reps, it’s time to increase your weight.

#5... You won't get bulky.

You will not get bulky from lifting weights. 

 

Women do not have enough testosterone to get bulky.   You would need to lift incredibly heavy, have incredibly low body fat, have extreme workouts and the right genetics.  

 

This is just not something you need to worry about.

Fitness truths #6...

Train with someone who will push you. 

Our minds will tell us to stop long before our bodies need to stop.  Our mental toughness (or lack of) can significantly slow our progress. 

Having someone saying “Come on.  You can do one more”  can be a game-changer.

 

If you haven’t already joined us, I invite you to join our free Facebook group. Ask questions, get support and encouragement, join our weekly 15-minute workout and so much more!

JOIN FACEBOOK GROUP

#7... Sorry, spot reducing fat... not possible

You cannot spot reduce fat. 

 

You can strengthen a specific muscle, but there is no exercise to get rid of fat in a certain area of the body.  Genetics will determine where the body fat is lost first. 

 

We all have certain areas where we lose fat more easily and other areas where it seems to be stuck for life. 

 

As you build more muscle, you’re burning more calories, and you will lose the fat in these hard to lose areas too.  It just takes more time.

Fitness truths #8...

Cardio without strength training can, and often does, lead to being “skinny fat”. 

 

It is incredibly common for women to lose weight either through diet alone or in combination with lots of cardio.  Cardio is great for burning calories; however, to avoid the “skinny fat” look, you need to build muscle.

#9...No starving

You do not need to starve yourself to have a great body.

It is true that if you want to lose weight, you do need to be in a calorie deficit.  However, you don’t want to go overboard.

You need enough fuel (ie. food) to have the energy for your workouts and everything else you want to do.  It’s all about balance and following a healthy meal plan.

For more info on healthy meal plans, check out Basic Meal Planning with Foods You Actually Want to Eat.

Fitness truths #10...

You can’t “tone” your muscles. 

 

You can increase muscle or decrease muscle.  The look of “toned” muscles is the result of building muscle.

 

Start building muscle today.

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I WANT IT!

Grab one or both of these free workout plans to get started building muscle today!

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Read more about the article How to stay consistent with exercise during the holidays

Staying consistent with exercise can be tough anytime.  Add in the holidays and it can be a whole lot harder.  But, I’ve got you covered with some easy tips to keep your exercise routine moving throughout the holidays.

Most of us consume a few extra calories during the holiday season.  You know the homemade bread, cookies, cake, and candies.  I love to bake during this time of year and if I’m going to bake it, I’m going to eat it.

All in moderation, of course!  If you love all the homemade treats too, then stick with me on this.  The average woman gains 1 – 5 pounds during the holidays.  Some women even as much as 10 pounds.

BUT NOT US!

Exercise is the best way to burn the extra calories from holiday treats.  Exercise also relieves stress, helps you sleep better, boosts energy and helps keep you healthy through the holidays. Throw out any ideas of perfection and do your best to stick as close to your workout routine as possible.

How to stay consistent with exercise

1. Plan ahead

To ensure we stay consistent with our fitness routine, we need to be intentional and the best way to turn our intentions into action is to schedule our workouts. 

 

Look at your calendar for the week, block 20 – 30 minutes for exercise.  If you can’t find 30 minutes, break it into 10-minute blocks.  I do best when I have a plan – when, where and what.  If you don’t have the what covered, grab my 15-minute workout  plan.

2. Move more throughout the day

It’s always a good idea to stay active consistently throughout the day vs just one single workout session.  My favorite way to keep track of how much activity/movement I’m getting is to track my steps.  Aim for a minimum of 10k steps per day.

3. HIIT and strength training

Keep it short and simple with a combination HIIT and strength training workout.  Burn more calories in a shorter period of time. 

Check out the sample workout below.

4. Exercise in the morning

Our days are guaranteed to get busy.  Our best intentions interupted.  Expect the unexpected and exercise in the morning.  Burn a couple hundred extra calories before your day even gets started.  You’ll also feel energized and the endorphins from your workout will boost your mood.

5. Stay consistent with exercise... 10-minute rule

The 10-minute rule is great for those days you don’t feel like exercising.    Set the expectation that you will exercise for 10 minutes and give yourself permission that after 10-minutes if you still don’t feel like exercising, you can stop. 

 

I’ve used this approach many, many times.  Most of the time, I’m energized after 10-minutes and end up continuing for another 15-20 minutes.  

 

Other times, I really do stop after 10 minutes.  If I’m just not into that day, it’s ok.

10 minutes is better than not at all.

6. Set a holiday goal

Staying consistent with exercise can be easier when you have a goal you’re working toward.  Keep it super simple.

Some ideas might be…

  • Workout 15 minutes a day 3 days a week through end of year
  • Go for a 30-minute walk before dinner 3 times a week
  • Exercise, stretch, do some ab work while watching my favorite TV show 2 nights a week

7. Grab a buddy

Having a workout buddy makes staying consistent with exercise easier.  How do you say no when your workout buddy is standing at your front door ready for a speed walk?  You can catch up with a friend, burn some extra calories and move your body. And, it won’t even feel like exercise!

8. Make it a family event

Gather the family for a post holiday dinner walk.  Maybe a walk BEFORE dessert?  Or a walk, before you crash on the couch and veg out from all the turkey and dressing?  

9. Avoid All or Nothing

Remember, perfection is not required.  Give yourself some grace and throw out the all or nothing mentality.  Short workouts, extra steps throughout the day… these all add up.

Stay consistent with exercise... Try this sample workout

25 jumping jacks

25 squats with heel raise

30 seconds pulsing squats

10 pushups

15 burpees

10 reverse lunges

25 situps

25 mountain climbers

You can do one round OR maybe two, three…

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Read more about the article Want strong abs? Do these top exercises every week.

Strong abs vs the sculpted six pack.  If you’ve ever strived for the toned flat tummy or even the sculpted six pack you may have found yourself coming up short of your goal.  You probably found it isn’t as simple as do cruches and wake up with a six pack!

Strong abs for women over 50

A toned flat tummy looks great, but strong abs will make you actually FEEL great.

Strong abs... more important than a flat tummy

You may also have noticed that getting that flat tummy has become more difficult as you approached 50.  After menopause, women often gain fat around the belly. 

 

We can work on reducing overall body fat, but we cannot spot reduce.  In other words, exercising a particular body part (ie. ab exerises) will not reduce fat on that body part (ie. abs).

 

However, while our bodies are deciding what body fat to burn first, we can still be creating strong abs.

And, strong abs:

  • provide support for our spine
  • help us to have a better posture
  • reduce risk of chronic low back pain or injury

We use our abs in nearly everything we do.  Our abs help us walk, stand, bend, sit, reach, twist.  You name it.  Our abs also work in conjunction with our back.  Keeping them both strong is critical.  If one is stronger than the other, we are at greater risk of an injury as one tries to compensate for the other. 

Abs... 4 different muscles

When you think of abs, what muscles do you think of?  Our abdominals are actually made up of several different muscles – rectus abdominus, transverse abdominis, internal obliques, and external obliques.   To effectively get strong abs, we need to include exercises for all of them.  The best way to do that is to do a variety of ab exerises.

How often can you exercise your abdominals?

How often you work your abs really depends on how hard you are working your abs. 

If you’re starting to exercise your abs for the first time, you may not want to jump right into an intense ab workout.  In that case, you can work your abs several days per week.  If your abs are sore the next day, I would suggest giving them a rest.

If you’re doing an intense ab workout, you want at least one day of rest in between workouts.  

Strong abs... how do you get them?

You want strong abs, right?  To get them you have to work them.

Like anything new, I suggest you start slow and gradually  build up to a 10 – 15 minute ab workout.

Since our abs are used in (I think I can say all, but let’s not get crazy) nearly all of our movements, you are actually working your abs to some extent in all of your workouts. Always remember to hold your abs in tight to stabilize your core during exercises like squats, deadlifts, chest press, shoulder press etc.

Strong abs... beginner exercises

I wanted to give you some beginner exerises you can get started with today.  Start with one or two of these exercises and do 15 reps.  Check out the video below for a demo of these 10 exercises.

  • Basic crunch
  • Prayer crunch
  • Alternating toe reach
  • Reverse crunch
  • Flutter kicks
  • Bicycle crunch
  • Romanian twist
  • Windshield wipers
  • Plank
  • Side plank

I’ve also created a 30-day ab workout calender.  Stay consistent and never wonder “what ab exercise should I do today?” again.

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Want more than just strong abs...

If you’re thinking, Kim, this is all great but I want to see my abs.

 

Well, at the end of the day you can do all of these exercises and you will have strong abs, BUT… they may be covered by a layer of fat.  

And, the only way to really see those strong abs you’ve created is by dialing in your nutrition and reducing body fat.

 

Genetics also play a role and can be the final determination on which ab muscles you see or don’t see, but without following a healthy diet, those abs of yours are definitely going to continue to hide.

It depends on your goals...

We all have different goals and there is no right or wrong choice.  Some of us have a goal of strong abs so we can maintain an active lifestyle for years.  Others may have a goal of seeing that six pack.

 

Either way, you’ll want to work your ab muscles on a consistent basis. 

 

Regardless of whether you want the six pack or not, following a nutritious diet is always highly recommended. 

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Read more about the article How to reduce stress and anxiety with strength training

Busy schedules, to-do lists a mile long, traffic jams, work deadlines…

Stressful situations are all around us.  Knowing how to reduce stress and anxiety with strength training and other exercise is imperative.

Not only does too much stress leave us wanting to veg out on the couch or grab  that bag of cookies for comfort, stress can have detrimental impacts to our overall health.

In this post, I’ll share what we can do to reduce stress through exercise, specifically strength training.

Feeling stressed out

How our bodies react to too much stress

Too much stress and our body sends out the signal…  bring on the stress hormones!

This is part of the “fight or flight response”. 

You may notice you to start to breathe more rapidly, your heart rate increases, and your muscles tighten – all in preparation for the fight or flight.

When in real danger this is good.  When this becomes a daily occurance, it can have serious consequences to your health.

Chronic stress can cause:

  • insomnia
  • weight gain
  • increased risk of heart disease
  • impairs the immune system
  • irritability
  • headaches

Too busy translates to time to exercise

#1 reason women do not exercise on a regular basis… Being too busy 

#1 stressor… Being too busy 

#1 way to reduce stress… Exercise 

So, it makes perfect sense that instead of thinking “I’m too busy to exercise” we should think “I’m so busy I need to exercise”.

What if being too busy was a signal to exercise?

Once we’ve exercised, we are now we’re more relaxed and can get more done without feeling stressed.

Strength Training to reduce stress and anxiety

Strength training is one of my favorite methods for reducing stress.  When you are lifting weights, you are focused on lifting the weights, having perfect form, hitting a goal of one more rep, etc.  Your mind is forced to let go of the stress and focus on the workout.  This lets you “forget” the event that is causing your stress, at least for a while.

Physcial exercise also releases endorphins, which are known for making us feel good.

 

Who doesn’t want that?

Not sure what exercises to do?  Grab one or both of my sample workout plans.

15-minute workout.  Great way to get started with minimal time.

3-day 15-minute workout

Includes a 3-day per week and a 4-day per week option.  Approx 30-minutes per day.

7-day at-home and gym training plan

For more information on strength training, check out these other articles:

HIIT to reduce stress and anxiety

Another great form of exercise to reduce stress and anxiety is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).  HIIT workouts consist of short bouts of intense exercise following by a period of rest or lower intensity.

HIIT can consist of all cardio or a mixture of cardio and strength training. There are numerous ways to turn any workout into a HIIT workout. 

 I’ll discuss a couple of my favorites. 

Remember to always warm up with a few minutes of walking, march in place or exercise with very light or no weights to prepare your body for a more strenuous workout.

Turn strength training into a HIIT workout

It’s super easy to turn a strength training workout into a HIIT workout.  There is no right or wrong way to do this.  One suggestion is…

Example:

  • 10 -12 reps Shoulder lateral raise
  • 10 – 12 reps Shoulder press
  • 30 seconds of marching in place, jumping jacks etc. 
  • Rest 1 minute.  Repeat.

Cardio HIIT workout

Any type of cardio can be turned into a HIIT workout.   Here’s one example:

  • 2 – 3 minutes of brisk walk
  • 30 seconds of speed walking
  • 1 minute slow walk
  • Repeat.

Yoga to reduce stress and anxiety

With a focus on controlled breathing, stretching and mindful movements, yoga is another excellent form of exercise to reduce stress and anxiety.

 

Pulling it all together

Whether it’s the traffic tie up, work deadlines, or trying to do IT ALL, stress is everywhere.  How we deal with stress becomes super important.

Exercise of any type can help reduce stress.  Pick the form of exercise you enjoy and stick with it. 

Personally, I like a variety of workouts that include HIIT, strength training and yoga/stretching.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.  What’s your favorite form of exercise for reducing stress?

Before you go…

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Read more about the article Top 10 ways women can boost metabolism after 50

Most of us will experience a slowing metabolism.  Generally, our metabolism decreases 1-2% every decade after 20.  You don’t have to accept that is “just how it is” though. In this post, I’ll share 10 ways you can boost metabolism after 50.

Strength training boosts metabolism

If you want to boost your metabolism, strength training is a MUST.  You don’t need a lot of equipment or hours in the gym either.   For ideas on household items that can be used in place of dumbbells, check out this blog: Use this time to create your at-home fitness routine

Boost metabolism after 50: Strength Training

As I mentioned above, strength training needs to be at the top of your list if you’re serious about boosting your metabolism.  As we grow older, we are naturally losing muscle  Muscle burns more calories so we need to be continuously working on maintaining muscle.

Check out the following blogs for more info on strength training exercises.

Boost metabolism over 50: Eat Protein

Make sure you’re eating enough protein.  A high-protein diet may cause your body to burn an extra 100 calories per day.  Try eating at least 10 grams of protein with every meal or snack.  We need more protein as we get older and most women are not eating enough. So, how much protein do you need?  A good rule of thumb is 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight.  Read more about this at Top foods to eat to build muscle

Boost metabolism over 50: More active

Start with less sitting and more moving.  Find ways to move throughout the day. 

  • Take a 5 minute walk every hour.
  • Stand while on the phone
  • Walk around while on the phone
  • Walk to the mailbox instead of driving
  • Use a pedometer and aim for 10k steps per day

How does sleep impact metabolism?

 When we don’t get enough quality sleep, we are more likely to have cravings for sugary carbs.  It’s also harder to make healthy choices.  I can definitely attest to this!!  I have no willpower when I’m tired. Make sure you’re getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night.

Boost metabolism over 50: Grab a friend

How is a friend going to boost your metabolism?  Exercising with a friend makes it more enjoyable, keeps you more accountable and strengthens your commitment to your fitness routine.  The more consistent you are the more your metabolism gets a boost.

If you haven’t joined our Free Facebook group yet, why not join us now?  Start boosting your metabolism with other like-minded women, have fun, share experiences and cheer each other on.

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Boost metabolism over 50: Eat spicy foods

If you enjoy hot spicy foods, you’re in luck. Spicy meals containing capsaicin, which is found in hot peppers can temporarily increase your metabolism.  

Out of whack hormones?

As we enter our late 40’s and 50’s, we often notice a change in hormones.  A reduction in estrogen is often seen in our midsection.  There are several hormones that could impact your slowing metabolism so if you’re exercising and eating healthy meals and still not seeing any results, it’s worth asking your doctor to check your hormones.

Boost metabolism over 50: Eat less junk food

Not only is junk food highly processed, low in nutrients and usually high in calories, less calories are burned when eating junk food compared to a meal consisting of whole foods like lean protein, fruits and vegetables.

Boost metabolism over 50: Drink your Coffee

Caffeine has been found to boost metabolism and may provide other benefits as well.  If you have pre-existing heart condition, you’ll want to check with your doctor before adding caffeine to your diet.

What if you’re like me and don’t like coffee?  Check out this blog, Your body’s reaction to caffeine,  where I share several options for getting your daily caffeine fix

Boost metabolism over 50: Eat breakfast

Even if you’re not big on eating first thing in the morning, eating something small like some yogurt, or an egg will get your metabolism moving.

Pulling it all together...

The best way to boost your metabolism is to start moving more.  If you haven’t had a lot of physical activity lately, start with walking.   Add in strength training!  The benefits of strength training reach far beyond the increase in metabolism.

Drop me a comment and let me know which of these tips for boosting your metabolism you are implementing.

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Read more about the article Strength training is the most powerful solution to reverse aging

Is it possible to reverse aging?

strength training for women over 50

Yes!  While we cannot turn back the calendar, we can take actions that will improve our overall health, delay the onset of disease and allow us to remain independent. 

No pills, no surgery required.  All you need is your body…

 

and some dumbbells or resistance bands. 

 

Who cares what age the calendar gives you as long as you feel GREAT!  Strength training can reverse many of the symptoms of aging and leave you feeling GREAT – strong, energetic, and confident.  

Symptoms of growing older

We are growing older.  It is a fact of life and one we cannot change. However, we can change the speed at which we grow older and how we feel.

I just want to sit and watch TV or let’s go shopping! 

How we experience growing older can be different.  We may experience:

  • Loss of energy
  • Heart disease
  • Weakened bones
  • Loss of memory
  • Aching backs
  • Decreased activity
  • Less independence

Although we may experience one or more of these, we have control over many of these symptoms and most can be slowed or reversed.

It’s never too late to reverse aging.

 

As George Burns put it, “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.”

Health Span vs Life Span

So, what is the difference between health span and life span?

According to Merriam-Webster, health span is defined as the length of time that a person is healthy – not just a live.

 

As we all know, life span is the period of years we are alive.

 

In other words, the difference is quality of life (health span) vs just being alive (life span).

How loss of muscle impacts health span

As we lose muscle our ability to perform every day activities like getting in and out of the car with ease, carrying groceries from the car, climbing stairs and opening a can of beans will likely become more difficult.  It can even impact our ability to remain independent.

Muscle mass decline

As a fit young adult your body weight may have been up to 50% lean muscle.  By age 75, it could drop to 25%.  We often see the biggest drop in muscle mass in our legs, which explains why it is more difficult to go shopping, stay active and even walk, and stand.

Reverse Aging with Strength Training Workouts

Strength training is the most effective type of exercise for building muscle and if you want to slow down the physical aging process (and who doesn’t?), strength training is a must.

Check out the following blogs for more info on strength training exercises:

Free at-home workout plans

If you haven’t already grabbed your free workout plans, grab them today. Start building muscle, increasing your strength and reversing the aging process.

3-day 15-minute workout
  • at-home workout
  • minimal equipment needed
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  • 15 minutes per day
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  • minimal equipment needed
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Make sure you join my free Facebook group for women over 50 who want to build muscle, lose body fat and have more energy.  You’ll get lots of tips and encouragement, free workouts and way more.  I hope to see you in the group very soon!

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Read more about the article 5 Fundamental Reasons to Include Strength Training After Menopause

So, just how important is strength training after menopause?  In this post, I dive into why it’s time to grab some dumbbells or resistance bands and start combatting the natural muscle loss that begins in our 30’s.

During menopause, we begin to experience a decline in estrogen.  This decline in estrogen can reduce calcium in our bones which can lead to decreased bone density and puts us at a higher risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures.  

Many women also experience an increase in weight gain during and after menopause.  There is no evidence that this weight gain is directly related to menopause.  It may be due to aging and our reduced level of activity.  Regardless of the cause, we need a solution to stop the weight gain.  Strength training is a key component.

Can women over 50 build muscle?

Absolutely!  With a proper strength training program and nutrition, women over 50 can build muscle and even counter the natural loss of muscle that occurs as we age.  It’s never too late to start.

Why strength training is essential after menopause

There are numerous benefits of strength training for all ages.  After menopause,  which occurs around the age of 51,  these benefits can make all the difference in the quality of our senior years and our ability to remain independent.

1. Strength Training Increases Muscle Mass

 As early as our 30’s, we start naturally losing muscle at the rate of 3-8% per decade.  By age 60,  the rate of muscle loss increases. 

 

Muscle isn’t just for the bodybuilders.  We need muscle for daily functional activities like walking, sitting, standing, carrying groceries etc.  The loss of muscle also increases our risk of falls.

2. Strength Training Improves Bone Density

Our bones become stronger as the muscle attaching to them becomes stronger.

We all probably know someone who has fallen and broken a hip or other  bone as a result of weakened bones or osteoporosis.  So what can you do to help reduce the odds of that happening to you?

Eat foods high in calcium to help strengthen your bones. After age 50, women need 1200mg per day. Some great sources of calcium are:

  • 1 oz Parmesan cheese, (331mg)
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt/1 cup milk (300mg)
  • 3.75 oz can of sardines (350mg)
  • 3 oz canned salmon (210mg)
  • 1 oz scoop of whey protein (200mg)
  • 1/2cup tofu prepared with calcium (860mg)

Many foods are also fortified with calcium.

Get plenty of Vitamin D either through sunlight or a supplement

According to the National Library of Medicine, postmenopausal women have shown increases in bone density with 500 to 800 IU’s of Vitamin D supplementation.

Exercise, including strength training

As you exercise, your bones become stronger.

Reduce alcohol consumption

Heavy alcohol consumption compromises  bone density and increases risk of osteoporosis.

Avoid smoking

Smoking has been related to reduced bone density and higher risk of osteoporosis.  It is unclear if the smoking by itself is the cause as many individuals that smoke also have other risk factors, such as alcohol consumption, lack of exercise,  and poor diet.

3. Strength Training Boosts Metabolism

Metabolism is the energy, in the form of calories, that we burn every day.  We burn calories when we exercise, whether that be walking, running, cycling or strength training.  We also burn calories when we sit, watch TV and sleep.  This is called our “resting” metabolic rate. 

As we build muscle from strength training, we are increasing our “resting” metabolic rate and therefore, burning more overall calories throughout the day.

4. Strength Training Improves Your Mood

Several research studies have shown that women participating in strength training programs see an elevation in mood.   Some women who had mild to moderate depression saw “significant” improvement in their mood when following a strength training program three or more times per week. Strength training is a great way to let go of worry, disappointment, and frustration.

5. Strength Training Can Help Prevent an Increase in Body Fat

In addition to losing muscle mass as we age, we tend to see an increase in body fat (often around our mid-section).  As mentioned above, strength training builds muscle that burns more calories and therefore, assists with preventing weight gain in the form of body fat.

Caution: Strength training alone won’t prevent an increase in body fat.  You’ll want to be fueling your body with nutritious foods, with the right calories.  The increase in calorie burn from muscle won’t undo a poor diet.

What is strength training?

Strength training consists of any exercise that is designed to increase your physical strength.

These exercises can be done with your own body weight, with resistance bands, free weights, like dumbbells  or weight machines you’d see in a gym.

Make sure you grab a copy of of my free 7-Day At-Home Workout Plan.

Also, check out the article “Secrets to a Strong, Healthy Female Body” for more tips and exercises you can do at home.

Reap the rewards of strength training after menopause

You want to get the biggest bang our of your hard work, right?

To ensure you are reaping all the benefits of strength training, keep these tips in mind:

      • Eat lean protein, like eggs, chicken breast, greek yogurt, fish and lean beef. For more info on the best high protein foods and how much protein you need, take a  look at this blog “Top foods to eat to build lean muscle”
      • Lift heavier weights.   Aim for a weight that you can perform 8 – 12 reps with good form.  To build muscle, we need to overload the muscle (make it work).  If the weight is too light, you will not see optimal results.
      • Include compound movements like squats and pushups.  These exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time

Exercise guidelines for women over 50

You may be wondering… how much strength training do I need to do?  how often? and what else?  Following are some guidelines for different aspects of your workout routine.

Strength Training

Strength training is one component of an ideal fitness plan. With the right workout plan that includes all your major muscle groups, 3 times a week is sufficient.

Endurance

According to the American Heart Association, we should strive for 2 1/2 hours per week of endurance exercises like brisk walking (treadmill, or outside), elliptical machines, stair-step machines, or low impact aerobics class. I recommend spreading this out over 4-5 days.

Flexibility

Stretching and yoga are also great for improving flexibility and managing stress. 

If you are hunched over a computer all day, like me, you are likely to experience tight muscles in your back, shoulder, neck, and hamstrings.  

Although stretching every day is ideal, that may not always be realistic.  If it isn’t, find at least one day a week to focus on those tight muscles.  Your body will thank you.

Warm up

Every strength training or endurance type workout should include 5 – 10 minutes of warm up.  Walking is a great way to warm up.  Simple knee lifts, arms swings, arm circles etc also work great.  If your endurance exercise is walking, the warm up would be a slower walk before you moved into a brisk walk.

Cool down

Be sure to end each workout with a cool down and stretching.  If you don’t have time for a full body stretch, take 5 minutes to stretch out your legs or the main muscles you just exercised.

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Read more about the article Top reasons you need to increase flexibility

Finding it hard to touch your toes?  How important is flexibility especially as we get older?  Learn the top reasons you need to increase flexibility.

How to improve flexibility

Flexibility is something we often push aside.  We’re just excited we got our workout in!  Perhaps you’re like me with the best of intentions, like “I’ll stretch tonight”.  Then “tonight” gets busy and well….

There’s always tomorrow.  Sound familiar?

New here?  Thanks for stopping by.  After you read this post, check out my other blogs for the woman over 50 who wants to lose body fat, have more energy and love her body again.

Can you increase flexibility after age 50?

Are you feeling like you’ve lost some of your flexibility?  Wondering if you can get it back?  Yes, it is totally possible. You CAN regain your flexibility at any age – even over 50.

And, the first step is to start moving.   If you’ve been inactive for a while, just start by moving more.  Walking is a great way to start increasing your flexibility.

Next, I’ll also show some upper body and back stretches below that you can do to get started.

What is flexibility?

One way to think of flexibility is the ability to bend without breaking (or  in other words, pulling/straining a muscle).    You can also think of it as the range of motion of a joint.

How do your muscles get so tight?

Muscle tightness can occur during or after exercise (especially with intense cardio or strength training) or from prolonged inactivity (like sitting at a desk all day).

Another good reason to get up and move every hour or so.  

Top benefits of stretching

Are you wondering “Just how important is it to add stretching to your already busy routine?”

Personally, I feel the benefits increase exponentially the older we get.  Here are some of the key benefits of stretching regularly:

  • increases flexibility which helps us move more easily
  • delays the decline of mobility that often comes with aging
  • increases range of motion
  • improve circulation
  • can reduce muscle soreness
  • reduce risk of injury
  • less pain
  • improved posture and balance – proper alignment and corrects imbalances

Types of stretches to increase flexibility - dynamic vs static

Dynamic stretches– These are active movements that cause muscles to stretch but you don’t hold the stretch.  Great for beginning of workout. One of my favorites is swinging my arms in front of my body like I’m giving myself a hug. 

Static stretches– For static stretches you hold the stretch for a minimum of 10 seconds and preferably work up to a 60 second hold. These should be done at the  end of your workout when your body is warm.  

Best exercises to increase upper body flexibility

  1.  Ear to shoulder stretch – bring your right ear toward your right shoulder.  For an additional stretch, use your right arm to apply gentle pressure to your head.  Hold for 10 seconds and switch sides.
  2. Cross arm stretch – bring your right arm across the front of your body,  use the forearm of your left arm as leverage to pull your right arm close to your body. 

3.  Shoulder rolls – standing tall, in a circular motion roll your shoulders up and back.  Reverse direction are roll your shoulders forward.

4.  Standing arm circles – this is a great dynamic stretch to do before your workout.  Standing tall, arms shoulder level height and extended toward the side of the room, start with creating a small circular motion forward, then reverse.  Try it will large circles too.

5. Arm lifts over head – standing or sitting tall, interlock fingers of both hands, raise arms over head. If you have the flexibility, rotate hands so palms face the ceiling, 

6. Tricep stretch – lift your right arm up toward the ceiling, keeping your arm close to your head, grab your right elbow with your left hand and gently apply pressure to your right arm.  Switch side.

7.  Cat cow – this is great for your upper and lower back. 

  • On your hands and knees, back is flat, wrists directly below your shoulder, knees below your hips.
  • Inhale and round your spine up toward the ceiling.
  • As you exhale, arch your back and lift your head up.

Best stretches to increase flexibility for lower back

  1. Knee to chest – laying on your back on thee floor, bring knees into chest, grasp knees with arms and gently pull knees toward chest.
  2.  Lying torso twist – laying on your back, bend your right knee and cross it over the straight left leg, apply gentle pressure with your hand to push your knee toward the floor.  Keep both shoulders squared and on the floor.  Extend your right arm and look toward your extended arm. Switch sides.
  3.  Seat forward bend –  this is also great for your hamstrings (back of your leg).  Sitting on the floor with legs extended in front of you and a straight back, lean forward at your hips reaching toward your toes.
  4.  Childs pose – kneel on the floor, sitting on your feet with knees hip width apart, lower your torso between your knees extending your arms in front of you.
  5.  Supine figure 4 – laying on your back, feet on floor, knees bent, cross your right leg across the left, reach your hands through the hole and grab the back of your legs.  Gently pull your left leg in toward your body.   Hold for 30 seconds.  Switch sides.
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How often should you stretch?

You can stretch as much as every day.  To increase flexibility, stretch 10 – 15 minutes at least 2 – 3 times a week.  

If you can work up to 5-6 days, GREAT!

Increase flexibility with these daily upper body stretches

Many of us tend to hold tension in our necks and shoulders.  This is especially true if you spend time at a desk leaning over a computer.   For a quick stretch break, I like:

Shoulder rolls -just a few forward rolls and then backwards

Follow this one with the overhead arm stretch.  I also like to add in a lean to each side.

If you have a bit more time for more of a stretch in your back and hamstrings, include the knee to chest stretch and my absolute favorite is the supine figure 4.

Personal journey to increased flexibility

Years ago, I injured by back from extensive running and minimal stretching (a big no-no, which is another story).

Walking was painful, sitting was painful, Standing was even worse. 

I thought I had tried everything and nothing was helping.  I started stretching every day, started slow and gradually increased.  I’ve been pain-free for years.  Anytime I start to feel tightness or the hint of pain, I realize I’ve slacked off on my stretching.  Back at it I go!

Stretching isn’t a cure-all, but it sure goes a long way to helping me stay more flexible and pain-free.   

Pulling it all together to increase flexibility

Start slowly and allow your body to adapt to the stretches

Never stretch to the point of pain.  You will feel a little discomfort, but it should never hurt.

Hold stretches for 10 – 20 seconds.  Over time increase to 60 seconds.

Always stretch a warm body (cold muscles do NOT like to stretch).  Best time to stretch is after your workout.

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Top reasons you need to increase flexibility
Read more about the article Discover the best exercises guaranteed to shape your booty

You have limited time and want results fast. So, here I give you the best exercises guaranteed to shape your booty. 

No more guessing which exercises will give you that tight, lifted, rounded booty.

You do want a sexy butt, right?

Your booty is  the largest set of muscles in your body.  You can’t easily see them (unless you look behind you or in a mirror), but they are there and they have a huge impact on how we look and feel.

Keep reading to see learn more about why the glute (aka booty) muscles are so important and the best exercises guaranteed to shape your booty.

New here?   Thanks for stopping by or welcome back.  After you read this blog, be sure to check out some of my other articles for women over 50 who want to lose body fat, build muscle, create phenomenal bodies they love.

Why you want to shape your booty

Of course, there are asthetic reasons for wanting to shape your booty.

Did you know…

these exercises that are guaranteed to shape your booty may also improve the overall quality of your life?  Sound a bit dramatic?

Maybe, but I’ll let you decide.

By shaping your booty, you are simultaneously creating stong muscles.

And, why do you need a strong booty?

Here are a few of the benefits that come along with your shapely and strong booty:

  • reduction or prevention of pain, such as knee, low back and hamstring
  • better agility
  • ability to move faster 
  • improved posture
  • better athletic performance 
  • less risk of injury

Muscles that make up your booty (ie. glutes)

There are 3 major muscles that make up your booty.  We want the best exercises to shape all 3 of these booty muscles. Gluteus maximus – this is the largest of the glute muscles and the one that gets all the praise or lack there of.  It also assists in standing from a sitting position, and climbing stairs. Gluteus medius – this muscle is important for walking and keeping your pelvis level when you lift one leg off the ground. Gluteus minimus – this is the smallest of the 3 muscles and lies under the gluteus medius. This muscle asssts with moving your leg in toward the body and away from the body. Side note:  All 3 muscles work together so it isn’t necessary (or even always possible) to work one without the other 2.  The key is to do a variety of booty exercises.

Gluteus Maximus

Exercises for gluteus maximus

Gluteus Medius

Best exercises for gluteus medius

How your quality of life improves with strong booty

As I mentioned above, your glute muscles allow you to walk, climb stairs, and rotate legs side to side.  They are also the primary muscle involved when you squat down to pick something up off the floor.

Every day activities that we often take for granted UNTIL, these movements are difficult or painful.

Your glutes also give you power in many sports, such as running, golf (as you swing), soccer.  I honestly can’t think of a sport where strong glutes doesn’t come into play.

So, whether you are:

  • looking for that tight sexy butt that gives you an exrtra boost of confidence
  • wanting to improve your performance in a sport
  • increasing your strength so that you can move with ease and prevent pain in your knees, hips and lower back

having a strong booty will improve the quality of your life.

What are best exercises guaranteed to shape your booty?

1. Glute Bridge

My absolute favorite glute exercise.   For the beginner, no weights, no resistance bands – just your body weight.
  1. Lie on the floor, legs bent with feet directly below the knees.  Lift your butt off the floor, squeezing your butt at the top for a second or two and lowering back to the floor.
  2. That’s 1 rep.
  3. Work up to 15 reps.
best exercises for gluteus maximus

2. Hip Thrust

This is a more advanced glute exercise so, if you’re a beginner you may want to skip this one and come back to it later.

There are ways to improvise (ie. use a sofa), but I’m going to share how to do this using an exercise bench.

1.Squat down next to your exercise bench and with bent knees and feet flat on the floor, lean against/rest your shoulders against the top of the bench. 

2. Stretch arms out straight along top of bench.

3. Push your hips up toward the ceiling so that they become parallel to the floor and create a straight line from shoulder to knees, without moving feet or shoulders.

4. Squeeze your butt at the top and slowly lower back toward the floor.

5. That is 1 rep.

6. Work up to 15 reps.

3. Split Squat

This is the one I love to hate.  Meaning it works great, tests my balance for sure and creates an instant burn in my butt. Now that I have you pumped up to try it (haha)…
  1. Elevate your back foot on a bench or something about knee height (For beginners, skip the elevation and just step your back leg behind you into a lunge position.)

2. If you’re using elevation, it may take a moment to get aligned.  You want the same alignment you’d have in a lunge – knees over toes and NOT out beyond toes.

3. Lower your back knee down toward the floor and then come back to an upright position.

4. That is 1 rep.

5. Work up to 15 reps on one side and switch sides.

6. To increase the difficulty, hold dumbbells at each side.

4. Glute Kickbacks

  1. Kneel on floor on your knees and hands (or elbows).  Personally, I prefer to do these on my elbows.
  2. Lift right foot up toward ceiling.
  3. Squeeze butt at the top and lower.
  4.  That’s 1 rep.
  5. Work your way up to 25 reps on each side.

5. Frog Pump

Start in the same position as the glute bridge.

  1. Lie on the floor, legs bent with feet directly below the knees.
  2. Bring soles of feet together and move feet as close to your butt as possible.
  3. Lift butt up toward ceiling, squeezing butt at the top and lower.
  4. That’s 1 rep.
  5. Work up to 15 reps.

6. Side Lying Hip Abduction

You may know this as a side leg lift.

  1. Lie on your right side with legs stacked.
  2. Bottom leg can be slightly bent to help with balance.
  3. Lift top leg, squeezing butt at you lift and then lower.
  4. That’s 1 rep.
  5. Work up to 25 reps on each side.
  6. As a variation, you can hold your leg up and do small pulses.

7. Lying Clam

  1. Lie on your right side with hips, knees and ankle stacked on top of each other and bent at 90 °.
  2. Keep feet together and lift your left knee up and back down (opening like a clam).
  3. That is 1 rep.
  4. Complete 15 reps (work up to 30 reps) and then switch sides.
  5. For extra resistance, add a resistance band around your thighs or hold a dumbbell on the top of your left thigh as you lift.

8. Single Leg Glute Bridge

Start as you would for the glute bridge.

  1. Lie on the floor, legs bent with feet directly below the knees. 
  2. Lift your right leg straight up toward the ceiling.
  3. Pressing off your left foot, lift your butt off the floor, squeezing you butt at the top for a second or two and lowering back to the floor.
  4. That is 1 rep.
  5. Complete 15 reps and switch sides.

9. Single Leg Deadlift

Beginners, start with no weights. The most difficult part of this one may be balance.  Find a spot on the floor and focus on it.
  1. Start in an upright position, hands by your sides.
  2. As you lean forward, raise one leg straight behind you.  Arms drop in front of body to mid-shin level.
  3. Come back to standing. Squeeze your butt.
  4. That’s 1 rep.
  5. Complete 10 reps and switch sides.

How to realize full benefit of best booty exercises

You want to see RESULTS for all your hard booty work.  Here are some critical tips to keep in mind:
  1. Focus on the muscle you are working – your butt.  Can you feel the muscle working?
  2. Wake-up your glute muscles before you “start” your booty workout.  The glute bridge with body weight only is a great way to “wake-up” your glutes and prepare them for a workout.
  3. Squeeze your butt at the top of every move.  You can even hold the position as you squeeze for a couple of seconds.
  4. Always focus on perfect form over quantity.
  5. When you’re ready, use weights or resistance bands to push your muscles to work harder and therefore, grow.

How to eliminate cellulite on your strong booty?

This is one of the most common questions women ask about their booty. There are no concrete answers to this question as research continues. However, by building your glute muscles with exercises recommended above, the appearance of cellulite lessens. Excess body fat makes cellulite more noticeable, so losing body fat can minimize the appearance of cellulite. Sidenote:  Most women have some amount of cellulite on hips and/or thighs.  An inactive lifestyle can increase your chances of having cellulite.  Even thin women may have cellulite.

Pulling it all together with Exercises Guaranteed to Shape your Booty

If you’re new to strength training or specifically glute training, pick 3 or 4 exercises to start with.  My favorites to get started are:

  1. Glute bridge – #1
  2. Glute kickbacks – #4
  3. Side lying hip abduction – #6 
  4. Lying clam – #7
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