Fitness that Fits Your Life

For those in (or approaching) middle age there lies specific roadblocks that might be preventing you from taking care of yourself in the way that you used to when you were younger. There are a lot of important things that demand your time and attention-work and economic stress, raising children, trying to find time to connect with your spouse and/or friends, taking care of aging parents etc. Compounding that, our bodies lose muscle and bone mass as we age (hello Andro and Perimenopause!). Also, sleep quality declines as we age as well- leaving us tired and depending on copious amounts of caffeine and sugar to keep us stimulated enough to make it through each day. This can lead to numerous health issues down the line, most notably insulin resistance, Type II Diabetes, early onset dementia and heart disease. And to add insult to injury, add in chronic aches and pains that are often associated with being in this age bracket and it can really be discouraging when you (earnestly) try to get back in shape.

Do we really have to turn our whole life on its head to 'get back in shape'?

Here are a few practical steps we can take to start taking care of ourselves again:

1) Prioritize Quality Sleep

If you have insomnia or sleep apnea you will be simply too tired to workout and will also have difficulty recovering from your workouts. If you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, focus on not eating or drinking (especially alcohol) within 3 hours before bed. Also avoid blue light before in the hours before bed and focus on your sleep hygiene. There are natural remedies that can aid sleep, but it is best to talk with your PCP before you begin any new supplements that can form dependencies.

If you wake up exhausted no matter how long you sleep for and have brain fog during the day, talk with your PCP about getting a sleep study. Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed and can cause a host of series health issues if left untreated.

2) Start Small and Build Incrementally

Start exercising by going on a 10 minute walk every day. If you are able, go on a few 10 minute walks throughout the day. High Intensity Training workouts are extremely effective at building muscle and can boost your metabolic health in as little as 3 minutes per workout (but generally take 12-15 minutes). These workouts include performing one set of at least 3 and up to 7-8 exercises per workout until you reach momentary muscular failure- training the entire body in a controlled, safe manner with strict form and focussing on time under tension. You can get in great shape with 1-2 High Intensity workouts per week with a reasonably good diet and other lifestyle habits. Several of my clients have benefitted greatly by 1-2 fifteen minute workouts and have built other healthy habits on top of their weekly workouts.

3) Find Ways to Cope with Stress

Stress is an absolute killer. Unfortunately many people are chronically stressed-so how do we cope?

It is important to make time for yourself to take inventory on how you are doing. Treat yourself as though you are one the dependents that you are responsible for. Give yourself margin during your day so that you are not rushing to get to where you need to be. If you are able, talk with a trusted friend, spouse or therapist. Studies have shown that talk therapy (CBT) is as effective in treating depression as taking an SSRI. Listen to your favorite music, read a book, sit with your pet or even better do all three at the same time and watch your stress melt away. Laughter is also potent medicine- so put on a funny movie or comedy special whenever you are starting to feel burned out. Laughter can help calm your nervous system, boost your immune system and improve your mood and quality of life. You cannot laugh and be anxious at the same time, so make time to find something you find humorous throughout the day. Also, it is important to focus on your breathing when you become anxious- breathing through your nose will help calm your nervous system as well as producing heart-saving nitric oxide. And lastly, our diet is not only the foods we eat but also the content that we take in. Our brains do not have a firewall, so make sure you are limiting your social media time as studies have shown that spending too much time on social media increases depression and anxiety.

If you need someone to help you along your health and fitness journey, feel free to contact me. I currently taking on new clients- so reach out and see if we might be a fit.

In Health, Chris