Two years ago, during Half Marathon training, I did a little something to my knee. I was trying to be a rock star, and when I turned a certain way during a cross training activity, I felt a little pop…and all of a sudden, I was a person in the mid-life with a knee problem! Of course, I did not see a doctor (because that would make sense, right?), but I iced it, used some icy-hot, used the heating pad, and got myself a brace. it was pretty painful to walk the first few days, but then, I found I could walk and run with minimal pain…but squats, lunges, etc. were a bit much. I made it through the training season, completed the half marathon successfully, and continued on with my 4-5 times per week workouts.
During the half marathon this year, my knee began to act up again. I credited it to the extra cold temperatures that morning and the fact that I did not do as much training (I ran the miles, but not necessarily like I normally do and I avoided cross training with fear of the knee bothering me again). Since January, that dang knee has hurt in every workout until this weekend!
As I am beginning to put my online coaching and consulting business together and learning all of the things, health and wellness training is part of my plan. I have been researching several health topics, attending many online webinars, and following health coaches and personal trainers on social media. I am hearing a lot of the same things happening to other women who, up until the mid-life, were strong and healthy, in shape, but experiencing setbacks. Some are injury related (like mine) and others are just the realization that as our bodies age, our health needs (including our fitness needs) change.
Now, I will not pretend to be any kind of fitness expert (yet), but doing my research, here is what I am finding.
- Women begin losing muscle mass after the age of 30. One trainer, Molly Galbraith with Girls Gone Strong, just shared in her email today that “bone density typically starts gradually decreasing around the age of 35, more slowly at first, but faster as estrogen production decreases during menopause.”
- Pubmed.gov shares that not only does bone density decline with the declining production of estrogen, but also muscle mass and strength. Women who are postmenopausal require regular physical activity and higher intakes of protein to balance this loss.
- Many personal trainers recommend women include regular strength activity into their weekly workout routines. The more muscle that is built (and remember, women do not naturally build big, bulky muscle) the higher your metabolism will remain.
Again, I am not a trained personal trainer…only my associates degree in physical education gives me a little background knowledge, however, I have changed up my workout routine since this last half marathon and as I mentioned above, this has been my first pain free weekend since! I am including many more opportunities to use weights and other resistance tools into my workout routines. I am ensuring that I am getting all of my workouts completed (although this time of year running a school makes it hard…welcome to the 4:00 am workout streak!), I am ensuring I get an ample amount of protein each day, and taking all of my vitamins and supplements.
I have included links to some of my workouts I have been completing below. I was a religious Lifetime Fitness girl prior to the pandemic, and found these ladies (group trainers at my gym location) did a GREAT job of keeping us all on track with workouts during the quarantine. Please feel free to check them out! They are not perfect workouts by any means, but after running through them a time or two, you realize where the flaws are and can adapt easily!
I have also included some of the workout equipment I purchased below. I have found that I very much enjoy the freedom of having equipment on hand at home. It helps me ensure that I get all of my workouts in, even on days when my busy schedule makes it challenging! Disclosure: I may link to relevant products, companies, or helpful information. Some of these links may be affiliate links, meaning I am earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate and associate with other affiliates, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you. The views and opinions are my own.
As we all continue to age with grace through life, I cannot help but stress the importance of taking good care of ourselves! Remember, self care is NOT selfish! Until next time! Cheri ❤️
Emily Miller – Quarantine Workouts: https://www.youtube.com/user/bradleemiller1
Cheri Dixon: A Girl and Her Dog 
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