Dear Since You Asked,
I’m a 58-year-young woman who has heard that I should be lifting “heavy shit.” I feel so overwhelmed, where do I even start? Is there a magical potion involved, or do I just need to lift my grand babies a few extra times?
Sincerely,
Feeling Weak and Wobbly
Dear Feeling Weak and Wobbly,
First off, kudos to you for stepping into the world of strength training. It is overwhelming (there are no magical potions) but strength is so important for longevity. These are my top bits of advice for approaching “lifting heavy shit.”
Mindset: Embrace Your Inner Wonder Woman
Strength training is as much a mental workout as it is physical. What is your “why”? For me, I wanted to be as strong as possible when I had to watch my grand babies, and I have 7!! Trust me, if there is a job that requires muscles, it’s carrying babies on your hip.
Find someone your age who has done the work and use them for motivation. Approach each workout with the mindset that “You is smart, you is strong, you is important” (in my best Viola Davis voice).
Strength Training : Lift Heavy Shit and Possibly Pee Your Pants
Don’t worry, strength training doesn’t mean you need to deadlift like Arnold (hence the peeing-your-pants reference). Start simple:
- Bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups (even the wall ones count!) and lunges
- Resistance bands should be your new best friends. You can buy them on Amazon, they’re portable (no excuses) and they won’t judge you if you need to take a break
- Light weights: a can of beans can double as a dumbbell, if necessary (a hack I learned during the pandemic)
Macro Nutrition
Eating for strength doesn’t mean drinking raw eggs like Rocky. However, it’s a known fact that women don’t consume enough protein. Did you know you should be striving to get at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight? Protein is great for building muscle and also makes us less hungry! Remember not to skimp on the carbs and healthy fats!
Self-Love: Patience, Grasshopper
Be kind to yourself. How do you talk to yourself? If you’re anything like most women, you’re tougher on yourself than a drill sergeant at boot camp. Would you talk to your grand babies the way you talk to yourself? Hell no! You would tell them, “You is smart, you is kind, you is important” (note the callback).
Give yourself the same pep talk. When you find yourself being self-critical, imagine you are speaking to your sweet grand kids. Suddenly, “You can do it!” feels a lot better than “Why am I such a noodle?”
Community: It Takes a Village
Find your Tribe. You need to have “like-minded” in your corner. Find a retreat that specializes in women in menopause. If that isn’t feasible, try Facebook groups — there are so many! Maybe ask your besties to start a lifting-heavy-shit challenge. Encouragement and shared goals make the journey fun, and the goal is to have fun. Feeling happy in your own skin is such a gift in midlife.
So, dear Weak and Wobbly, buy a brand-new workout outfit, channel your inner Wonder Woman and start lifting shit! You’ve got this!
I am 73 and have been lifting heavy shit since I was 26! I just started rucking too. My daughter bought me an official rucksack complete with a 25 lb plate and I love it. I also jump rope, run, bike, swim etc. BUT strength traing is always #1!
Dear Fellow Susan,
I love that you took the time to share that! Brava my dear reader!! You are Wonder Woman! Strength training is so important (and fun)! You inspire me, xoxo.
I was walking 5 miles a day, but realized it did nothing for upper body strength. I joined an exercise class that does weights, crunches, and aerobics. I am not good at doing it on my own, so the class really helps. I don’t lift really heavy weight, but I have increased incrementally. I have noticed that my arms are more toned and less batwinged.