Losing weight and keeping fit is easier than you think

Most women think that losing weight and keeping fit has to be a struggle, but that’s not the case. It is as simple as keeping a light exercise routine and eating wisely. There’s no need to invade the gym.

In the article Even Light Exercise Can Decrease a Woman’s Risk for Heart Disease, Dr. Joseph Mercola explains “Current guidelines for physical activity recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise such as brisk walking, on most days of the week. Previous guidelines recommended vigorous activity such as jogging or cycling, for at least 20 minutes three times a week to lower heart disease risk.” I know it is hard find time to exercise, but simply taking a walk around the neighborhood can help lead to better health.

Another benefit of light exercise for women is helping reduce the risk of osteoporosis. “Exercise is essential for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease in post-menopausal women” according to Dr Karen Birch, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology at the University of Leeds.

In the article Light to moderate exercise key to health in post-menopausal women Dr. Birch states “It is essential that women exercise moderately before and during the onset of menopause,’ argues Dr Birch. ‘Post-menopause, the loss of the hormone oestrogen results in a reversal of the protective effects. Women’s bone mineral density begins to decrease, their arteries begin to become stiffer, their cholesterol levels begin to rise and their risk of becoming diabetic increases. These physiological changes are much slower in women who participated in an active lifestyle prior to the menopause than in those who were inactive.”

You’ve worked hard to get to this point in your life. Make the best of it by enjoying a healthy body!

Health Guides for Women

There are many useful health guides for women online. From a young woman getting to know her body, to illness and disease affecting women, to emotional wellbeing, you can find many useful websites to help you get the information you need. I have compiled a short list of some of the better health guides for women I’ve found. Please feel free to suggest other women’s health sites in the comments.

BBC Women’s Health Guide - excellent general guide to women’s health issues
IVillage Women’s Health Issues - guide for women of all ages, plus methods of dealing with womens health issuses, and active message boards where you can ask questions and discuss health topics.

CDC Women’s Health - this site is the official site of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and you’ll find links to the extensive information available on women’s health issues.

Now is the best time to start thinking about fitness

You’ve worked hard for everything you have, and now you finally have time to enjoy it. Don’t let your physical fitness hold you back. If you are out of shape, or have put on a bit of extra pounds, now is the time to start a fitness routine to feel healthy and revitalize the energy you might have thought was gone forever.

From the English women’s magazine Saga, the article It’s Never Too Late - How exercise prolongs active life and why now is the right time to get going :
“It may feel natural to slow down a little as you grow older, but the reality is that after the age of 50, we need more exercise, not less. This is because exercise is the way to slow the decline in muscle strength that accelerates as we grow older.

Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle run serious risks of damaging their health in many ways. Being inactive means running a higher risk of developing obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and depression. But by the same token, research clearly shows that even moderate amounts of physical activity have enormous health benefits, not just for the body, but for the mind too.

And it’s never too late to start. Even people in their 80s and 90s have been shown to regain muscle strength and mobility by regular, gentle exercise.”

The secret of weight loss is that muscles burn calories 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When your body is fit it naturally burns more calories, keeping you slim and trim and feeling your best.

Burning calories without the workout

Health Magazine has a handy chart detailing just how many calories an average person burns doing general daily activities. Based on 10 minutes of each activity, this chart can help you burn off extra calories without heading to the gym.

Walking up stairs burns 70 calories, while playing with the kids results in 50 calories burned.

And everyone’s favorite activity, passionate sex, burns 45 calories in 10 minutes, if it lasts that long

Click here for the calorie burning chart from Health Magazine.

Welcome to After 50 Fitness!

Welcome to After 50 Fitness, your guide to enjoying good health and fitness after 50!