What’s the best form of exercise for mid-life women?
It seems that everyone has an opinion on what this is — and every opinion seems to be different.
Walking. Running. Weight training. HIIT. Pilates. Swimming. Yoga. Power lifting. Rucking. Climbing. Kettlebells. Sports like tennis or pickleball. Dance. T’ai Chi.
Yes every time I visit certain threads in Reddit, I see a new post asking about the best forms of exercise. It seems to be an issue that causes a lot of confusion.
To be sure, all of these forms of exercise are important. We need to include modalities that promote bone density, muscle growth, aerobic capacity, and mobility.
Weightlifting or other resistance training will build muscle and bone density.
Modalities like swimming, pilates, and yoga are easy on the joints. Swimming and yoga are also repetitive movements that naturally induce flow states, which make us feel good.
Walking, running, and rucking can get your out in nature. HIIT training can improve your VO2 max. Sports like tennis give you social time with friends.
But what’s most important is that you move your body every day.
Exercise is one of the few things we can do for ourselves that deliver both immediate and long-term benefits.
The immediate benefits include increasing dopamine and endorphins. A good workout can clear brain fog, boost your energy, and even reduce hot flashes and night sweats.
And the best way to move your body every day is to find something you enjoy doing, something that pulls you toward it so that you want to get out of bed in the morning to do it.
When You’re Not Motivated
One common issue that arises for both ADHD women and perimenpoausal women is a lack of motivation to exercise. (And if you’re in the lucky club dealing with both, it can be particularly hard.)
When you’re low on dopamine and estrogen and struggling just to get through the day, exercise can feel like yet another thing that you don’t have capacity to think about, to plan, to execute. It can feel easier to just skip it altogether.
If you’re struggling to motivate yourself to exercise, start with something you enjoy.
Find a playlist that gets you going. Maybe find a friend who can join you. Give yourself a minimum amount of time to do it each day, and build slowly.
Don’t worry so much about whether it’s the ideal thing that you “should” be doing or if it’s the “best” way to exercise. With time, once you get back in the habit of exercise, you’ll start to feel better and then you can add the things you know you “should” do.
Focus on sustainability first. The variety will naturally follow.
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