“The days are long but the years are short” is typically said by parents of young kids! But it’s a great adage for fitness as well. At the end of yet another short year that went faster than the last, I am grateful. Grateful for my strong capable body and my ever evolving mindset. My attitude on fitness has evolved greatly in 3 decades of sports, fitness, and wellness pursuits. I am incredibly grateful for this body of mine and all it can do at this age and beyond. As the year wraps up, I have reflected on some of the best tips for fitness for longevity. I hope you enjoy!
Here are my favorite fit things I did at age 42 this year.
- Climbed a 14,000+ foot mountain for the second time! In June my husband Jessy and I climbed Mount Elbert, elevation 14,440 feet, the highest point in Colorado, and the second highest peak in America. Shout out to Top Out Adventures and great friends for making it an awesome experience!
- Completed another Spartan Trifecta, which means finishing one obstacle course trail race in each of their three distances (3 miles, 8 miles, & 13 miles) in a calendar year.
- Went to my favorite power yoga class on most Sundays.
- Ran a 5 mile Turkey Trot race in Austin in about 50 minutes.
- Ran a 6 mile trail race in the Texas Hill Country, Texas Trail Running Festival.
- Averaged 33 miles a month of running, or about 7-9 miles a week.
- Lifted weights 2-3x a week.
40 is the New 20
When I was in my 20s, I thought 40 was the end of the road for fitness. I don’t really know why I thought that but I think it’s because I didn’t personally know many people in their 40s who were doing fit things. I used to think you turn 40 and then you fall apart. Fortunately, that was simply not true. Here are some of the things I’ve learned over 30 years of lifting weights and running.
Believe You Can Be Fit Forever.
Having a good mindset is the most important tip! I want to climb mountains with my kids and future grandkids, and run Spartan races basically forever until I die. I refuse to believe anymore that my body will just wear out once it hits a certain age. Strength training is the fountain of youth! It keeps muscle strong and healthy, which supports your spine and joints! Muscle helps you keep your metabolism strong and helps with a lot of other physiological aspects of staying young.
Consistency is a Mindset of Fitness for Longevity
As I’ve aged, my goals and mindset have drastically shifted. In my 20s I was always chasing goals around appearance, size, weight, sports performance. I was a college athlete then I served in the Army til age 28. So my 20s were all about being faster, stronger, and leaner. I wanted to be strong enough to hit homeruns then I wanted to lean and fast enough to run a sub 15 minute 2-miler for the APFT.
Then in my 30s I started to realize the power of just being consistent with workouts and nutrition. I didn’t want to take advil everyday because I had so many aches and pains anymore! So I lightened the intensity of my training and started focusing more on mobility and flexibility. Now in my 40s I don’t really care very much anymore about running fast or how much I can lift on bench, squat, etc. Now my most important goal is just to keep showing up consistently 3+ times a week! And ironically enough, I feel way better now than I did in my 20s! My joints don’t hurt nearly as much and my core is more stable now than before I had kids!
Never Skip Your Warm Up!
A thorough warm up is one of the most important keys to long term fitness success. Not only will it help you prevent injuries, it also helps you achieve greater performance. This tip I learned the hard way! I used to think warming up was a waste of time. I thought it would take time away from the actual exercises that would help me get stronger, faster, etc. But now I realize the warm up is just as important, if not more so, for performance and especially for longevity.
Warm Up Smarter
We know a lot more about this now than we did 30 years ago. Out with the static stretching and in with the dynamic and activation drills to prepare your body for its workout.
- Dynamic drills are warm up exercises based in movement rather than the old fashioned static-pull-and-hold-still. Dynamic drills help get the joint fluids. They also help with preparing muscles and connective tissue so you can have better range of motion for the workout.
- Activation drills are low intensity exercises that wake up certain muscles and get them ready for different purposes. When you lift weights, some muscles have the job of moving some bones while others brace and hold other bones still. A great example of an activation drill would be doing some planks in your warm up. This gets the core muscles ready to brace your spine before you do deadlifts.
Invest Time and Energy into Your Mobility and Flexibility
Don’t skip the cool down either. Always spend a few minutes after every workout, hike, or run to stretch or foam roll a little. Work foam rolling into your regular routine. Find a good yoga class. Work on improving your form when lifting weights and care more about your form than how much you can lift. Think of mobility and flexibility like an ongoing project that is never really complete.
Invest Time and Energy into Training Your Core
Core stability is HUGE. I didn’t realize that in my 20s but I certainly do now in my 40s! Not just the 6 pack abs part of your core either. The deep set muscles such as the transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, and multifidus. These muscles hold you together from the inside out and really make a huge difference in how well your pelvis and spine function together to prevent back pain and other chronic injuries. To stabilize your core, add more moves like plank, bird dog, dead bug, and hip bridge to your workouts!
Be Proactive with Aches and Pains
Anybody of any age who exercises regularly is going to have the occasional ache and pain. When you feel one starting to develop or it becomes a regular thing, deal with it quickly before it escalates into an actual injury. Sometimes a rest day or two nips it but sometimes you need to take action.
Examples of that action range from foam rolling to getting a massage to seeing your local sports medicine doctor. Bottom line – don’t ignore pain and don’t give up! You are not just getting old if you have some aches and pains! Deal with them and keep moving.
Thankfully, We Know So Much More Today About Fitness for Longevity
We have more tools and knowledge at our fingertips than ever before. 30 years ago, hardly anybody had heard of a foam roller and now they’re everywhere, including {hopefully} in your home! If you want to be fit forever, follow this short list.
1. Always have a thorough, intentional warmup.
2. Think of flexibility and mobility as an ongoing project.
It’s never finished and you can always get better at it.
3. Listen to your body and take great care of it.
Finally, Perspective is Everything
We choose how we see fitness at every age. What does fitness at 40 mean to you? It used to be a death sentence to me. But now that I’m there, I realize it’s the beginning of a whole new era for me. I now think of fitness after 40 as the prime of my life because I finally know what I’m doing!
Fitness is not as impressive but is way more enjoyable at 40+. No longer am I destroying myself on the track or in the gym like I did at 25. I may not be able to run 7 minute miles anymore, but I have something even better. I have longevity and a strong, balanced, and durable body. I plan to be hiking, climbing, racing, and training with my favorite people for at least another 40 years.
Thank you for reading my post about fitness for longevity! To contact me or check out recommended reading, please keep going past this picture!
Further Reading
Race Prep for a Half Marathon: A Complete Guide
Why is Foam Rolling a Runner’s Best Friend?
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