Cathe: changes to your fitness regime as you've gotten older?

[FiddleFit]

Hi Cathe,

I was just reading an article about changes to fitness regimes once people turn 50, and I'm about to turn 50 this year, and much of the article resonates with me, particularly the bit about taking recovery and rest very seriously, getting enough sleep, and prioritizing mobility work. On Cathe Live and your Facebook videos you appear to be as sprite and lithe as you ever were. What, if any, accommodations have you felt the need to make to your training, as you've gotten older?

Thanks!

 

[Repo]

Good question. I'm over 50 and I know I need more recovery time and sleep. I do shorter more intense cardio. The long steady state really leaves me draggy, sometimes for days. I would love to know how Cathe handles it.

 

[Terina]

What works for me is (I’m about to turn 53 on the 31st) is good nutritional supplements. I’m also in menopause too. When looking for supplements don’t buy the cheapest ones. Look into great quality supplements. Consumer labs is a great way to find great products. I’m also not on any hormone therapy.

 

[ms71069]

I'd love to know this as well!
I will be 51 in July and have worked out with Cathe since 1995 (one of us has definitely stayed in better shape through the years), but there are still times when I shock myself at what I'm able to do!

 

[Pippi]

I'm 58 and I've become fitter and stronger than I've ever been since I started working out to some of Cathe's routines early in 2018. My fitness level has always been ok, but I think the biggest change was that Cathe made me think about using heavier weights. I'm no spring chicken and I still tend to sort of cross train - I make myself do a workout that almost defeats me 2 or 3 times a week with heavy weights and tough cardio but on other days I might do something else - moderate cardio/low impact, barre style work (which traditionally uses lighter weights) and I always do one full hour stretch workout a week. I have a rough plan in mind for the week but I see how I feel each day - last week, for example, I just didn't feel like doing much cardio at all so I did Cathe's PHAs instead. I'm very active in my everyday life too - cycle to work every day, walk the dog at least twice, gardening....I'm hoping that if I'm careful I can keep this up for another 15 years but I guess we all have to adapt one day. Right now I'm loving fitness and I do have Cathe's output to thank for the step up.

 

[attaboygirl]

Hi I just posted this on another forum stream but then found yours so wanted to share
Have a great day and a healthy strong future.

I just turned 70 and have been doing regular exercise programs with weights since age 37.
Before that I just had active lifestyle.
First used FIRM then found Cathe when she was on FIT TV and have been doing her routines since. GYM style series, Xtrain, Low impact, Ripped, LITE, ICE, TravelFit, Fit Tower.

Sometimes I use Rapid Fire boxing , Latin dance and some other( or insert old FIRM just for nostalgia LOL. )

I have bilateral hip replacements so have incorporated some moves from low impact series during other high impact HIIT because I intend to keep this up for another 20-25 years . (hopefully without wearing out this set of hip replacements)
For past several years, I do have to use lower weights for shoulder exercises and modify move to more joint friendly position.

Listen to your body and if some joints are clicking or you notice decreasing range of motion you may have Osteoarthritis and you may need to adjust to lower weights and/or modify your range of motion. Sometimes joints dictate modification but you can still be pumped . I add the Fit Tower partial pull-ups and inverted rows which do not bother my shoulders to most upper body routines where I need to make adjustments. FIT Tower is great fun!

I am thinking about trying sandbag while doing some Cathe workouts to see if that may also add another dimension.
Loving exercise for many years and intend to continue for many more.
Have a great day everyone!

 

[Pippi]

Listen to your body and if some joints are clicking or you notice decreasing range of motion you may have Osteoarthritis and you may need to adjust to lower weights and/or modify your range of motion. Sometimes joints dictate modification but you can still be pumped .

Yes Past two months, kind of as an experiment and kind of because these dark times have made me nostalgic for the old days, I've been doing old 80s workouts almost exclusively. I'm loving them and I've got leaner, slimmer and fitter, my body really has changed. Only caveat is that most of these either use no weights or are designed to be used with only light ones/ bodyweight. I do do a heavier strength workout once a week or else I just pick up some dumbbells and do a few reps here and there after my main exercise. But it feels to me that old school aerobics, working out at a steadier pace for longer periods rather than the HIIT I was doing, has made a real difference to my cardio. Before, I could run up all the five flights of stairs where I work but I'd be pretty breathless at the top - and that was with doing HIIT three times a week. Now I run up them and barely notice it, just a bit of an elevated heart rate but no real discomfort.

I did one of the HIIT workouts that I used to dread yesterday and it really was so much easier for me.

 

[sisu]

Would love to hear Cathe's response to this too, but great to hear all these amazing comments! I just turned 51, Catheite for over ten years, during which a few periods only when other life situation took all my energy... but finally always gotten back to, and with the help of Cathe routine.

Getting older, I have actually only in recent years gotten to finally be friends with my body, much really thanks to Cathe. I don't push myself over the limit, I don't take eating TOO seriously, and actually for the first time in my life I am happy with my weight and fitness level, something I really don't remember ever being..

I think the biggest change is really listening more to my body. I don't feel guilty anymore for taking an extra day off if I feel like it, or doing a lot of circuit workouts one week if that's what just inspires me. I concentrate on the joy, not the "have to" part. It really took some time to get there, being close to eating disorders in my youth... I have come to appreciate the mental well-being as part of the physical as well.

And yes - I am really proud and happy to say that there's nothing like a good old Imax2 or 3 and then some to start your day off with. I didn't think I'd really say that ever... took long enough.

 

[nickisteen]

Hi Cathe,

I was just reading an article about changes to fitness regimes once people turn 50, and I'm about to turn 50 this year, and much of the article resonates with me, particularly the bit about taking recovery and rest very seriously, getting enough sleep, and prioritizing mobility work. On Cathe Live and your Facebook videos you appear to be as sprite and lithe as you ever were. What, if any, accommodations have you felt the need to make to your training, as you've gotten older?

Thanks!

Good question!

 

[nickisteen]

Hi I just posted this on another forum stream but then found yours so wanted to share
Have a great day and a healthy strong future.

I just turned 70 and have been doing regular exercise programs with weights since age 37.
Before that I just had active lifestyle.
First used FIRM then found Cathe when she was on FIT TV and have been doing her routines since. GYM style series, Xtrain, Low impact, Ripped, LITE, ICE, TravelFit, Fit Tower.

Sometimes I use Rapid Fire boxing , Latin dance and some other( or insert old FIRM just for nostalgia LOL. )

I have bilateral hip replacements so have incorporated some moves from low impact series during other high impact HIIT because I intend to keep this up for another 20-25 years . (hopefully without wearing out this set of hip replacements)
For past several years, I do have to use lower weights for shoulder exercises and modify move to more joint friendly position.

Listen to your body and if some joints are clicking or you notice decreasing range of motion you may have Osteoarthritis and you may need to adjust to lower weights and/or modify your range of motion. Sometimes joints dictate modification but you can still be pumped . I add the Fit Tower partial pull-ups and inverted rows which do not bother my shoulders to most upper body routines where I need to make adjustments. FIT Tower is great fun!

I am thinking about trying sandbag while doing some Cathe workouts to see if that may also add another dimension.
Loving exercise for many years and intend to continue for many more.
Have a great day everyone!

Really impressive! I'm 63 and have really been noticing wrist problems when trying to do some exercises such as planks, push ups and some tricep work. I try to look for modifications and alternative moves. Thanks for sharing!

 

[nickisteen]

Would love to hear Cathe's response to this too, but great to hear all these amazing comments! I just turned 51, Catheite for over ten years, during which a few periods only when other life situation took all my energy... but finally always gotten back to, and with the help of Cathe routine.

Getting older, I have actually only in recent years gotten to finally be friends with my body, much really thanks to Cathe. I don't push myself over the limit, I don't take eating TOO seriously, and actually for the first time in my life I am happy with my weight and fitness level, something I really don't remember ever being..

I think the biggest change is really listening more to my body. I don't feel guilty anymore for taking an extra day off if I feel like it, or doing a lot of circuit workouts one week if that's what just inspires me. I concentrate on the joy, not the "have to" part. It really took some time to get there, being close to eating disorders in my youth... I have come to appreciate the mental well-being as part of the physical as well.

And yes - I am really proud and happy to say that there's nothing like a good old Imax2 or 3 and then some to start your day off with. I didn't think I'd really say that ever... took long enough.

I love that you say you are friends with your body and listening to it. I've started doing that and it makes a difference. If I don't feel like doing a sweaty cardio, I will do weights or something else. I don't beat up myself anymore for missing a workout.