“This has completely changed my outlook on my life…”
Two months before I read these words, a young woman came to me for help (let’s call her Jen). She didn’t like the state of her health and body, but she didn’t know what to do.
“I was at a point in my life where I was losing control. I turned 30. I’m the only single person in my family and friend group. That stings sometimes.
I felt like my body was the only thing I had any control over. But I was working out hard, 5-6 days a week. I became so frustrated that my body wasn’t changing that I started to not eat as much, which had the opposite effect.
I was lost. I didn’t know how to go about achieving a strong body.”
Jen’s story is so relatable. We’ve all been there—thinking we’re doing everything right, wearing ourselves out in our efforts to become healthier and lose weight. Then, we step on the scale and see a number that scares us.
I know how you feel. All you want is to be healthy and confident. You’re tired of fighting the weight that keeps creeping back whenever you look the other way. It can feel exhausting, even hopeless.
But let’s check in with Jen again. Something inspired her to say: “This has completely changed my outlook on not only nutrition and exercise but my life as a whole.” What changed for Jen?
“I had been following Amanda on Instagram for a while. I finally convinced myself to work with her and now I feel great! She has helped me understand that you don’t have to kill yourself in the gym 24/7.
I’ve learned so much and can finally see the changes I’ve been looking for!”
Jen was hard-working and dedicated to her goals. The problem? She was throwing all her efforts in the wrong direction.
After 30, our bodies shift. Physiologically and hormonally, we switch gears. The exercises that once did the trick don’t help us reach our goals anymore.
If you’re a lady in your thirties, follow Jen’s example and change your strategy at the gym. Avoid these six workouts that are pushing you farther from your goals.
1. The 2-Hour Elliptical Ride
We used to believe that cardio was body fat’s worst enemy. But today, we know a lot more about physical fitness and our metabolisms.
The fitness fact is that weight lifting will boost your calorie burn even more than cardio can. Plus, for us women, too much cardio can increase cortisol and cause hormonal imbalances that lead to weight gain.
2. The “No Bulk” Light Weight Workout
Those heavy dumbbells in the gym are intimidating for several reasons. You’re not alone if you’re afraid that if you lift heavy, you’ll look like Sylvester Stallone’s sister.
Here’s some reassurance: building lean muscle mass is incredibly hard. Bulking up is a full time job! You won’t accidentally build bulky traps because you increased your weights.
In fact, lifting heavy is hugely beneficial to women past 35. Here’s why:
As our bodies approach menopause, we start to lose muscle and bone mass. Weakness, weight gain, and osteoporosis are the resulting side effects.
Heavy lifting counteracts those symptoms, increasing our strength, boosting our energy, and stunting perimenopause symptoms!
3. The Zumba Class
“Avoid” might be a strong term when describing something as fun as Zumba. So let me make a qualification: if you love your Zumba class and it’s getting you off the couch, keep at it. But know what Zumba can do and what it can’t do…
Family life and a career in full swing can busy our lives. As a result, we spend more time sitting in the car, at our desks, and crashing on the couch. Zumba is great for increasing our step count.
Zumba won’t, however, be enough alone to help you lose weight. Cardio workouts are beneficial for your health, but they should never take the place of weight lifting.
Cardio burns more calories per session, but weight training helps you burn more calories every day. One study found that strength training results in a metabolism boost for up to 38 hours afterward!
4. The Wing-It Strength Training Session
New to strength training? Fooling around the free weight section won’t get you far.
Think about strength training like driving to a destination. Your goal is to feel stronger, healthier, and leaner. But without a plan and directions, your trip could take a lot longer than it needs to.
A strength training plan—one that begins at your level and strategically increases overtime—will make sure you don’t waste any time with weights.
5. The Same-Routine Workout
If you want to keep seeing progress in your physique, you have to throw your body some curveballs.
Think about a swordsman. If, every day, they and their trainer followed the same sequence, soon the swordsman would memorize each movement. At that point, they wouldn’t continue to grow in their skills or strength. If, on the other hand, their trainer kept them on their toes with new strikes and attacks, the swordsman would become better, stronger, and faster each day.
Every time you enter the gym, you have the opportunity to challenge your body. Switching up your exercises will challenge different muscles, test your balance, and increase your calorie burn.
6. The All-Or-Nothing Workout
Mindset matters—especially past our 30s when spare time is sparse. We don’t have time to mess around with weight loss. We’re too wise to yo-yo diet. A mature mindset about weight loss is key to our future health.
Let’s leave the all-or-nothing mindset behind us. This way of thinking sabotages our goals. It tells us that if we can’t do something perfectly, we might as well not do it at all. It leaves no room for real life. It doesn’t allow for vacations and family celebrations, sisters’ weekends, or busy seasons.
When it comes to our fitness goals, ditching the all-or-nothing mindset is a health-saver. You’ll be able to recover from missed-workouts, stay motivated, and stick with strength training for the rest of your life!
As women past 30, let’s learn a better way of working out—one that gets us to our goals and lets us live life to the fullest too.
Want to get on Jen’s journey and learn how to get on the right nutrition track in addition to the right workouts? Learn more about LEAN today!
