Some of the internet info on strength training and fitness for middle-aged women is causing confusion.
We must navigate boatloads of different opinions and strategies to sort out what we “should be doing.”
Here’s some stuff you might have seen:
- “High intensity will cause belly fat!”
- “You have to lift heavy!”
- “You don’t need to lift heavy!”
- “Don’t run your gains off!”
- “You need aerobic exercise for maximum fat-burning potential!”
- “Sync your training with your cycle!”
These are just a few examples of the headlines that overwhelm your social-media feed—and your brain. If you spend any time online, you’re going to run into myths, half-truths and outright lies, and the nuance is often lost from statements that are “mostly true.”
If you’re lost about how you should be training, I’m going to give you a starting point. This is exactly the discussion I would have with a new client at their assessment.
What Are Your Exact Fitness Goals?
You have to start with goals because they determine what type of exercise you must do to accomplish them.
If you have a specific goal of running 10 km fast, your training is going to look very different from a program designed for someone who wants to lose body fat and build muscle. Sure, there might be some overlap, but the programs will be quite different overall.
Things can get a little hairy when a new client has various goals that are somewhat opposing in nature.
For example, a particular performance goal might require a specific nutrition approach that enhances athletic performance and recovery. Running a full marathon would be a great example. If this same client also wants to lose body fat and build muscle, we are going to have some issues. It’s not that it cannot be done, but it’s not optimal to try to do two things at once.
Endurance training is very energetically demanding, and trying to do it while operating in a caloric deficit to lose fat could prove disastrous—never mind trying to add lean muscle at the same time.
When people have opposing goals, they often get frustrated. They can also experience a lack of energy. Progress will be very slow or non-existent, and in the worst cases, people get injured. It’s scary how common negative results are when goals aren’t in sync.
As I coach, I encourage clients to rank their goals and focus on the main one first. Invest everything in that goal, and you’ll make swifter progress.
For example, let’s finish that marathon with a PR time, and then we can look at gaining muscle with a program that’s tailored for that goal.
If you take a cyclical approach and work on a specific goal for a specific period before moving on to the next area of focus, you’ll have much more success.
Balance What You Need to Do With What You Want to Do
Optimization is a hot topic with fitness coaches and influencers. It makes sense for people to look for the “best” exercise or the “optimal” plan. No one wants to waste time.
But what if you hate what’s prescribed? Sure, it works, but you just don’t want to show up and do it!
If you choose that path, you will slog it out for a while but eventually quit—and you won’t get the results you were after.
It can work the other way around as well. Imagine you absolutely love a specific style of exercise but that exercise isn’t delivering the results you want. When that happens, you will be consistently unhappy with your progress even though you enjoy the workouts. It’s a double-edged sword!
Here’s an example: Someone who loves running long distances but badly wants to gain muscle. Running is great but just won’t do a lot to help you add lean mass.
I think a sweet spot can be found: It involves being very clear on your goals and what it will take to achieve them, then figuring out how to balance movement you need to do with movement you genuinely enjoy. If a coach can help you get the balance right, you’ll enjoy your workouts and make progress toward your goal.
Results are very motivating, and they can enhance the happiness you feel when training.
If you’re an avid runner with a goal of building muscle, you might start to enjoy strength training more when you start to see muscle development after a few months of lifting twice a week alongside your running. Chances are you’ll keep lifting because you know it’s working, and you might even begin to enjoy it.
However, if that same runner decided to join a high-intensity boot camp with no focus on progressive overload, they wouldn’t see any changes in their muscles, and they might just quit and think, “Strength training isn’t for me!”
You need to enjoy the style of exercise you’re doing so you keep showing up, but you need to do the right stuff to make progress. Progress is very motivating, and it will improve adherence, too! A good coach can always find ways to create programs that include what you want and what you need.
No Single Program Is Perfect
Don’t be misled into believing that there is only one “perfect” program for you—even if the “internet experts” say something different. Remember that most of them are selling something.
Truthfully, different approaches can work! The important thing is finding a thoughtful, effective and engaging program that reflects your goals.
Optimal training is generally a blend of what we want to do and what we need to do.
The one-size-fits all approach works for a select few people and frustrates everyone else. Frustration leads to quitting, and that isn’t optimal at all!
If you want to talk about a program that will help you accomplish your goals, text me at 204-880-1001!
