Cardio vs Weights After 50 (Wish I Knew this Sooner)

Are you tired of settling for weight gain and fatigue just because you’re approaching or have already passed age 50? You can still get in the best shape of your life, no matter your age!

Debra Atkinson - a 39-year fitness veteran and international fitness presenter, Master trainer to personal trainers, and a former (15-year) University Senior Lecturer in Kinesiology - created this channel to share weekly videos for women to help with hormonal changes in menopause, pro aging nutrition, and strength training for women over 50.

Debra is the bestselling author of Hot, Not Bothered; You Still Got It, Girl! The After 50 Fitness Formula For Women, and Navigating Fitness After 50: Your GPS For Choosing Programs and Professionals You Can Trust, and host of the Flipping 50 podcast and Flipping 50 TV. She is a frequent blogger for Huffington Post and an expert contributor on ShareCare.

Let’s Connect...

[rmputnam]

I am 68 years old, and was feeling old and tired. I started doing weight training and have turned my entire life around for the better. I'm strong, active and feel a degree of youth returned. I. Was first motivated by watching YouTube exercise videos. I truly believe it saved my life.

[justsomeideas]

When I turned 44 I figured out I needed to focus more on weight training and less cardio as I got older. I’m 51 now and I’ve been consistently weight training for 7 years. People don’t believe me when I tell them lifting moderate to heavy weights is the fountain of youth. Everyone thinks I’m in my early 30’s, Lol! My body and skin looks really good and hasn’t aged. Muscle preservation is very important the older a woman gets. I feel and look great, my only regret is not taking weight lifting more seriously when I was younger. Btw, I’m a mom of 4 c-section babies😊I lift 5 days a week and cardio 2 days. This is my forever lifestyle.

[Kjane]

I’ve been using weights for over 45 years now. I started in the men’s YMCA weight room back in 1980. Then I opened my all women’s gym in 1995. Been training women with weights forever!, I am 68!!

[pamellacourtright]

I was a ballet dancer all my life. I started running when I was about 47 and I loved it. I loved the high, but I didn’t loose weight but I felt mentally good. I am now 56 with broken knees from all the dancing and the running was the icing on the cake. Getting back into heavy lifting/strength training has been the best thing for me in menopause. Thank you for this because it resonated with me.

[bevdipinto]

Holy cow! This video has really resonated with me. 🎉. I’m now in my mid 60’s. I have always exercised throughout my life - aerobics, running, zumba, yoga, belly dancing. Yes, I’m in your generation of having gone through the many stages of fitness that was popular at the time. It has always been my go to to relieve stress and to find balance in my life. However, going through menopause has kicked my butt😡. I have put on an extra 15lbs to my 5’5” light boned frame that I am not happy about. It makes total sense that hormones play a significant role in weight loss, especially in women. It’s finding the balance that’s important. Clean eating. Cutting down on carbs and sugar and incorporating the exercises that one loves. I’m already on that road as I love yoga, walking/hiking and low impact cardio.
After listening to you, I now know the direction I need to head.
Thank you to all those who have posted their comments here as well.
It’s wonderful to know that we have a supportive community out there willing to share their experiences. ❤

[loglan]

This is me right now. 52, late stage peri menopause, hot flashes (blah). I stared weight training & walking for the last 3 weeks & lost 5lb. I feel much better mentally & physically even in such a short time. Thanks for this vid, totally helps confirm what I’m doing is right :)

[dollimelaine]

this is brilliant..thank you! less than 2 years ago my legs were not working right anymore. I could hardly walk one block and lots of pain. At 63 I knew I was in big trouble. I come from a dance background but had neglected my body for many years. There was a small gym one block away.and although it was not my style at all to go to a gym I went in and met the sweetest lady ever. She put me on the lightest weights. I never over exerted myself and immediately I started to get stronger. 3 times a week with a day of rest in between. light weight, 3 repititions of 10. It took time to walk correctly again but immediately I felt so much better and this simple routijne has changed everything for me. I know alot about yoga, dance and healing. I had read several years ago that weight training was the best for older people. Well, I had to accept I was older first of all and now I am so grateful to this little gym around the corner. ...and I can walk, stand up from sitting and climb stairs...

[monstertruckmama]

Fitness instructor or 32 years, now gaining menopause belly fat ugh!!! Rethinking everything I wax taught in my 20's. Your explanations were spot on.

[highfatlowdrama]

I am turning 47 soon and WHAT IN THE SLOW METABOLISM IS GOING ON!!! It slowed down at 43 but this is a new level! I already know the strength training is the way to go but I let all the "Cardio chat" get in my head. Thank you for taking the time to speak to this and doing it so thoroughly and well! Getting older isn't for the weak...hence PICK UP THE WEIGHTS! Thank you!❤

[kristidavi]

I'm 57. I'm no longer striving to be a "beauty queen" like I did when I was younger. Now, I just want to live healthfully and look and feel good about myself. I've been a fitness buff all my life. I loved cardio when I was younger in the 80's and 90's especially. I thrived on it. Now, I find that when I stress my body even close to that level, I end up getting sick due to body wide inflammation. My body is telling me it can't handle it anymore. I do much better taking my dogs on a nice walk in the forest, doing lite resistance training and lots of stretching and of course, eating healthfully, but still enjoying life. My body is toned and I'm at a healthy weight.

Im almost 60 years old and the pounds that crept up after menopause did not budge inspite of being active all my life. 4 months ago I drastically cut carbs out of my diet. That and taking almost daily walks with my dog, a bit of weight training and bikram yoga once a week and the pounds are finally coming off

[jeristowell]

Debra!!! I am 2 months from being 58 years. A long time runner of 18 years. Marathons ect. After going through menopause my body just plain hurt! The past year I finally put the faith in weight training and it's done so much for me. My body is stronger and doesn't hurt like it use to. I wish I would of done this years ago.

[deborahmclaughlin]

Wow! I REALLY needed to hear this.

I’m 71 and have been exercising since the 1960’s. This is the first time I GET how strength training is better than cardio. I’ve noticed this past year my body isn’t responding to exercise like it used to. Will rework my routine to more strength training. Glad I found your channel.💕

[LittleChick]

I totally get this! I'll be 50 this year, but hit menopause about 6 years ago and my weight shot up seemingly overnight. I tried mostly cardio classes for a couple of years with barely any results. I recently started taking Body Pump classes and have gone down a whole size in about 12 weeks, even though my weight has only gone down a few pounds.

[cymbelinebritain]

I didn't start my weight loss journey until I was 53, 204 lbs and starting to go through menopause and I got a HUGE wakeup call regarding how my body uses food for fuel and how it burns fat. I also learned quickly after the sudden death of my partner of 14 years how Cortisol and stress also affect the body (I gained 25 lbs of an 85 lb weight loss back even while still exercising). I've learned more about hormones in the past few years than my entire life prior. I definitely made the shift from too much cardio to more weight/strength training and I lost 12 of those pounds that I gained back from the stress and I although I was still within a healthy weight range when I gained the weight back, I'm now at an even healthier weight and BMI and I have muscle tone. I have excess skin from being overweight my entire life and having 6 babies that I'll never rid myself of, but my body comp has definitely changed for the better!

[gabbygabby]

I'm in my 40s now and have struggled losing weight now that I'm older. I just recently changed from doing HIIT to walking up hills and slow jogs and also doing more weight training and less cardiovascular, so I have upgraded my dumbbells and loving how I can see my stomach decreasing and legs toning up, thank you for the great video.❤

[TamiThePinkHairedGirl]

7:40 I so agree about doing exercise that you love. I'm 52, post-menopause, and I love to dance. I dance around the house all the time. But about a year ago I started dancing through my workouts at the gym as well. When I'm in between sets while doing weight training, I am dancing, either seated or standing. And this is at the gym! I just decided I don't care what anyone thinks (and, actually, I've had a lot of people tell me they love my enthusiasm and that I make them feel joy!). Not only does it keep my heart rate up the whole time, it makes my workouts so fun! I used to tell my sister, I will NEVER be one of those people who enjoys exercising. But I love my workouts now! I do about 30 minutes of light cardio (a seated elliptical, and keeping my arms moving the whole time), then a full series of weights, then 30 minutes of pilates and stretching, 3x per week. I feel so healthy and strong!

[raquel]

Just reinforced what I have been discovering for myself. As a 30 year fitness trainer I wish I realized it sooner also. And I am so glad you are spreading this message. Too many menopausal women still shy away from weight training, and muscle loss is already such a real health risk for women over 40 that it makes me worried for their functionality as they age. Thanks for this!!!

[suemaclellan]

Thank you for educating women about this. I too have been in the fitness industry for 40 years as a fitness instructor and personal trainer, fitness competitor and competitive athlete. I am 54 and have finally changed how I workout and eat after a few years of increasing cardio and HIIT to mitigate weight gain due to hormonal imbalances. If it wasn’t such a man’s world then male medical professionals would actually learn how to help women over 40 with these issues.

[cutzymccall]

I got a personal trainer who focused on weights rather than cardio. Never got so lean - stomach all but disappeared.