Fitness after 50: Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions we’re often asked about exercise after age 50. Let us know if you have any other questions! We are happy to answer them.

Question: Will lifting weights make me big and bulky?

Answer: No! Strength training is absolutely essential to healthy living as we get older. We’re not talking about bodybuilding. Trust us: It takes a ton of concentrated effort over a long period of time for healthy young men to get “big and bulky.” It will not happen to you.

But you will be preserving muscle, which is necessary for all movements, including everyday tasks like bringing in the groceries and picking up babies. You’ll also improve your balance, making you less likely to fall, and your bone strength, making you less likely to break something.

Q: Isn’t walking enough exercise for older people?

A: No, it’s not. Sorry – not sorry, as the kids say. Walking is a great start, so if you’re already doing it, then keep it up. And if you’re not, then by all means start. But you need cardiovascular exercise that’s more vigorous; strength training; and agility work, like stretching.

Q: What’s the best kind of exercise for me?

A: The kind that’s fun. The kind you will do regularly. The kind that helps you feel, move and look better. That can be just about anything, and we can help you find the right activity and location for you, even if it’s not with us.

At TASH Wellness for Women in Glenview, we are here for you!  Our specialty is women especially those women that do not work out. We love working with women that have a substantial amount of weight to reduce, or women that are 50 and above.  As a Functional Aging Specialist, Integrative Corrective Movement Instructor, and Aging the Older Adult Instructor, we get all our women moving functionally for the rest of their lives.  We work on balance, cognitive training, fall prevention and strength.  TASH Wellness is not a gym - it's a journey and it's YOUR community.  We serve women in Skokie, Wilmette, Winnetka, Evanston, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Park Ridge, Northbrook, Glencoe, Glenview, Riverwoods, Chicago and Des Plaines.