I turned 44 and this is what I learned …
Being in your forties is fantastic. If you forget the emerging grey hair, a few extra pounds and some wrinkles, being in midlife is pretty awesome. These are the things I learnt being in my 40s:
I don’t give a toss what other people think. Seriously! I just don’t care and I am no longer trying to fit in someone else’s idea what I should be. This has brought me immense freedom and happiness. I can be authentically and unapologetically me!! PS this cost me a marriage.
I can’t physically push my body to the extremes. Now this was a hard one for me because I’m a Fitness coach. Realising that I have to tone it down and take more time for recovery was a rather humbling experience. I used to chase elite certifications that required me to train like a professional athlete. It took me 6 months to recover from one of those so you can say I learned the hard way.
I need to prioritise daily exercise and movement. This has become non-negotiable. My body needs the physical stimulation for my mental and emotional well-being. By exercising first thing in the morning every day, I maintain an equilibrium in my mental and emotional state. I’m also so much more productive and resilient when I exercise daily. I eat better, sleep more soundly and stay lean.
I now focus on moving rather than exercising. I have mostly removed performance based workouts, chasing repetitions, lifting heavier weights and generally focusing on the output. Now, the focus is on moving my body in a mindful way.
Which brings me to the next super important step - I have now realised that mobility is the most important training I need to focus on from now on. Having clients who cannot get up from the floor in their 50s taught me that life can become very bleak if you lose your functional mobility. I want to age knowing that my body moves well and I can do all the things that set my heart on fire til I’m very old!
Would you also like to set your body up for ageing well?
Are you tired of the punitive approach to exercise.
There is a better way!!! I can help you find a way to reconnect with your body and move with power. Movement doesn’t have to equal pain. It can mean ease, strength, freedom and joy!
Jana x
