Don't give exercise a vacation

THEY LIED. Contrary to the latest feel-good slogan, 50 is not the new 40. In fact, if you're a woman, 50 is more like what 13 was when you were a girl.

Yeah, you heard me right.

You see, at 50, your body is on an anatomical and physiological roller-coaster ride, just as it was when you reached adolescence and your hormones kicked in, beginning your transition to womanhood.

At 50, however, the roller coaster is starting to reverse, though more slowly, as you head toward menopause. Consequently, over 50, it's much easier to pack on the pounds and simultaneously harder to get and stay in shape. No, you're not crazy. But about the closest thing you have to a fountain of youth is physical activity.

Admittedly, when my 50-year-old friends used to tell me how difficult it was to get and stay in shape after 50, I would gave them the side eye - yeah, right.

But now that I'm well over 50, I know exactly what they were talking about. I also am glad that I have made exercise a habit, something that became part of my life a long time ago.

Which brings me to my next point: Never take a vacation from your workout, especially if you're a woman over 50. I know it's tempting. It's summer - there are barbecues and ice cream. There's that soothing glass of wine (maybe two) at an outdoor summer concert. Those lazy, hazy, don't-want-to-get-out-of-bed summer days.

Sure, go ahead and take off a week (two, if you must), but don't blow off working out entirely this summer.

That would be a decision you'd come to regret, I assure you.

Each missed week of exercise sets you farther behind, regardless of age. Taking off the whole summer would likely result in a 50 percent or more loss in whatever gains you made during the year. As a matter of fact, just six weeks off is likely to set you back an entire year.

I know, life is not fair.

Whatever you're seeing on the outside as you age, remember it's the internal physiological changes that are aging you the fastest. The amount of blood available to your heart declines with age. Your metabolic rate drops like a rock, which is why you're picking up weight so much faster. Your strength takes a dive, too, making those 30 push-ups - once so easy - pretty much impossible unless you keep doing them regularly.

Taking an exercise break when you're older makes it that much harder to come back. You won't see it immediately. It's only later that you'll realize it has gotten tougher to climb stairs without feeling winded, that you're feeling stiffer, or your lower back aches. When did kneeling down to tie your shoelaces become a challenge?

There's an easy fix to all this - don't make yourself start exercising from scratch! Don't take a lengthy vacation from your workout. If you have, let this column inspire you to get back in the game now.

It's easier than you think.

Forget about the fads and the quick fixes and just commit to your long-term success. Don't try to lose 20 pounds in 10 days, or bench 200 right from the start.

Long-term success means staying committed daily, weekly, monthly, and, yes, year after year. Ultimately, slow and steady really does win the race.

Kimberly Garrison is a wellness coach and owner of One on One Ultimate Fitness in Philadelphia. Her column appears monthly on the first and third Wednesdays.