It’s not just about working at home or office that marks the day of today’s woman. A day without a good workout is no day at all. And age? What age?
Today, there is a thin line that demarcates what’s meant for the young, the middle-aged, and the old. The constant quest to be ‘on par’ with the rest has redefined and reshaped the modern woman of today. No wonder, what was once a strictly ‘young’ space has now been invaded by the woman in her 40s, and above. And definitely for the better.
Sujatha Suresh
Sujatha Suresh is in her late forties, conscious of her health, and does what it takes to be that way. She tells us, “It is very important for me to be fit, and I make sure to indulge in one activity or the other. After 45, women hit the menopausal stage, and hence become more conscious of their wellbeing. The gym I go to is open for all but women of our age group have a special time between four to six which is a good time for those who are working. There is also a trainer who oversees our activities as not all women are allowed to work on all equipments.”
Poornima Nagaraja
Poornima Nagaraja is one of the noted psychiatrists in the city. She shares her insights into the rising trend, “For women in their 40s, life slows down in a positive way. Typically, their career is more defined, and that is the time they realise that their hormones are not behaving themselves. It is also a time when they realise how bad their eating habits are, or how the frustration of life passing by sets in. It is not a mid-life crisis more than the fact that the women have more time to concentrate on themselves. So when they begin to work out, they see the changes in their body, and the fact that they can look attractive and wear trendy clothes, like any other counterparts. So you do see a lot of them in their 40s today doing all it takes to keep them happy.”
Sharada Priyadarshini is a personal trainer at the Latitudes gym in Hyderabad. She shares with us the reason women in their 40s need to workout. She says, “For women on the other side of 40, estrogen hormones are lesser and calcium absorption too is significantly reduced. Moreover, as age increases, metabolism and bone flexibility too decreases. Workouts help improve blood circulation, which in turn leads to many benefits — be it in the flexibility of the muscles, a feeling of being healthy, and an overall positive attitude towards life. I have been here for the last six months, and have seen that the awareness among women has definitely increased.”
What is life but a reason to enjoy? And what better way to enjoy it than to be healthy first? While for many, it is already a realisation, to many, there is time to ‘wake up.’ After all, who hasn’t heard the famous adage ‘Better late than never.’
Keep in mind
1.Although any time to workout is a good time, morning workouts are better, as the body’s metabolic rate is at its lowest, and the workouts are better responded to.
2. Choose food that are good in good fat as opposed to bad fat. Good fat is found in olive oils, almonds, natural peanut butter or even dark chocolate! Yes you heard it right.
3. No sugar please! Try not to buy packaged cereal for breakfast, as many are loaded in sugar, but masqueraded as ones fortified with vitamins and minerals.
4. Sweet potatoes, vegetable soups, omelettes, and lots of greens are a good choice anytime for the day. Not to forget a good daily portion of yoghurt.