As many of you will no doubt be starting off the new year with resolutions around being fitter, Hannah has shared her experience with exercise and has provided some great tips to make your exercise goals stick.

Most of us over 40 grew up in a time when PE in school was very much geared up to those who had natural fitness and ability. It was all about who would be in the school teams, coming first in events at sports day and winning all the trophies and shields. 

For those of us who were not blessed with natural sporting prowess, there didn’t seem to be an awful lot of support or encouragement.

Personally, I wasn’t quite last when it was time for picking teams - but I was usually somewhere between the bottom of the middle group or top of the bottom group, and it was generally a good result if I was picked before those in the lower echelons. It’s quite telling that I still remember this with as much detail now, some 30 years on. 

I struggled particularly with anything involving endurance and can recall being shouted at for having to stop and walk during an 800 metre race (for which we’d been given no training or advice on how to tackle it, for example “run slower than when we did the 200 metres last week”) and told I needed to “work on my fitness”. However, no support with how to do this was ever forthcoming from the PE teachers, and the following week we moved on to the next athletic event (probably javelin or long jump), which again I’d have been poor to mediocre in, but given no guidance on how to improve or how to choose the event that’s best for you.

It’s no surprise that I left school feeling adamant that I would never do any form of sport of fitness again, now that it was no longer mandatory. 

Unfortunately, my eating habits and propensity to gain weight - combined with the pressure many of us feel to remain slim (because it gets equated with attractiveness and therefore value in society) - meant that my dream of never exercising again was short-lived. And there began more than twenty-five years of trying different sports and activities, never really enjoying them, but giving them a good go. I’ve been variously hooked on spinning, Les Mills classes, the gym and swimming over the years - not to mention spending a small fortune on personal trainers and all the gear (no idea) for whatever my latest craze was. This was all before giving up because I realised that after the novelty wore off, I didn’t actually like the activity very much and it wasn’t making enough of an impact on my weight to justify the unpleasantness a few times a week.

Even speaking more recently to friends and colleagues who DID have natural sporting ability at school, they generally share the view that it would have been really helpful to have things taught differently at a younger age: the importance of cross-training, how to build up fitness, strength and endurance, and the mental and physical benefits of exercise (other than just weight loss). All of these are vital when exercising later in life, not just due to physical ability, but due to the time available to fit in exercise and maintain fitness around other life commitments, or perhaps returning to exercise after raising a family or focusing on your career, only to find your ability is at a different level now.  

It’s taken me until now, in my 40s, to really develop a healthy, and realistic relationship with exercise. It’s early days, but it’s one I really hope to build on and maintain for as long as my health allows. For me, it’s been running that has really helped me make the change. I started with a Couch to 5K programme, and since then have been making slow but steady progress. I’ve joined an online running club, which is pitched just right for my ability levels and is a very encouraging place where people are comfortable sharing successes and failures. 

I’ve finally learned what my PE teacher at school should have been teaching me: how to work on my fitness! Over the course of 18 months, I’ve seen my running pace and distance increase, and I recently achieved something I never thought I’d do: I ran a half marathon. 

The things that particularly work for me about running are: - 

• I get to spend time outdoors while I’m doing it

• It’s free!

• It’s flexible and hassle-free - I’m not tied to going at a particular time, I don’t have to pack a gym bag, it starts and ends from my front door and I can jump straight in my own shower as soon as I get home.

• The plethora of running apps available means I can indulge my inner geek by looking at endless stats when I get home, plus I can see my progress there in black and white as my fitness and endurance increases, which is a great motivator.

• I’m not competing with anyone but I can compete with myself and try to do better each time.

• It clears my head - mainly because I’m so focused on not passing out/falling over that I have no headspace for anything else! I like to run alone, but I can also see that it could be great fun as a group or social activity.

• Runners are generally really supportive of each other: getting a nod or a smile from a ‘proper runner’ when I’m puffing and panting my way around the park makes my day, and I’ve had some great support and tips from friends who are much more accomplished runners than I am - not to mention the amazing online running club I’ve found where everyone’s achievements are celebrated, whether it’s an ultra marathon or doing a non-stop 5K for the first time ever. 

• The sense of achievement I get when I do a longer distance than before or get a personal best is like nothing I’ve ever experienced from exercise before (and yes, there is a sense of smugness when I complete a long distance and think back to my PE teacher shouting at me for not being able to run 800 metres without stopping!)

It’s a very personal choice as to what’s going to be the best option for you, of course. 

Co-founder Helen loves completely different sports to me including golf and tennis and she also loved PE at school - but that was because she was naturally sporty and competitive.  But what we both agree on is that you need to find something that you can enjoy as then it is less of a chore.  This year she has kicked the year off by taking on the ‘Run 50 miles for Maggies’ in January, which she has been finding tough but she finds gives her a target to work towards which can also really help.

Here are some tips and suggestions on how you can improve your relationship with exercise and make a long-term commitment to incorporating some exercise that you enjoy into a healthy, active lifestyle.

Tips on making exercise work for you:

1. Remember that any exercise is better than none. It’s really easy to self-sabotage: it’s something that women are particularly good at. If you’ve had to skip the gym a couple of times this week because of work or family commitments, it’s easy to tell yourself that you’re writing off the week and just starting again next week. But one walk or one workout in a week is better than none. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Similarly, if a run doesn’t go too well for you and you have to stop and walk for part of it, or you can’t do as many reps as usual in the gym, it’s not a disaster - you still showed up and gave it your best on the day.
   
   

2. Don’t try and run before you can walk - literally! If you haven’t exercised for a long time, it’s likely that you won’t be able to do it at the same level as you did in the past, and if you try, you’re going to get demotivated pretty quickly, or - worse still - sustain an injury. Start with something gentle, or maybe start with a beginner level class to see where you are compared with where you were. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised, and even if you’re not, you’ll enjoy it more than if you try and tackle something too tough. Generally, we think it’s a good thing to step out of your comfort zone, but not if it results in passing out in a high intensity class, or being completely put off a particular form of exercise for life because you started off too hard.
   
   

3. Think about what else you can get from exercise. We like to take a holistic view to life, and with busy lifestyles, it’s sometimes not possible to meet all your needs from separate activities. So, maybe combine your need to do something active with a need to be social, and join a group class or a sports club. A friend who relocated to another part of the country built her entire new social circle from joining her local running club. Or, if you really struggle to find the time to be mindful or have time on your own, a solo activity such as running, walking or cycling outdoors might fit the bill.
   
   

4. Fitness doesn’t have to cost money! A lot of professional women feel pressure to join exclusive gyms or have the latest gear. But there’s a wealth of free apps and online resources available now, which have the added benefit of being able to try different activities and instructors without investing in them, plus you can do them in the privacy of your own home, so who cares if you’ve dusted off your 1990s g-string leotard and stirrup tights?!
   
   

5. Try to have a mindset shift. We’ve almost all grown up being bombarded with messaging that links exercise with weight loss and weight loss with attractiveness. Whilst exercise can undoubtedly help to achieve a healthy weight, relying on it alone to help you shed large amounts will almost certainly end in disappointment and demotivation. It’s much better to focus on the other benefits it brings: improved physical and mental health, feeling stronger and more confident, and whatever else it does for you, whether that’s social time, being outdoors or being alone. 

Missed any of your favourite tips, then please add to the comments below.

The Nonpareil Network is a supporting network for women in the second half of their careers, whether in the corporate world or running their own businesses. If you’d like to join us and meet like-minded women who are committed to supporting each other, celebrating success and helping when things are challenging, you can sign up here to find out about our upcoming events. 

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Written by Hannah Poulton

Co-founder of Nonpareil Network.

Hannah is a portfolio Marketing Director. She is also a Non Executive Director for the Welsh Cycling Union and a Lay Member for the British Chiropractic Council. She also volunteers as a Magistrate and is a Lay Member for NHS Blood and Transplant.