by Cate Plekon
May is Women’s Health Month and it’s the perfect time for women to explore new, powerful ways to live healthy and feel their best. Here are four ways to celebrate this month and integrate a well-rounded approach to your health and wellness routine.
Start getting regular check-ups. Whether you’re new to exercise, making a comeback after a hiatus, or you’re a seasoned expert, it is important to check in with your doctor to discuss your physical activity. At the age of 34, I only recently discovered that women should be getting annual physicals just like men! This means paying a visit to your internal medicine practitioner, not just your OB/GYN. Take this opportunity to discuss your diet and current fitness routine. Ask for advice on where you should ease up or what more you might incorporate.
Try something new. People often get into a rut with their exercise routines, which can cause fitness goals to stall. To prevent this, it’s a good idea to mix things up. Perhaps you can run a marathon, but you’ve never tried a stretching class to increase flexibility and help muscles recover. Maybe cardio isn’t your favorite, but you do like to dance. In this case, try dance workouts such as Zumba and Nia. Adding something new can reenergize your workouts, and it can prevent overuse injuries, break through weight-loss plateaus and build new muscles.
Lift weights — properly. Because of increased risk of osteoporosis, women specifically are advised to incorporate weight lifting into their exercise routines. This disease involves a loss of bone density, and it affects approximately half of women over the age of 50. Osteopenia is the midway point between having healthy bones and having osteoporosis, and it can actually be reversed through proper nutrition and regular weight lifting.
A personal trainer is a qualified expert who can guide you through a new or existing weight lifting program and help you get the most from your strength training. What makes a personal trainer better than a video or fitness app is that the trainer can see you. This means they can keep a close eye on your technique and alignment to maximize your moves and help prevent injury.
Remember nutrition and mental health. Finally, it’s easy to think health and wellness is based solely on being active. But there are other components to consider as well, and that includes what we eat and how we feel.
For example, at a recent doctor’s appointment, I was advised to start incorporating more fats and protein into my morning meals. I often reach for fruit or cereal to get me going in the morning, but I’m learning that’s just not enough to carry me through my workouts. Because of my busy lifestyle, I can’t afford the time to make (and clean up) a whole meal with eggs and bacon. One quick conversation with a nutritionist later, and I’m now equipped with several easy, high-protein make-in-advance breakfast recipes.
We need to also recognize that total wellness includes our mental well-being. Physical exercise, along with meditation and prayer, can improve mental health. Sometimes, however, more specialized methods might be necessary. Take an honest look at how you’re thinking and feeling and take steps to clear and recharge your spirit and mind.
Cate is the fitness coordinator at the Littleton Family YMCA. She has worked for the Y for more than 10 years and in various capacities, including group fitness and personal training. She joined the Denver YMCA in 2017 after moving to the area from Memphis, TN.