Author: Chris Freytag

Whether standing, walking, or climbing stairs, we need our hips for just about every physical activity! So, when the joint we need for everyday movement isn’t at its best, neither are we.

While you should always visit your doctor for chronic or severe pain, there are some hip pain relief treatment options you can try on your own. There are a range of options, from light exercises to homeopathic remedies.

Let’s look at the common causes of hip pain, some of the best at-home hip pain treatments, and when to contact your doctor.

1. Start Your Day with the Right Stretches for Mobility

It is fairly common to get tight hip flexor muscles if you spend a lot of time sitting, running, or biking. Because everything in your body is connected, you’ll need to work the hip flexors and the surrounding muscles and joints that support them.

For example, when your hips feel tight, it can cause overuse of the spine, resulting in pain in your lower back. Adding hip stretches and mobility exercises will support the muscles and joints in the back and spine. 

These are the best mobility exercises to stay active. Plus, you can try these hip-opening stretches and the best yoga poses to relieve tight hips.

2. Evaluate Your Feet

Sometimes, hip pain can signal problems with how you’re walking or the type of shoes you wear. 

If you’re a runner, make sure your shoes have adequate cushioning and support. Chiropractors can also help assess your gait (i.e., how you naturally walk) and see if you over or under-pronate your foot. 

Pronation is how your foot rolls inward when you walk and run. Under or overpronation can cause hip issues because your gluteus muscles have to work extra hard to overcompensate.

3. Work Your Thigh Muscles

Your thigh muscles help support your hips more than you may think! If you suffer from arthritis in particular, strengthening those thigh muscles will help support your hips more and hopefully lessen your pain.

Try these exercises that strengthen the thigh muscles or add leg lifts and pilates moves that target the hips and thighs into your exercise routine. 

Also, be sure to check out our hip-strengthening exercises for seniors.

4. Get More Exercise (But Avoid High-Impact Workouts)

Movement, in general, is also a great way to strengthen a weak hip. Try lower-impact options like walking or cycling, and avoid high-impact activities like running and jumping. Low impact doesn’t have to mean ineffective. All of our favorite picks for the best hip exercises for seniors will help strengthen your hips!

If stability is a problem for you, feel free to grab a chair, couch, or even the wall to hold onto while performing these standing exercises. The more you do these hip exercises, the more you will develop stability and balance. 

5. Give Water Aerobics a Try

Swimming and water exercises are amazing, low-impact exercises. The body is unweighted in water, making it easier to exercise for longer, with less impact. Plus, resistance in water can be anywhere from 4 to 42 times greater than on land, making a pool or body of water a natural weight-training machine! 

These are our favorite pool exercises for seniors, plus a 30-minute pool workout to help you get started. Walking and yoga are other great low-impact exercise options.

6. Know the Difference Between Hot and Cold Therapy

It’s helpful to understand when to use hot vs. cold therapy to treat your hip pain.

Cold Therapy

For new injuries or acute pain, it’s a good idea to use cold therapy, like ice or a cooling gel pack.

• Ice not only numbs the pain but will decrease inflammation and swelling.
• You do not want to use heat to treat acute injuries because it can increase inflammation, delaying your healing.

Heat Therapy

For chronic injuries or arthritis pain, you’ll want to use heat therapy like soaking in a warm tub, or applying a hot compress or heating pad.

• Heat works best for chronic pain because it increases blood flow and helps relax and soothe those tight or painful joints.
• It’s best to apply heat before a workout if you have chronic pain, not after, as that can aggravate your muscles.

7. Try Acupuncture

This 3000-year-old Chinese practice is used to treat a variety of ailments, from muscle pain to depression. Chronic hip pain sufferers may consider acupuncture as an alternative therapy option that doesn’t involve hip surgery or drug treatment.

8. Try to Maintain a Healthy Weight

Carrying excess weight can contribute to hip pain, as your hip is a weight-bearing joint. The more weight you have to support while walking and moving, the more strain your hips feel.

As we previously mentioned, even just one pound of weight loss can feel like removing six pounds of pressure from your hips. 

Getting rid of excess body weight can lessen the strain on your hips and improve your general health. Every little bit helps!

9. Prioritize Sleep

Of course, one of the best ways to treat hip pain at home is to rest. Identify whatever activity is causing the hip pain or making it worse, and take a break.

While your body does need movement and exercise to heal and build strength, initial rest can be important after an injury. For example, a mild, strained hip flexor could require one to three weeks of rest and treatment to recover, while a more severe case may take months.

What’s the main reason behind your weight loss goals?

Finding your “why”—or the driving force behind your weight loss journey—is essential for staying motivated and achieving your goals.

But what is it, exactly? Are you losing weight simply to improve your physical appearance, or is it something else that drives you to make healthier choices?

I always tell my clients that their “why” for wanting to get healthier or lose weight needs to be tied to something deeper—having more energy, getting better sleep, improving relationships, becoming more active, or gaining clearer focus. Weight loss will be the byproduct of achieving these things.

Let’s explore the steps for finding your “why,” setting realistic goals, creating an action plan, and staying motivated along your entire weight loss journey.

1. Identify Your “Why”

It’s essential to understand why you want to make a change in your life. Identifying your “why” can help keep you motivated and focused on achieving your goals.

Your “why” is the purpose behind the action that will drive you forward when times get tough. I like to call it your “purpose statement.” 

Your “why” should be more than just wanting a better physique; it needs to have emotional meaning. It connects to your life values and is so much deeper than just weight loss. Weight loss is the byproduct of your new habits. 

When it comes to weight loss, one size doesn’t fit all. Every person will have a deeper reason as to why weight loss will change their life.

For example:

• Are you looking to improve your overall health?
• Do you want more energy or confidence?
• Are you trying to stay healthy for your kids or grandchildren?
• Do you have medical issues that would benefit from a healthier weight?
• Are you sick of being tired all the time?

No matter the incentive, figuring out why you’re striving for a transformation can assist in sustaining your dedication and keeping you on track to attaining your ambition. These deeper desires will eventually result in weight loss because you’ll change your habits to achieve them.

Once you’ve identified your why (and it can’t be “weight loss”—you need something meaningful!), it’s time to determine how you will get started by setting your goals.

2. Set Realistic Goals

Achieving success necessitates the need for goals. It helps to focus your energy and create a plan for reaching the desired outcome. Goals should be realistic, measurable, and achievable within a reasonable amount of time.

Here’s the plan:

Break Down Large Goals Into Smaller Steps

To ensure that you are setting yourself up for success, it’s best to break down large goals into smaller tasks or steps. Smaller objectives can be established to make the larger goal more manageable and keep you inspired as you progress.

Example: If your aim is to shed 10 pounds by the start of summer, break it down into bite-sized portions, such as losing 1-2 lbs per week for the upcoming months.

Set Weekly or Monthy Mini-Goals

These small successes will add up over time and help keep you on track toward achieving your overall goal.

Example: Exercise five times a week for 20 minutes or cut out sugary snacks from your diet completely.

Find Your Support System

When aiming to reach objectives, consider who or what support systems you can utilize to ensure success.

Examples:

• Consider asking for support from friends and family who can offer encouragement when needed.
• Join a gym with knowledgeable trainers who can provide guidance during workouts.
• Connect with an online community where people share their experiences related to similar objectives so that you don’t feel isolated on your journey toward success.

3. Create an Action Plan

Once your goals are set and organized, it’s time to create a plan of action. This is often where people stop. They set their goals but never really decide how they will actually make them happen.  

Creating a solid action plan is essential to achieving any goal. Think of this as the roadmap that will help you get from where you are now to where you want to be.

An action plan will lay out the daily, weekly, and even monthly tasks you need to do. It also involves a timeline for completing each step.

Here’s how to create your action plan:

Create a “Stop/Start Doing” List

This helps identify the habits you know you need to stop doing and creates awareness of the habits you’d like to adopt. 

Example: Let’s say your goal is to eat healthier. Here is your “stop/start doing” list:

• During week one, eliminate added sugars from your diet. (I.e., something to stop doing.)
• During week two, make sure you’re getting five fruits and vegetables per day. (I.e., something to start doing.)
• During the following weeks, add more things to stop and start doing. You’ll create better habits as you do!

Create Timelines That Help Fit in New Routines

Consider how much time and effort each new habit will take to fit into your lifestyle without becoming overwhelming or too difficult to manage.

Example: If your nearest gym is 30 minutes away, maybe exercising at home is a better choice. If necessary, adjust the timeline accordingly to work along with your schedule and other commitments.

Build In Rewards

Make sure you add in rewards along the way! This could be in the form of self-care after reaching certain milestones or celebrating small victories with the purchase of something you’ve wanted for a while.

You decide what works for you, but make sure you celebrate the milestones because you deserve it!

Monitor Your Progress

Regularly monitor progress on each task with weekly reviews. This holds yourself accountable and keeps you motivated!

Remember that you might not reach your goals in the first weeks or months—but don’t get discouraged. Just ensure your action steps are realistic and achievable so they don’t become overwhelming or discouraging.

4. Journal Your “Why”

Journaling your “why” is a powerful tool to help you stay focused and motivated on the path toward creating a healthier, happier life.

Writing down how you feel before beginning any kind of lifestyle change helps you stay connected with yourself during moments of doubt or discouragement. It allows you time to reflect on your progress thus far and what lies ahead if you remain committed over time.

Journaling before, during, and after your progress allows you access to your innermost thoughts, which gives clarity during the journey.

I’m also a big believer in positive affirmations. Add some to your journal to read them every day to connect yourself back to your “why.”  

Staying motivated can be a challenge when progress seems slow or difficult. I always say, “Strive for progress, not perfection.” Weight loss is hard. You need to dig deep inside, find your grit, be patient, and stay the course.

With dedication and perseverance, finding your “why” can be a powerful tool in helping you reach success with weight loss. So ask yourself—what is my “why?”

Power walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise—but it shouldn’t be!

There are so many benefits associated with regular walking, including:

• It’s low-impact: Walking gives you a great heart rate boost without wreaking havoc on your joints and connective tissue.
• It burns calories: A power walk can burn anywhere from 200 to 400 calories per hour or more, depending on the speed.
• It can ease knee pain from osteoarthritis.
• It can protect your heart: Research shows walking can lower your risk of cardiovascular events like a heart attack or stroke.
• It can help prevent varicose veins.
• It helps improve your immune system.
• It can lower your blood pressure.

If you’re looking to lose weight by power walking, it’s absolutely doable! Here are 7 tips for maximizing your weight loss with power walking.

1. Warm Up First

Stretching is crucial, even before a walk! Warming up your muscles helps you avoid strain and injury. If you’re too sore or in pain after a walking workout, it can throw a wrench in your routine.

After a stretch, begin your walk slowly. Start by walking for about 5 minutes at a slower pace, and consider adding some walking lunges and hip circles.

2. Maintain Good Posture

Posture is key to a good power walk. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Stand tall: Pull your abs in, keep your head up, pull your shoulders back (but keep them relaxed), and lift your chest.
• Keep your arms moving: Good arm motion will help you burn 5-10 percent more calories. Make relaxed fists, bend your elbows 90 degrees, and keep your elbows pulled in close to your body as you pump your arms straight forward (not diagonally). Be sure they stay low, not going past your breastbone.
• Watch your foot motion: Your footsteps should be in a heel-to-toe motion. Your heel hits first, then your foot rolls through your toe.
• Keep your strides natural: Don’t try to speed up by taking giant steps or an unnaturally long stride.

3. Incorporate Hills

Thanks to gravity, it requires more energy to walk uphill, and you’ll burn more calories!

For every 1 percent of the uphill grade, a 150-pound person burns roughly 10 more calories per mile.

4. Add a Little Weight

A weighted vest surrounds your core, keeping you balanced while helping burn more calories.

One study found that those who wore a weighted vest equal to 15% of their body weight while walking on a treadmill burned 6.3 calories per minute, whereas those who didn’t burned 5.7 calories per minute

Since your body weight is higher with a vest, you’ll boost your walk’s intensity and give your muscles more of a workout while you’re at it!

Check out my entire beginner’s guide to rucking.

5. Keep a Brisk Pace

While you don’t need to run, you do need to walk briskly to increase your calorie burn. You’ll know you’re getting a good moderate-intensity walk when your breathing is harder and talking becomes more difficult.

Aim for a moderate-intensity walk of at least 2-3 mph to reach that coveted fat-burning zone. When you’re up for it, increase your speed to 3-4 mph to really maximize the number of calories burned.

These are my favorite walking workouts for weight loss.

6. Incorporate Intervals

Interval walks don’t just burn more calories; they also stimulate your metabolism in the period after your workout is finished. (A win-win!)

Interval walking can improve your endurance and help torch calories. Intervals include alternating short bursts of walking at a faster pace with short periods at a slower pace. You may actually prefer intervals if you’re not up for maintaining a quicker speed during your entire walk.

Try walking for three to four minutes at an average pace, then walk briskly (ideally, 3-4 mph) for 30 seconds. Repeat this five to ten times for an effective calorie-burning power walk. As you begin to build more endurance, you can increase the amount of time you walk briskly and reduce your time at a slower pace.

7. Be Mindful of Your Body

Power walking too many miles can increase the risk of injury and soreness. Don’t be tempted to start aggressively in an attempt to burn more calories.

If you are new to power walking, shoot for 15-20 minutes or less on your first few walks. After a week of regular movement, increase your time to 20-25 minutes.

After a couple more weeks, you will be up to a solid 30 to 45-minute walk! A good rule of thumb is to gradually increase your walks by 10 percent each week.

While aging is inevitable, but aging well is not!

There are many factors involved in maintaining good physical and mental health as you age, but one of the most important things to consider as you grow older is strength training.

Researchers at the National Institute on Aging have been studying the effects of strength training for decades and have found so many ways it promotes healthy aging. The biggest benefit? It can add years to your life.

Here are six ways strength training over 50 helps slow the aging process and keeps your body healthy and feeling younger than ever.

1. It Helps Build Lean Muscle Mass 

As we age, our bodies lose muscle if we’re not focused on a regular strength training workout. Those who strength train see tighter, more toned bodies rather than getting “bulky.”

It’s a myth that weight training will make you bulk up. It will, however, help you achieve that coveted toned appearance everyone wants!

It takes a combination of strength and cardio exercise. Cardio workouts help burn calories and get your heart pumping, which is critical for your overall heart health and weight management. But as that fat starts to melt off, you also need to strength train if you want any toned definition.

Being stronger means staying independent and strong for life’s daily activities, such as carrying groceries, lifting grandchildren, or engaging in fun activities like golf or other sports. 

2. It Improves Bone Density and Lowers Injury Risk

Injury prevention is important, especially as you age—and it’s an often-overlooked benefit of building muscle.

Unexpected falls put countless older people in the hospital every year. In fact, according to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury and death in older Americans.

By training the muscle and connective tissue that surrounds your bones, you are making yourself stronger and helping to prevent a fall from happening in the first place. Bone density is a big deal, and strength training is the best way to preserve it.

Strong muscles protect your bones and joints when they’re in motion and make your ligaments better at absorbing the shock they endure during dynamic movements. It’s important to incorporate weekly strength training into your routine to avoid random strains and sprains.

3. It Lowers the Risk of Obesity and Disease

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for preventing many diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, and certain cancers.

Strength training is an excellent way to eliminate excess fat, keep your body healthy, and reduce the risk of obesity and the diseases that come with it.

For those already struggling with obesity, research shows that adding weight lifting to an exercise and diet routine for older adults yields better results than diet or aerobic exercise alone.

4. It Boosts Metabolism

Unfortunately, as you age, your metabolism begins to slow down. One great way to revive it is by weight training.

Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is how many calories your body burns at rest. The more muscle you have on your body, the higher that metabolic rate.

Essentially, the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism works. Bottom line? When you have more muscle mass in your body, you burn more calories every day.

5. It Improves Mental Health

Strength training is not just about more muscle mass. As you get older, you may go through many life changes, making it normal to feel sad, stressed, or uneasy.

Adopting a strength training program has been shown to improve your confidence and boost your mental health. Moreover, Harvard Medical School reports that exercise helps lessen the incidence and the degree of clinical depression.

6. It Helps Balance, Coordination, and Mobility

Regular strengthening workouts improve your balance and coordination, which helps you do just about everything, from yoga and dance to daily tasks.

As you age, you tend to lose the overall muscle strength that allows you to balance. By lifting weights, you are not only building up muscle strength and protecting bone health but also forcing your body to function in an unbalanced state, thus improving overall balance and coordination.

Bending, lifting, balancing—these movements are very important as you age! If you can strength train, it will help you stay more coordinated and capable throughout the years.

Keeping your joints healthy is key to staying mobile and looking young as you age. 

Although you may not be able to prevent all join injuries or arthritis, there are many things you can start doing today to help keep your joints healthy so you look and feel young.

Use these 8 expert tips to keep your joints healthy, especially as you age.

1. Stretch Daily to Keep Your Joints Healthy 

While warming up before a workout is crucial, it’s equally important to stretch out all the major muscle groups after you’re finished.

Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, breathing into it and feeling your muscles relax a little deeper with every exhale. 

When your muscles are tight, you decrease the range of motion within your joints, leading to additional pain during your workout.

If you can loosen your muscles post-workout, you’ll have happy joints ready to go for your next sweat session.

Try Some Of These Great Stretches:

• The 8 Best Leg Stretches
• 7 Hip-Opening Stretches That Will Make You Say “Ahhhhh”
• Hamstring Stretch Routine 
• Low Back Yoga Stretches

2. Foam Roll

Foam rolling helps your fascia, which is the connective tissue running through your body that surrounds and separates your muscles, joints, and organs. Fascia helps cushion your joints from impact, so when it’s tight or brittle (as it can become with age) your joints and muscles can suffer.

By performing what’s called myofascial release with a foam roller, you are bringing more fluid back into the fascia, helping your joints stay cushioned and thus pain-free during exercise.

Foam rollers are affordable and easy to use; aim to foam roll about three times a week to reduce your joint pain.

Here are 6 foam roller moves to loosen tight muscles to help you get started.

3. Adopt an Anti-Inflammatory Diet To Keep Joints Healthy

Researchers have identified that many foods found in the Mediterranean diet can help combat inflammation, which is a major cause of arthritis-related joint pain. Staples of the Mediterranean diet include fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines; antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies like berries, spinach, and kale; and monounsaturated fat sources like almonds, avocados, and olive oil.

You may also try incorporating more turmeric into your diet as it’s an anti-inflammatory spice that has been shown to improve joint swelling and stiffness in arthritis patients. Some people also take glucosamine and chondroitin supplements to help their joint pain; these are both structural components of cartilage that are naturally occurring in the body.

4. Break Up Your Workouts To Reduce Strain

For people with joint pain, it may be beneficial to adopt a certain methodology to your movement: if you’re doing a bodyweight workout or weight training, for example, don’t run through a circuit that’s just upper or lower body for too long. Alternate back and forth between upper and lower body exercises to avoid putting too much stress on any one area at a time.

For example, some people choose to do “arm day” and “leg day” but for people with joint pain, it’s better to break your workouts up so you’re not straining any one part. Do a set of push-ups, then focus on squats, etc.

5. Try Aquatic Workouts for Healthy Joints

Sometimes switching up your workout routine can be the best thing you do for your joints.

Taking your workouts to the pool can give your joints some much-needed relief, while still providing resistance that gives you a great workout. Swim laps, check out water aerobics, or try this 30-minute pool workout for inspiration.

6. Get The Proper Footwear

Everything in your body is connected, and regardless of the activity you’re doing, if your shoes don’t provide enough stability and cushion against the impact of your movement, your joints can suffer! Everything from ankle, knee and hip pain can be aggravated or even caused by improper footwear.

This is my guide to choosing the best shoes for walking.

7. Incorporate Both Low and High Impact Exercise For Keeping Your Joints Healthy 

If you suffer from joint pain, too much high-impact exercise can aggravate your body. But incorporating a little of it when you can is great for weight loss and making your muscles stronger.

Balance your workout routine with some higher impact work like plyometrics, interval training, or running, and then lower-impact cardio work like elliptical workouts, walking, swimming, or cycling.

The variety will help keep your body healthy and your muscles engaged without getting overworked.

8. Use Heat To Treat Joint Pain

Get in the habit of heating things up before your workouts. Unlike new injuries that respond well to ice, heat is best for treating chronic pain. The heat helps increase blood flow and soothe tight or painful joints.

Apply a warm towel or hot pack to areas that are stiff and sore before your workout to minimize discomfort.

Our bodies are not meant to sit all day. But way too many people spend the majority of their day in a sedentary way.

Moving your body through a healthy range of motion with light exercise keeps it working smoothly. It can even help prevent future health issues. Luckily, there is a simple solution: a walking pad.

Whether you’re working, watching TV, or cooking, a walking pad can help change any sedentary activity into an active one. Their compact size and affordable, lightweight design make them more approachable than traditional treadmills.

Here, we’ll take a closer look at why it’s important to boost your daily steps, everything you need to know about walking pads, and how they can help you lose weight.

You can also checkout my favorite walking pads for weight loss!

Why Daily Movement Is So Crucial for Health

We typically think of movement and calorie expenditure in terms of minutes of exercise. But, a lot of our daily activity ultimately comes from non-exercise activity thermogenesis (or NEAT).

So, what is NEAT? In short, NEAT includes all the activities we fit into our busy schedules that aren’t “exercise.” Think of things like walking to lunch, pacing on the phone, cleaning, cooking, climbing up and down stairs, watching your kids, folding laundry — the list goes on. 

Basically, NEAT is comprised of all the daily tasks that require some kind of physical activity. (But you wouldn’t consider it “exercise,” per se.)

Why is NEAT So Important?

Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic explains the importance of NEAT and the worthwhile opportunity for weight loss and other health gains.

Dr. Levine pioneered the treadmill desk, and his studies showed that when a healthy individual walks at a slow pace of around 1-2 mph during the workday, they can burn a significant amount of extra calories. This can make a huge impact in people’s weight loss efforts. It’s not sweaty exercise; it’s just consistent movement!

Levine makes the convincing argument that NEAT could burn up to 1,000 extra calories per day when added strategically to the workday. He also explained that obese individuals perform drastically less NEAT than those within a healthy weight range.

As we begin to understand the importance of NEAT, it’s easy to see how working from home or sitting at a desk all day can be quite an obstacle. How can you incorporate more movement into your day when you’re glued to a desk?

That’s where walking pads come into play!

Walking Pads vs. Treadmill Machines

Both walking pads and classic treadmills provide an opportunity for cardiovascular exercise. They are both exercise equipment tools with a user-friendly operation that can be used in a home gym or home office. However, the two have pretty stark differences.

Treadmills

Treadmills are commonly known for their powerful performance and have been a staple running machine in home gyms for years. They are typically heavy and immobile and take up quite a bit of space. Treadmills have many great features, like incline control and higher maximum speed capacities. They can be used for anything from a daily walk to an intense run.

Walking Pads

On the other hand, walking pads are a newer product on the market. With many workers trying to combat sitting at a desk all day and social media trends like cozy cardio, it makes sense that these walking pads are quickly gaining popular product reviews. 

These compact treadmill options are smaller, have lower speed capacities, and are usually portable, making them a great option for limited space. They are a simpler, more affordable option that allows you to walk for a long time in your home office or living room. Some have the capacity for running, but not nearly in the same way as a traditional treadmill does.

Benefits of Walking Pads

Walking pads work well just about anywhere. Any space from a small apartment to a home will work!

Whether working from home or watching TV, the extra steps will benefit your health and general mobility.

Here are just a few of the benefits of walking pads:

• Increase NEAT activity easily at home
• Compact designs are great for small spaces
• Easy to store when not in use
• Easy way to stay active while working
• Affordable pricing

Getting Started With Walking Pads

Walking pads are different than traditional treadmills. If you’re just starting to learn about walking pads, here are a few things you should know:

• Speed Capacity: Walking pads are made for slower movement than treadmills. Most walking pads have various speeds and will top out at a certain point. Top speed can max out around 4 miles per hour. If you’re looking for higher speeds or an option for running, a traditional treadmill might be a better fit.
• Incline: Most walking pads do not come with an adjustable incline feature. There are some available, but the added functionality typically makes them bulkier like regular treadmills.
• Portability: This is the beauty of the walking pad. It works well in small spaces. The compact design allows for easy storage under desks, beds, or standing against the wall, saving you valuable space. Some models are even foldable.  
• Size: These machines are made to be compact. Small, foldable, and movable designs are popular!
• Weight Capacity: The weight capacity for walking pads is much lower than a traditional treadmill. Common weight capacities are around 200-250 pounds. You’ll want to choose an option that works with your weight limit.
• Walking Pad Affordability: The good news is, since they are smaller and simpler than traditional treadmills, they are more affordable, too! Many walking pads fall within the price range of $200 to $500. 
• Data Tracking: Fair warning: A fitness tracker on your wrist like the Apple Watch may not accurately record your steps if you’re working at a standing desk. Typing and resting your arms on the desk will throw off the tracking. Luckily, most of the walking pad models have features that report your speed, time, distance, and calories burned. 

Can a Walking Pad Help You Lose Weight?

Walking pads are great for weight loss! Incorporating more steps into your day with a walking pad helps increase your calorie expenditure, which is key for losing weight.

But remember, your diet is essential, too. If you walk during your whole day but also eat a bunch of unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks, weight loss will be much harder!

That said, walking pads can certainly be helpful in your weight loss journey. If you’re already incorporating a healthy diet and appropriate exercise levels, extra daily movement may help push you towards your goals.

The extra low-impact activity of walking can also relieve stiffness and soreness and help keep your joints lubricated and strong, which helps you stay healthy and avoid injury.

Strength training, core exercises, and yoga are all great additions to expedite your weight loss journey. Walking pads can help with weight loss when you incorporate them into a well-rounded strategy!

Did you know you can work on your core no matter what your age?

The transverse abdominis extends between your ribs and pelvis and is the deepest of the six ab muscles. Its fibers run horizontally, wrapping around your trunk from front to back like a corset. 

To find it, try this: Place your hand on your lower abs and cough a few times. That contracting muscle you feel? That’s your transverse abdominis—and targeting this particular muscle is the best way to tone your lower abs!

These exercises can help tone and strengthen your lower abs, reduce lower back pain, and keep you feeling fit, strong, and energized.

Core Workout Instructions:

• Be sure to take your time and maintain good form (these are not about speed!), and remember to breathe.
• Try to incorporate these exercises into your workout routine weekly for the best results!

1. Full Plank Exercise

The plank is a staple of most ab workouts because it recruits the entire core!

How to perform a plank:

• Begin kneeling on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and toes on the mat.
• Tighten your abdominals and raise your body up off the floor, lengthening your legs behind you. Hold your entire body tight, and remember to breathe.

Watch the plank instructions on video, or join my 8 minute plank challenge!

2. Bird Dog

Bird dogs strengthen the lower back and abdominals while promoting stability and balance.

How to perform a bird dog:

• Kneel on the mat on all fours. Reach one arm long, draw in the abdominals, and extend the opposite leg long behind you.
• Repeat on the other side.

Learn more about doing the bird dog exercise.

3. Forearm Side Plank

Forearm side planks don’t just target your core—they also strengthen your shoulders and upper back.

How to perform a forearm side plank:

• Being lying on the floor with your forearm on the mat and your shoulder stacked over your elbow. Legs are long, with your feet stacked on top of each other.
• Lift your body into a side plank position, keeping your lower knee on the floor and your abdominals engaged. Try not to let your hips rise or drop.
• Repeat on the other side.

Learn more about doing the forearm side plank exercise.

4. Bend-Extend Ab Tuck

Bend-extend ab tucks are great for working your lower abdominal area and protecting your lower back.

How to perform a bend-extend ab tuck:

• Start seated on the mat with arms behind you, hands on the mat, and fingers facing your backside. Sit back on your hands and lift up your feet off the mat, keeping the knees bent.
• Keep abs tight, press your legs out long, and your lower back down slightly (you should feel your lower abdominals working). Push yourself back up and pull your knees in to return to the start position.

Learn more about doing the bend extend ab tuck exercise.

5. Bicycle Crunch

Bicycle crunches help build coordination and a strong core.

How to perform a bicycle crunch:

• Start lying on your back with your feet off the floor and legs in a tabletop position. Hands are behind your head, and your head, neck, and shoulders are flexed off the mat.
• Bring one knee in and to the opposite elbow, reaching towards it. Repeat on the other side in a crisscross motion working the obliques.

Learn more about doing the bicycle crunch exercise.

6. Toe Reach

Toe reaches focus on core engagement and really target the transverse abdominis.

How to perform toe reaches:

• Start on your back with your legs long-reaching towards the ceiling.
• Bring your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat and reach your arms up towards your feet. Return to the tips of the shoulders and repeat.

Learn more about how to perform the toe reach exercise.

7. Bridge

Bridges stretch the chest, neck, spine, and hips while strengthening the glutes, core, and lower back. They also promote good posture!

How to perform a bridge: 

• Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor close to the glutes.
• Place your arms flat on the floor next to you, tucking your shoulders under your back. Align your knees with your hip bones.
• Press your palms down as you lift your hips high and squeeze the glutes and abdominals. Keep your neck relaxed on the mat.
• Continue to breathe and hold for 30 seconds.

Learn more about doing the bridge exercise.

8. Leg Drop

Leg drops focus on strengthening the lower abs and back. Keep your movements slow to really work the core!

How to perform leg drops:

• Start lying on your back with both legs long towards the ceiling.
• Keep your abs tight as you lower one leg until it’s a few inches off the floor, then switch legs.
• Tip: never go so low with your legs that your back pops off the mat.

9. Flutter Kick

You’ll definitely feel these flutter kicks in your lower abs!

How to perform flutter kicks: 

• Start lying on your back, legs extended at a 45-degree angle, with your arms down at your sides and your legs off the ground.
• Slightly lift your head, shoulders, and neck off the ground.
• Start kicking (or fluttering) your legs up and down, alternating as you go. Your flutters should be at a pace you can maintain while still keeping your core still.
• Try to flutter for at least 30 seconds, or as long as you can!

10. Bear Crawl Hold

The bear crawl hold is another challenging move, but it’s perfect for activating your core, shoulders, quads, back, and hips.

How to perform a bear crawl hold: 

• Start on all fours and lift your knees so that they’re at a 90-degree angle and hovering an inch off the ground. Only your palms and toes should be touching the floor.
• Keep your back flat, core engaged, legs hip-width apart, and arms shoulder-width apart. 
• Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds, or as long as you can!

Agility ladder drills come with so many great benefits. Yes, you get your heart rate up, but agility ladder exercise focuses on speed, agility, and quickness far beyond that!W

With decades of experience, I’m breaking down the top benefits of adding agility ladder drills to your weekly workout schedule. Keep reading, the answers may surprise you!

After you see the amazing benefits, make sure you try my favorite agility ladder exercises that burn calories fast!

1. Improves Speed, Agility, and Quickness

Whether you’re an athlete or an exercise newbie, agility ladder drills are the perfect form of cross-training because they work on multiple outcomes at once.

• Speed: your ability to move with fast feet in one direction as quickly as possible
• Agility: your coordination—your ability to accelerate, decelerate, and handle a change of direction
• Quickness: your ability to use fast footwork to react or switch positions quickly

This training will also help your other workouts! You’ll see benefits in your strength training, cardio workouts and even your yoga practice.

2. Enhances Balance and Flexibility

Agility ladder drills require coordinated and controlled footwork. These movements help improve balance and lower body flexibility. Balance is critical in every day life, especially as we age!

Improving your balance may help reduce the risk of falls and injuries.

3. Increases Cardiovascular Fitness

The CDC recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of heart-pumping cardio per week; agility ladder exercises can certainly be a part of that!

Because agility ladder drills require so much precision, foot speed, and focus, they can elevate your heart rate in a short amount of time. You can also check out my top 9 picks for the best cardio workouts for weight loss that don’t involve any running : ).

4. Burns Tons Of Calories

Speed ladder drills are a great form of cardio that burn tons of calories! They are considered a type of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which means they do more in less time.

You’ll go “all-out” in short bursts of intense effort mixed with brief pauses. This format should burn more calories than a steady-state cardio activity.

There are many different types of workouts that fall into this HIIT category. You can see a few of my favorites in my list of 7 total body exercises that burn fat and build muscle.

5. Keeps You Mentally Sharp

Agility ladder drills help keep you young because they keep you on your toes and thinking fast. They require focus and concentration, which helps connect your brain to your body so they are working together.

Many people deal with increased brain fog symptoms as they age, and regular exercise can help.

6. It’s FUN!

We all get bored with our workouts sometimes and agility ladder drills are a fun way to mix it up. You will feel athletic and agile, and you can do the drills anywhere. Inside, in the basement, at the gym, or my favorite place, outside!

It’s so fun that your kids or grandkids may even want to join you.

Agility ladder drills are a great way to add a new exercise format to your routine that helps keep your body and brain feeling young and fresh!

Incorporate my favorite fitness tips into your weekly schedule to see better results for your health and well-bring.

Whether you’re new to your fitness journey or a seasoned pro, these tips can help up your game. I have decades of experience training thousands of women, and let me tell you, these are the pieces of advice that can help you look and feel your best!

1. Get at least 150 minutes of weekly exercise

The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.

Break it down to 40 minutes 4 days a week, 30 minutes 5 days a week, or however you’d like. Choose what works best for your lifestyle, whether it’s one of my favorite cardio workouts, a daily yoga practice, a power walking challenge, or anything else that gets your heart rate up.

My beginner’s guide to strength training is a great place to start.

2. Keep a fitness journal

Using a fitness journal will help you stay accountable. Plus, tracking your progress helps you stay connected with yourself during moments of doubt or discouragement. The process will give you time to reflect on your progress thus far and what lies ahead if you remain committed over time.

3. Eat the rainbow

Eat whole foods in a variety of fresh vibrant colors. Try to keep whole foods as close to their original state as possible for the max amount of benefits. Use this list of the best anti-inflammatory foods, and this list of my favorite healthy fats for weight loss as inspiration!

4. Avoid processed foods

Packaged foods typically come with extra unhealthy ingredients to give them a sweeter flavor and a longer shelf life. Unfortunately, these ingredients typically aren’t natural, and they can come with multiple negative side effects.

When shopping, try and remember that the fewer the ingredients, usually the better the food.

If you are buying packaged foods, check out this list of 15 Best Packaged Foods for Clean Eating.

5. Drink more water

Most adults need about two quarts of fluid per day to replace normal water loss or approximately eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Staying hydrated keeps your body healthy, and helps prevent unhealthy cravings by keeping you full.

These are my favorite hacks for drinking more water.

6. Increase Your Protein

You need protein to build muscle and maintain energy levels while exercising. I wrote an entire guide explaining why women need more protein as they age, plus I broke down my favorite protein powders on the market.

Protein powder is a great way to boost your intake through smoothies or other homemade snacks.

7. Find your workout “why”

Finding your “why” for weight loss means identifying your deeper reason for getting healthy. To see the best results, you need to find a way other than the number on your scale. Think beyond the superficial to what weight loss could mean for you life.

Will you be able to spend more time with loved ones? Will you feel more energetic and confident?

8. Find workouts you enjoy

Find a form (or two!) of movement you truly enjoy doing. It’s easier to stick to goals when we look forward to them. Explore the viral cozy cardio trend, and then find something you love!

9. Make strength training a priority

One of the best fitness tips I can give you is to add some muscle-building activities to your workouts. Dumbbells, resistance band exercises, muscle sculpt classes, or using your body weight with push-ups, planks, lunges, and squats can all work!

Incorporating strength training into your workout regimen can improve bone density, increase metabolism, and enhance overall functional fitness. It’s also a great way to target various muscle groups at the same time in an efficient way.

10. Set perfectionism aside

No one is perfect, so if that’s your goal, you are already setting yourself up for failure! In fact, focusing on prefect usually leads to disaster. Set small goals and stair-step your way to success by developing daily healthy habits.

Remember to celebrate your wins, regardless of perfection.

11. Take recovery days

Overtraining is an easy way to end your workout goals. Give yourself one to two days a week for active recovery (especially if soreness has set in).

Rest days should be simple. You can take a walk or do a gentle yoga class. Engage in something less intense that what you do on your other exercise days, and give your body the break it deserves for working hard!

These fitness tips will help you stay on track while moving one step closer to living your healthiest, happiest life.

As a fitness expert who has trained thousands of women, I can’t tell you how crazy it makes me when I see inaccurate fitness information flying around. I’m debunking some of the most popular (and least true!) women’s fitness myths out there.

Get the real information, so you can start taking care of yourself the RIGHT way. These are the top women’s fitness myths I’m begging you to ignore!

#1: Spot Reduction Works

Spot reduction is the idea that you can choose one area of your body to lose fat. And, I’m here to tell you spot reduction does not work.

When you lose weight and lose fat, it uniformly comes off all over your body. You can’t magically pick one area.

However, as you are losing fat, you can gain muscle and you can spot sculpt. So if you want a bigger bicep, then pick up a heavier weight and do bicep curls! If you want toned shoulders, do shoulder exercises.

In fact, these are the best muscle groups to workout together.

#2: Cardio is Best for Fat Loss

Don’t get me wrong, I love cardio. Cardio is great for heart health and mental health, but the secret to losing fat and maintaining your metabolism is actually strength training.

As we get older, we lose muscle. We lose about a half a pound to a pound of muscle a year starting around the age of 35, if we are not actively replacing it. My favorite strength training moves for women over 50 will help you stay strong and active!

#3: The More Exercise, the Better

Overtraining can lead to injury, feeling more tired, and other health issues. Listen to your body and make sure rest and recover are a part of your fitness journey. I recommend including mobility training and a daily yoga practice to treat your body with care while you train.

Listen to your body, and don’t feel pressured to over-do it!

#4: You Must Gain Weight During Menopause

The good news is, weight gain during menopause is NOT inevitable. Yes your hormones are changing, but the way you move your body, and the diet you consume does make a difference.

And this is part of the reason strength training is so important for middle-aged women. Muscle burns more calories at a resting heart rate than fat, so the more muscle you have, the more you burn! And, the easier it is to keep the weight off.

I also recommend focusing on the best foods for menopause symptoms!

#5: Strength Training Will Make You Look Bulky

I meet many women who are afraid to get started with strength training because they’re worried they will bulk up. The opposite is actually true. Focusing on regular strength training will help create strong, lean muscles.

Knowledge is power! It’s important to understand how your body works so you can live your best life.

It’s never too late to start making impactful lifestyle changes for your future!

Unlocking the door to independence is a goal cherished by many, especially as we navigate the challenges and opportunities of midlife. While various paths may lead to this coveted state, one particularly promising avenue gaining traction is functional strength training.

But is it truly the key to independence? Let’s explore.

Understanding Functional Strength Training

Functional strength training differs from traditional weightlifting in that it focuses on movements that mimic activities of daily living. Rather than isolating individual muscles, it emphasizes compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Think lifting groceries, climbing stairs, or even getting out of a chair – these are the real-world movements functional training aims to enhance.

The Link Between Strength and Independence

It’s no secret that strength is a cornerstone of independence, especially as we age. The ability to perform routine tasks without assistance directly correlates with muscular strength and endurance. Functional strength training hones these essential abilities, empowering individuals to maintain their autonomy and quality of life well into their later years.

Benefits of Functional Strength Training

Functional strength training is an extremely effective way to help strengthen and improve your body’s mobility, allowing it to move more efficiently through everyday activities.

Functional fitness also helps lower your risk of injury at any age!

Ready to see more benefits? Let’s check them out.

Enhances Mobility and Stability

One of the standout features of functional training is its focus on mobility and stability. As we age, maintaining flexibility and balance becomes increasingly vital for preventing falls and injuries. By incorporating exercises that improve range of motion and stability into their routines, individuals can enhance their ability to move confidently and independently.

Promotes Bone Health

Independence relies not only on muscular strength but also on bone health. Osteoporosis and bone fractures can severely limit mobility and autonomy. Functional strength training, particularly when combined with weight-bearing exercises, helps build and maintain bone density, reducing the risk of fractures and preserving independence.

Uses Real World Applicability

Functional strength training focuses on the muscles and movements that we use in everyday life. It’s applicable to daily tasks like lifting groceries, bending down to pick something up from the floor, or even playing with kids or grandchildren.

Helps Prevent Injury

Functional strength training serves as a potent shield against injury by honing not just raw muscle power but also enhancing mobility, stability, and coordination. Unlike conventional weightlifting, which often isolates muscle groups, functional training emphasizes movements that mimic real-world activities, thus fortifying the body against common injury scenarios.

By improving joint integrity, flexibility, and balance, functional exercises help correct muscular imbalances, reducing the likelihood of strains, sprains, and other soft tissue injuries.

Ready to give functional strength training a try? Start with my favorite functional strength training exercises!