How Women in Their 30s Can Get Back into Fitness

Returning to the gym after an extended layoff can be an exciting time for the woman in her 30s, but there are a couple things that you really need to consider before you get started. The most obvious is that you’re no longer the seemingly indestructible 20-year old that used to be able to take on the most hardcore spin instructors even after long a night of partying with your girlfriends just the night before. Looking back at my collegiate years on the rowing team at UC-Santa Barbara, I have no clue how I was able to do things like that, especially now where I’m feeling like I’m done for the night as soon as the sun sets, but I digress.

You should be proud of yourself of being proactive with your fitness before your body really begins to breakdown, but understand that you have to be smart about planning your course of action. First things first, be realistic about the goals that you set — in other words, don’t be thinking that washboard abs are as easily obtainable as they used to be, and don’t be trying to get into advanced workouts that your haven’t done for a literal generation. Also, consider resistance training among the training methods you choose because muscle mass and strength loss is among the leading causes of injury or death as women get older, so maintaining it can literally save your life.

Setting Your Goals

As soon as a woman in her 30s decides to get back to training at the gym, it is imperative that she take an honest assessment of her current fitness state. If you want to train with your best friend who was a former D1 college soccer player with rock hard thighs, you need to let her know that she needs to take it easy on you in the beginning. Among the most common training errors I see amongst newbies is that they want to train all-out right from the start. Understand that, especially when you’ve taken a couple years or just a couple months/weeks away from working out, your body is going to need some time to adjust to the physical demands, and while it might not feel like you’re getting the most out of your workouts at the start because the workouts aren’t leaving you super sore, in the long run it is preventing the risk of unwanted sports injuries that can leave you sidelined for much longer.

When you’ve been away from the gym for an extended while, it doesn’t matter if you’re just a recreational lifter or a former competitive powerlifter, everyone must prioritize excellent form. Remember that while muscle memory can serve as a nice springboard to performing each exercise with ease compared to when you first started, but this doesn’t take away that a layoff from consistent training may have weakened the muscles that keep you safe from injury. Using your phone to review your technique or having a friend/trainer give you feedback should be something you do when you get back to training.

Weight Training

A woman in her 30s that’s making her return to the gym needs to be sure she’s not wasting time with poor technique or useless exercises that are trending on social media. For this reason, seriously consider hiring a personal trainer to guide you by developing training plans appropriate to your fitness state, and give you the best chance of success. A good trainer will assess what you’re capable of and apply that to your ultimate goal with appropriate exercises, as well as easing you into more advanced and heavier lifts in the future.

When it comes to the core, most recreational lifters only consider the rectus abdominis portion of the core (the six pack), but the core is actually all 360 degrees of your trunk and even includes the glutes. Additionally, a lot of the old school six-pack exercises you usually see in Rocky movie training montages, like sit-ups with giant weight plates, these can get your abs looking strong, but also wreak havoc on the lower back.

For every 30-something woman making her triumphant return to the gym after a layoff, while lifting weights can have lasting positive effects for your body, never underestimate the importance of good nutrition. Most people already know that eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables offers most vitamins and minerals your body needs, and you should also include healthy fats and carbohydrates, and lean proteins, which can assist in good weight management and bodily functions, so starting there should be the first step in your return. Also, assess your current eating habits and take note of what you like and dislike, then find recipes that closely replicate your “unhealthy” likes with more nutrient dense options. Remember — eating healthy doesn’t mean giving up everything you like, but rather, use it as an opportunity to explore new flavors that appeal to you.

When you come back to the gym after a layoff, especially when you’re over 30, give the utmost respect to the recovery process. While soreness doesn’t necessarily mean anything bad, but it is your body’s way of protecting you from constantly overtraining and possibly injuring yourself. While there are an abundance of gimmicks and trends, from cold plunges to supplements, nothing can come close to the benefits of quality sleep. When you’re sleeping, this is your body’s best opportunity to repair the damage that takes place when you’re working out, so you’re going to want to set a sleep alarm to get you in bed earlier.

Conclusion

Returning to the gym after time away is a great thing and nothing makes me happier as a personal trainer than to see folks come back. However, after age 30, you need to know that precautions must be made and planning is far more important than when you were in your 20s. Practicing patience and being smart about your training should always take precedence over constantly training to the point where you’re left to crawl out of the gym. Also, when you make your fitness journey as part of your lifestyle, instead of just a fling, you’ll be having far more success, especially when you make it a point to remain patient and celebrating even the small victories.