Anonymous wrote:I just turned 50, and after starting and stopping a bunch of online stuff over the past few years, I wound up with a book, and I really like it. The program is basic, but it’s doable: 4 days a week, 30 to 45-minute workouts that hit all the muscle groups. It seems like a program a personal trainer might give you if you’re new to weight training. The book (it’s more of a binder) has checklists you can use, and the workouts get harder over time. There’s also a version that just uses dumb bells if you don’t have access to the equipment in this one. I was already weight training when I started it, but I was just sort of doing this and that, and I felt like I was spinning my wheels a bit. But you can just start with whatever weight you want, so it’s fine for nonbeginners too.

The Woman's Guide to Strength Training from Women's Health

Women's Health The Woman's Guide To Strength Training: Dumbbells

Thanks for posting this! They look good.

Most regimens that will add muscle to someone your size likely won't result in weight loss, it could result in weight gain. You might not get bigger but muscle is heavy so just to say if you gain a little weight after starting don't let that discourage you.

I am a regular runner who has always struggled with weight exercises. Always so hard, can never stick with it, never was super thrilled with the results. But I recently had to go back into the office and so have been doing kettlebell workouts almost daily simply because its the only thing I can do at work with the space and time restraints and have been honestly AMAZED at the progress I have been making. I feel like its filled in all the small muscles that aren't necessarily worked in traditional movements somehow and I really feel like it has been transforming me. I just found a 30 minute routine online (it takes me longer than 30 minutes) and rotate between that and a kettlebell ladder (one swing, one breath recovery, two swings two breaths, etc) routine. The first week I forced myself to ladder to 20 and back down and was like, EXHAUSTED and sore as crap for days. On tuesday I went up to 27 and back down! And it isn't benching me for a week with soreness.

Good luck!

[quote=Anonymous]I'm about to turn 50 and feeling blah. I'm 5'4" and 122 lbs. I'm not very overweight, but I AM very out of shape. I doubt I could even do a push up! What's a good exercise regiment for someone who wants to:

1. Gain some muscle (especially back, core, upper body muscle)
2. Gain some flexibility/improve posture
3. Improve health and maybe lose 5-ish pounds (weight loss is not my main goal, and if I gain muscle, I'm fine with weight gain--I just want to feel a little more....firm)

I need something that is easy to follow, not intimidating and doesn't require a ton of thought. I like things that are a series--like a 3 week program. It can't be more than 30 minutes/day 5 days/week. I'm fine with paying for a subscription. About 5 years ago, I did "muscle burns fat" on the BODI app, and that was relatively good. I'm interested in something like that, but maybe a bit easier since I'm a bit older![/quote]

Yours not overweight at all! I think it’s a great idea to focus on weight training vs weight loss. You might actually gain a few pounds but the health benefits are stronger.

Peloton strength app is great. It has a workout generator so it makes a new workout each time made to your specifications. You can also play your own music in the background.

You might like Stacy Simms book Next Level.

Brian Syuki on YouTube. You can sort his playlists by time. I do the twenty minute ones before work.

Tons of videos online. Google beginner dumbbells 30 minutes. Preview a few until you find a couple instructors you like. For cardio a couple times a week I like Leslie sansone.
Has fit, body project and gro with Jo are my favorites.