If you’ve found your progress stalling, it doesn’t have to be the end of your training journey. Here are four of my favourite ways to blast through a training plateau and rediscover your love for training!

Mix up your training routine

I find that the most common cause of a training plateau is a repetitive training schedule. Doing the same exercises in the gym over and over again means you’re working the same muscles repeatedly. At the same time, this means it’s also the same muscles that aren’t being worked. These muscles that are being forgotten about in your current training routine offer massive potential in terms of gains.

Often, these will be smaller muscles that require a small adjustment to ensure they’re being hit. For instance, including bench presses in your weekly routine should increase muscle mass in the chest area. If muscle gains in your chest reach a plateau, simply adjusting your bench press to an incline bench press will specifically target the upper chest.

Review your diet

Your diet is as important as your training routine. If your training progress plateaus, the secret to rediscovering results may lie in what you eat. When trying to build muscle, a higher-calorie diet focusing on protein will complement your goals. On the other hand, those looking to lose weight will need to be in a calorie deficit to hit their goals. Regardless of your goals, your body will adjust to your calorie intake the same way it adjusts to your training schedule.

When progress plateaus, review your diet. It may be as simple as setting a new calorie goal. Or if you feel like you’re already on your limit, try adjusting your macros. E.g., increase your protein intake or reduce saturated fat while consuming the same level of calories.

Speak with a specialist

If you’ve already tried to mix up your training without seeing results, or maybe you don’t know where to start when it comes to altering your training, it may be time to get in touch with a personal trainer who’ll be able to put a bespoke training plan together for you. A personal trainer should be able to identify muscles that are being underused in your current training plan, or areas of the body that aren’t being targeted in terms of fat loss.

If you feel like you’re doing all you can in terms of your diet, the best solution may be to work with a nutritionist who will again be able to put a bespoke plan together, but this time, in the form of a meal plan.

Find a new motivation

Could the solution to your training plateau simply lie in finding a new why? This is often the case with people who have been training for many years, especially if they follow the same style of training. While a loss of motivation may start with a plateau, it can also lead to a regression, especially if it deters you from even attending the gym. Sometimes, these people just need something to reignite that fire inside of them.

Something that worked wonders for me was finding a gym partner. This allows you to lean on each other for support and motivation, or even make workouts competitive in an attempt to work harder.

It may also be time for you to find a new gym. Upgrading your membership to a more premium health club with better facilities might make your training more enjoyable and feel like less of a chore. I found that as I got older, I started to view the gym as a social activity, and my training facilities needed a nice bar area where I could catch up with friends for a coffee after a swim.

It could even be as simple as treating yourself to new gym clothes. Just as you can’t wait to throw on a new pair of shoes, a new gym set should leave you excited for your next gym visit. While gymwear used to be a case of throwing on an old t-shirt, today there are many brands like A-Game offering premium activewear that doesn’t just support you through your workouts, but also looks great.

Final Thoughts

There are a number of ways you can overcome a training plateau. But the main takeaway is that a plateau doesn’t have to signal the end of your gym results. The right strategy to overcome your training stall will vary from individual to individual. An experienced gym goer who already follows a rigorous diet may need to work with a personal trainer to unlock new gains, whereas someone who has focused on their training without paying too much attention to their diet may be able to see results from simply changing what they eat.

Photo Credit

Photo is from Unsplash

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.

I am way beyond my mid-life crisis years (one caravan, 5 boyfriends and a minibar in the garden later), but stress seems to creep into my life no matter how hard I try. Is it the hormones? Am I just a natural pessimist born to attract stressful life experiences? I think both play a part, but ultimately the true challenge is how to overcome the stress. In saying this, I make it sound like stress can be defeated. Stress will always be with us, but moving through rumination and finding ways to ground ourselves is what reminds us stress is just a coping mechanism. You will be okay no matter what pressure you face.

Here are just a few consistent stressors in my life, and things I’m seeing more and more of within online conversations:

Stress moves through time

I’ve worked for the best part of the last 40 years in service of the NHS. Was there a good work-life balance? At the time it didn’t feel like it, but I somehow managed to get married, have four babies and make a thousand more memories outside of the workplace. Now I work part-time just to tick over, yet I feel the same level of stress as someone who works full time.

My current colleagues are in the place I was 40 years ago (trying to start a family), except the cost of living is at its highest, households are earning less and people don’t have the money to buy homes. Perhaps I feel a sense of guilt that I had better means to get by and start a family in my day. My partner at the time was a struggling photographer, so I was the primary earner. I still got by, I moved through the stress, and sometimes I think back to those really difficult times when I think I’ve got it bad now. Yet, minor inconveniences can get me down, and only when I take myself out of a situation and gain a clearer head do I realise how worked up I get over nothing!

Financial stress

Earning money is hard, and in today’s economy, it’s even harder to save. I am lucky enough to have built up a safe investment portfolio and retirement fund. But the cost of everything has increased exponentially. I worry not only about my own ability to stretch the funds but also about supporting my children through their financial stressors. Plus, the constant marketing campaigns pushed into our phone screens make us feel like daily spending is nominal.

Social media

The irony in social media is how unsociable it is. We all rely on these social platforms to keep up with others’ lives. What used to be a catch-up over a cup of tea is now coming across an update on Facebook. We are all so disconnected, and with this, comes the inevitable comparisons, and feeling of ‘lack’. Just because Suzanne from my yoga class has bought a new home and is travelling the world, posting about her adventures shouldn’t take away from my life and achievements. However, in times of doubt, it does. The stress of needing to feel adequate to others online is draining. Truthfully, I would quit social media now if I could, but there are people I want to keep in touch with, so the cycle continues.

Stress affected my health

It snuck up on me, as these things do. Poor sleep, stiff joints, nagging headaches, the constant tiredness that you can’t explain away with “just getting older.” My blood pressure crept up. I lost patience with silly things that wouldn’t normally bother me. When you let stress rule the body, it will take whatever space it’s given. I knew if I didn’t start acting differently, no pill or pep talk was going to fix it for me.

How I’m fighting the battle:

I walk everywhere
It’s not just about the exercise, it’s about feeling the fresh air, seeing real faces, hearing real sounds. It pulls me back to now.

Pilates to make me feel young again
I need flexibility more than ever, and there’s something satisfying about holding a plank longer than someone half my age. It reminds me that my body is still capable.

Swimming for the joints
There’s a peace that comes with floating, and knowing that while gravity does its worst, I can still move without pain.

Spending time gardening
Growing something! Even if it’s just a sad-looking tomato plant it grounds me. Literally. Soil under the nails is strangely healing.

Reducing screen time
It’s a work in progress. I’m trying to replace scrolling with something — anything — that actually fills me up rather than drains me.

Reading — use it or lose it
Novels, history books, gardening guides, it doesn’t matter. If I’m not using my brain, I feel it getting rusty. Plus, there’s a comfort in being pulled into someone else’s world for a while. I just had conservatory insulation, so I spend hours in my cosy backroom falling into stories. Any stress of the day disperses when I’m immersed into a book.

Setting boundaries
Learning to say “no” without guilt is a skill I wish I’d picked up decades ago. Now, I protect my time and energy like a dragon guard’s treasure.

Stress isn’t going away, not for me, not for anyone. But learning how to live alongside it, how to loosen its grip when it gets too tight, is the best I can do. And honestly, at 60, I’m learning that’s enough.

Photo Credit

Photo is from Pexels

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.

Easter is one of those holidays where the parents will find it difficult to get the time off so it is time for grandparents to step up, especially now you are retired. So, if you are struggling with things to do this Easter, then we have gathered a list of some of the best activities to do with your grandchildren.

Easter Egg Crafts

With it being Easter, it is the perfect time to get crafty with an Easter theme. The only other holiday that is perfect for this is Christmas. Nevertheless, there are a lot of things that you can craft during the Easter holidays. So, be prepared to get messy.

Easter Egg Decor

Starting with painted Easter eggs. You can’t get any more on theme than painted Easter eggs, and they take a bit of time to craft. So, you can guarantee that you will keep them entertained for most of the day without them getting bored.

One of the benefits of Easter egg decoration is that you can customise it however you like. Plus, you have the option of painting them or using felt-tip pens to make it less messy. However, don’t be a party pooper and get some paint brushes for the grandkids.

What do you use to paint eggs? Well, you can blow out the egg yolk and whites of a real egg; however, these can be quite delicate. Instead, buy fake eggs that are plain white, which you can then decorate. Once you have finished, you can then hang these up on pieces of string and put them around the house. If the weather is nice, consider hanging them on a tree outside.

Felt Easter Eggs

Another great way to get crafty would be to create felt Easter eggs. Egg-themed decorations are always great fun so when it comes to felt Easter eggs, things just get a little better. All you need to do here is buy those fake eggs again and buy some felt. Then glue the felt onto the eggs and there you have it, felt Easter eggs. A simple and very easy way of decorating Easter eggs for the children.

Paper Mache Eggs

Paper mache eggs are something that most of us remember when we were children at school. It seemed to be a great day when it came around each year in primary or elementary school. It is a memory that you have probably forgotten until you came across it here.

Now, this is certainly one of the messiest craft activities that we can do however, it is one of the most fun. We recommend that when you do this, you do it on an old blanket or even a plastic cover just to ensure you are not getting glue all over the floor.

Another great point about this is that it is very time-consuming as well, especially if you are going to be decorating it at the end. Once you have glued the tissue together, you have to wait for it to dry. Then you can get some paint brushes out and decorate them to how you want them to look. They can take a while to dry, though, so you will need to find something to do in the meantime.

Easter Egg Games

Now, if crafts are something that you don’t want to do due to all of the mess it creates then that is very understandable. Nonetheless, you cannot be that boring grandparent who does nothing with their children during Easter. So you have to find something fun such as an Easter egg game.

Easter Egg Hunts

This is something that every child loves and you can make this game very competitive as well. Basically, all you need to say to your grandchildren is they can only have the chocolate when they find it so hide their Easter eggs in places they will be able to get to BUT, make it difficult for them. This needs to keep them entertained for a while, so consider getting them 3-5 small Easter eggs and scatter them all around your home. If you have a back garden, then consider hiding some of them in there as well.

Egg and Spoon Race

Another entertaining game but one where they can get even more competitive. If you are still good on your feet and great at balancing the egg, then you should surprise them with your skills. As we all know, kids have no patience so if they see you taking the lead, they will start running and more than likely, the egg will fall off and you win.

The benefit of an egg and spoon race is more than just the overall competitiveness of the game. It is also an opportunity to improve their hand and eye coordination skills, which is something we all need to improve at such a young age.

If you want to get endless hours of fun out of this game, we recommend buying fake eggs that you can reuse for the race. These will also be better if you will be hosting your egg-and-spoon race indoors.

Summary

There are many wonderful things to do over the Easter holidays and they can kill a lot of time. Ideally, you want to make them feel fatigued with all the activities in the morning so they can become more relaxed in the afternoon, although some children can run around for hours.

If you are ever struggling for things to do, then consider baking or going through their old baby gift sets with them. See what they want to keep or what they can give away and if they do want to give stuff away, this can be part of the Easter fun.

Photo Credit

Photo by Polina Zimmerman on Pexels

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.

There are many ways to rekindle the flame with your partner, such as boosting the intimacy levels or being more honest with each other. Every couple will be different in what they expect from their partner, so it’s about finding the right things that matter to both of you and finding the perfect solution to help repair your relationship.

We have carefully crafted this guide to help you rekindle your relationship. Continue reading for some inspiration on things that you can try to achieve a deeper relationship connection with your partner.

How to Rekindle the Flame in Your Relationship

Increase Physical Touch

Love languages describe ways that people receive and express love in a relationship. The five love languages are words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, receiving gifts and physical touch. The latter is seemingly the most popular among couples to enhance romance, as they enjoy being close to each other. If you don’t have much physical touch in your relationship, such as hugs, cuddles and kissing, it could be a reason why the flame has dwindled. Having a cuddle before you both go to sleep can boost endorphins and lead to a much healthier relationship, as a result.

Cultivate Curiosity

Curiosity is what fuels the early stages of a relationship, as we are desperate to learn more about our partner to see if they’re the perfect match for us. If you don’t still ask your partner questions about their life and show interest, you might need to seek ways that you can show it more often. Embrace curiosity by asking questions and actively listening to their answers. This goes past asking about their day, as it’s rather about getting their perspective on bigger aspects of life like aspirations, goals and dreams.

Share Secrets

Intimacy isn’t just about physical touch, as it can also be about forming a stronger mental connection. Feeling disconnected from your partner can make the flame dwindle dramatically, so you should make a conscious effort to feel more connected in your relationship. One way you can do this is by sharing secrets with your partner. These don’t necessarily need to be mind-blowing secrets but rather tiny secrets that you just might not have thought to tell about previously.

Live Together

Long-distance relationships can be hard, as you don’t get to spend much time with your partner which is why they rarely work out well. If you need to rekindle the flame in your long-distance relationship, you can make the big leap of moving in together. This is fairly simple if you both live in the UK, but there can be some difficulties if one of you is from outside of the country. If you’re married, you can obtain a spouse visa UK so that you can live with your spouse and rekindle the flame.

Be More Spontaneous

Spontaneity can enhance a relationship by instilling excitement, keeping things interesting, promoting a feeling of adventure, strengthening connection and allowing couples to try new things together. All of these can lead to deeper relationships and a more rewarding relationship overall. It can also show your partner that you are actively thinking about them, as you will be doing things more on a whim rather than only planning things for special occasions.

Improve Communication

Better communication can improve a relationship by allowing partners to openly express their needs, feelings and desires. This can help with fostering understanding, trust and intimacy, as well as assisting in the effective resolution of conflicts and strengthening the emotional bond between a couple. It serves as the foundation for a healthy and fulfilling relationship, so it’s important that it’s not overlooked. Some couples might consider couples therapy to help improve communication.

Develop Gratitude

Showing gratitude towards your partner for everything they do, no matter how big or small, will help to achieve a deeper connection in your relationship. Simple acknowledgments like saying “thank you” can be enough for your partner to see that you appreciate them. Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions for thriving relationships, as it can significantly improve the satisfaction levels between partners.

Go on a Romantic Getaway

Sometimes all a couple needs is to get away from the repetition of working life and go on a romantic getaway with their partner to reinvigorate their relationship. It can be the perfect way to get a healthy work life balance and become more positive. Revisiting a place you have gone previously with your partner can be very effective, as you will both be reminded of the amazing times you have had together which can boost appreciation. You can also go to a new place and make new memories with your partner that will last a lifetime.

Photo Credit

Photo is from Pexels

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.

There is no one perfect route to making new friends. Something works best for others that may not work for you. The beauty of making new friends in the city is that you are likely not the only new person there, and you also have multiple methods to try and test when meeting new people. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most favoured ways of making friends when moving to a new environment that will likely help you on your journey of finding a network of people you love to spend time with.

Be open to new friendship groups

First things first, if you are coming from a small town where everyone knows each other, you need to open yourself up to new people and experiences. For some, this is very easy. Others find it extremely difficult to expand and be open to new friendship groups. This doesn’t mean to say you have to detach from your previous friendships but understand no two people are the same and you will not find the exact types of people you would expect to be friends with. Be open to new friendships and the rest will follow.

Join Facebook groups

You will be surprised at how many Facebook groups exist for the sole purpose of meeting new people as a new-be in a new city. Join Facebook groups that are specific to the area you are living in. This can be as simple as joining a football fan group for the area you are living in, or even joining a group of like-minded people who wish to meet up for group runs in your area. There are so many groups to explore. Step out of your comfort zone and join groups such as specific hobbies you are looking to take part in, or ones you are interested in getting started in.

Go to language classes in the area

This is mainly for people who have moved to a new city in which the language spoken is not their first language. If you have moved to a completely new city which differs in language and culture, it might feel even harder to make connections. The best place to find like-minded and same-language-speaking people is at local language-speaking classes. Finding people who are also foreigners like you in this new city will appreciate meeting new people as much as you. Even if you don’t meet people you connect with, the language classes will give you the leverage to connect with people who speak the language you have learnt!

Connect with friends of friends

Meeting with friends of friends is a great way to create new friendships through your existing contacts. If your friends have connections that are likewise living in the new environment you have moved to, consider meeting up with them. You already have a shared interest in the person you are connected to and there are likely similarities in your interests and what you appreciate in a good friend. Ask your close friends and family if they know anyone who lives in the city you are moving to, and make the effort to connect with them and see if they would like to meet up.

Follow your hobbies and friends will follow

When moving to a new city, it is important to not lose sight of yourself. As much as it is important to meet new people, you should also prioritise doing things that you loved when you lived back home. This can be anything from sports activities to book clubs which you used to attend. Find new groups and activities for the thing you love in your city, and you will likely meet friends just by doing this. Not only will you be doing what you love which can ultimately make you feel more comfortable, you will meet like-minded people who share the same interests as you.

Join hiking groups

Living in a city can sometimes feel like you are living in a concrete jungle. If you are the type of person to love being outdoors and going for hikes, you might consider joining a hiking group. This group of people will arrange for different activities outdoors, and you will all commute to the destination together. This is also a safer way to get in exercise instead of being outdoors alone, so check online for any hiking groups in your local area.

Try out a speed-friend meeting event

Much like speed dating, friendship speed dating is just as effective at introducing you to new people. These are organised events and their sole purpose is for people to make new connections and find communities for them to be a part of. They are a great way to combat loneliness when living in a new city, and there are multiple events taking place in most cities. Search for your local speed friendship dating events to find the group you have been looking for.

Become a regular at a local cafe

Local cafes are a hub for friendly interactions and discussions. People meet all the time in cafes, and being a regular at a specific location is great if you want to subtly become friends with the other regulars. Visit your local cafe every day at the same time and enjoy sitting alone in peace. Approach someone who is likewise sitting alone and spark conversation based on what they are doing or how much you likewise love the cafe you are in.

Things to keep in mind

So, now you have some inspiration as to how to put yourself out there, you need to keep a few things in mind. Remember that not all meet ups will be “successful”. It’s okay to meet with a group and not find someone to click with. The search can continue, and you will find your tribe. Also, keep safety at the forefront of your mind. When meeting up with strangers make sure that you are meeting in brightly lit, monitored locations. Ensure someone is aware of your location. If driving to a new area, be sure to park somewhere safe such as a city centre car park.

Bottom line

Overall, making new friends in a new city can be easy as long as you put yourself out there. Step out of your comfort zone and join new groups and communities to establish friendships that will last a lifetime.

Photo Credit

Photo is from Pexels

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.

Journaling

It might be on trend with younger generations, but journaling can also be a great way to rediscover yourself after turning 50. Just think, you’ve got so much more to write about and reflect on. Journaling does not have to just record your daily activities, you can also use journaling to reflect on your life. For example, write down memories from your younger years whether that’s memorable days out with your loved ones or the day you first set eyes on your long-term partner.

Reliving old times will instantly put a smile on your face and will also make you more grateful for the people you have in your life. As we get older, it’s common to take things in our lives for granted. It’ll also be enjoyable to examine how your life has changed, how values have shifted and your goals have evolved.

Try and write down your goals from your twenties and thirties. Ask yourself if you achieved them, often it’s not too late and you can have a second crack at trying to tick off an accomplishment you’d forgotten about. Alternatively, you could adjust goals to make them more achievable. For instance, if you never got around to visiting the 10 places you wanted to see before you die, maybe alter this to 5 or pick one to visit before the end of the year.

Health Kick

There’s no such thing as being too old to work out, and 50 is the perfect time to embark on a health kick. If you’re struggling with confidence, improving your physical health can be a great way to combat this. While the physical benefits of working out are obvious, you’ll also experience a vastly improved mental state. Combine this with a healthy, balanced diet and there’s no reason why you can’t find yourself in the best shape of your life.

It’s also important to introduce goal setting into your health kick. Accept that your body might not be fully capable of what it was when you were 21, but at the same time, it’s important you’re still challenging yourself. Plenty of over 50s are capable of completing strenuous fitness challenges and you’d be surprised at what you can achieve if you are prepared to 100% commit to something.

Self-care

Everyone loves to make a bit of time for themselves, whether it’s a peaceful bath in the evening or a luxury spa getaway with your best friend. Taking care of yourself gets more important the older you get, yet it’s often one of the things we forget about.

Children and grandchildren take up more of your time and money, so finding time for yourself becomes even more important. Not only should focusing on self-care leave you feeling revitalised, but it should also help improve confidence. A strict self-care routine is one of the best ways to fight aging, one of the major concerns for people as they pass the 50 mark, especially females.

Everyone’s idea of self-care is different. Whether it’s finding time to read a book, take a stroll in the park or implement a new skincare regime, you must not forget about yourself while trying to keep everyone else happy.

Redecorate

As we get older, our tastes change. From cuisine to fashion, our preferences are constantly changing and you’ll notice your purchasing decisions changing to keep up. But one thing we’re guilty of not updating quite as frequently is our homes.

Interior design trends change, and so does our own eye for decor. You also may have found your living space becoming cluttered with the possessions you’ve acquired throughout your life. If you’re looking to take control of your fifties, redecorating your home can be a great way to do so.

Consider decluttering, and ensure any homeware gifts that you’ve received from loved ones are visible to act as a constant reminder of the relationships in your life.

Photo Credit

Photo is from Pexels

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.