Four Women Over 50 Share Their Favorite Ways to Move

Whatever your age, it's important to incorporate movement into your daily life, whether that's going for a long walk with the dogs, taking an online HIIT class, or pulling weeds in the garden. This is especially true when we hit 50: Regular exercise improves all aspects of our health; it boosts our cardiovascular and muscular systems and our energy levels, too. To inspire your own fitness journey, we tapped a few women over 50 to share their favorite ways to move. Their go-to exercises, which include yoga, Pilates, swimming, cycling, and more, just might jumpstart or reinvigorate your wellness routine.

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Dr. Doris Day

Dr. Doris Day may be a leading cosmetic dermatologist, but she knows that beauty and wellness is more than skin deep. "My favorite way to move is to walk," she says of staying active. "I walk to and from work every day, about two-and-a-half miles. I don't listen to music—I just walk at a nice, fast pace with long strides, like my dad taught me years ago. He was tall and had long legs and I would copy him and take long strides, too." As she walks, she engages her core, she continues, and aims for the best posture possible. These strolls bolster her daily productivity levels and mental health, too, Dr. Day notes: "I often come up with my best ideas and solutions for work during those walks. Sometimes, I dictate my ideas so I can build upon them once I get to the office or return home. Walking is very therapeutic and healing for me. "

When Dr. Day craves something beyond walking, she turns to her Peloton. "I recently got a Peloton bike and am loving the rides and floor classes," she says. "I do at least one every day. It gives me energy and connects me to friends I don't get to see often enough due to COVID-19."

Angelique Miles

At 54, Angelique Miles, a former music publishing executive turned lifestyle blogger, knows the importance of the staying fit—and looks good doing it (her Instagram grid is studded with enviable workout ensembles that take her from the gym and beyond). As for her go-to workouts? She regularly turns to HIIT (high-intensity interval training) programs, Peloton rides, and good, old-fashioned weight training.

Carla Kemp

Carla Kemp knows a thing of two about beauty and fashion, but she's best known for her fitness and wellness routine. From brisk walking and running to swimming, cycling, and dancing, this 58-year-old influencer is always on the move. "I'm a Pisces, so I have a strong connection with water," she shares. "Swimming makes me feel so free and peaceful. Cycling, on the other hand, energizes me and makes me feel powerful." She runs outdoors to feel connected to nature and when she's home, she dances like no one is watching: "I'm not a good dancer, but I love to pretend that I am. It allows me to be free and move however I want. Listening to some classic Motown puts me in the mood every time!"

Lee Holmes

One scroll through Lee Holmes' Instagram feed and it's clear that the clinical nutritionist and chef has a passion that stretches far beyond food and toward other components of bodily nourishment—namely, yoga. "I love to move by doing Hatha-style yoga," she tells us. "It's gentle on the joints and helps you to connect your mind and body and breath. When I do yoga I feel so much more in alignment with myself." Another type of movement Holmes is fond of? Reformer Pilates. "Just recently, I have taken up reformer Pilates," she says. "They help with my strength and flexibility. I am definitely starting to feel more toned because of it." When she's not flowing or stretching, Holmes loves to get a little fresh air while walking her dog. "I try to find at least one hill to get my heart rate pumping," she shares.