To her 30,000 (and counting!) Instagram followers, fashion and lifestyle influencer Linda Holman is a source of constant inspiration.
Her account is a hotbed of outfit ideas and beauty advice, with a heavy dose of wanderlust thrown in, with exercise inspiration frequently making an appearance, too.
"I love the way regular exercise makes me feel. I'm well into my sixties and I'm as fit and toned as I've ever been," Linda tells HELLO! of her passion for working out. "I attend two weekly strength training sessions, a couple of stretch classes and a Reformer Pilates class too.
"While growing older doesn't fill me with joy, overall I feel great!" Linda says of her approach to ageing.
"I've always been aware of what I should eat and cook from scratch, and I've become more aware of my wellbeing and the impact that good health has on all aspects of life.
"Prioritising my health and has never been more important to me. I want to ensure I can live well for years to come. Of course, as you age you do get some stiffness and the odd aches and pains, but getting up and moving is the trick to feeling good," she enthuses.
"Being consistent with my diet and exercise is the most important thing to me," Linda says of hitting her sixties. "I know I have to work at my health. It's not easy."
Lifestyle changes
"I love good food and I love to cook," Linda says of how her diet supports her health.
"Generally we follow a Mediterranean diet, high on plants, fish and white meat. I also make sourdough a couple of times a week and generally avoid ultra-processed food and I rarely drink alcohol these days."
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Nature plays a large part in Linda's wellness routine. Based in Cornwall she makes the most of coastal and countryside walks, and her fitness allows her to climb on her and her husband's two boats and haul the sails.
"We've also got a rather large garden of about an acre, all on different levels with lots of bushes and trees, which is a full-time job in itself!
© Instagram"Each week I try and do 70,000 steps (and I'm always in competition with my husband on this one, so the dog finds itself going on lots of walks!)
"I've found regular physical activity has a significant impact on my wellbeing and I would encourage everyone to get up and get moving, even if it’s a small amount to start with."
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Supplement wise, Linda takes GOPO 'Joint Health', a rosehip supplement that helps to maintain her joint health. "Taking GOPO daily improved my flexibility in one month and after three months, the leg pains I had previously been experiencing were completely gone."
Linda notes the fact that she has always been an active person was hugely helpful when it came to staying agile as she gets older, but optimal ageing expert Julie Robinson of Move It or Lose It cautions that if you're looking to start moving your body in your sixties for the first time, it's wise to be careful.
"It's important to approach fitness with care," Julie says. "Ageing can impact the elasticity and strength in our tendons and ligaments, causing joint mobility to become more restricted – especially after menopause.
"As such, you may run the risk of developing injuries if you try to do too much too soon. Instead, start slowly and gradually build up the intensity of your workouts.
"Try and begin with some low-impact exercises, such as walking, swimming, or gentle yoga. These activities are easy on the joints and help build endurance.
"When you're feeling more mobile, introduce muscle strengthening exercises using light hand weights or resistance bands to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints. If you find exercising alone difficult, group classes are a great way to boost motivation and help keep you on track with your exercise goals."
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HELLO! originally launched its Second Act hub to reframe midlife and beyond as a celebratory, exciting new chapter full of endless possibilities. From inspirational tales of women who refuse to fade into the background, to valuable advice on navigating relationships, finances and health issues – we've featured them all. And such has been the overwhelmingly positive response from readers, we are now turning the hub into a FULL and FREE community where women like you can come together to shape something truly inspiring.
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