Midlife Makeover
Good Health Magazine Australia|May 2019

There’s No Louder Wake-Up Call Than Entering Middle Age But It’s A Great Time To Take Stock, Discovers Sophia Auld. Turns Out A Few Health And Lifestyle Changes Could Add Extra Years To Your Life

Sophia Auld
Midlife Makeover

Midlife gets a bad rap – it’s associated with words like ‘crisis’ and ‘spread’. There’s no doubt that middle age can bring challenges, such as a tendency to gain weight and more aches and pains. But what if the negative stereotype was turned upside-down, and midlife was seen as an opportunity to focus on improving your health?

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the average woman lives to age 83, so at 50, you have around 30 years left. This makes midlife an ideal time for a health makeover. “It’s a unique opportunity [to spend] 12 or 18 months working on building back up the reserves that you’ve left depleted for a long time,” says specialist sports physiotherapist Trish Wisbey-Roth.

Many women have put their health on hold while raising families and establishing careers, which often continues until they become physically or emotionally unwell, the Australian Physiotherapy Association member explains, and they often come to this crossroads in their forties or early fifties.

She adds that one of the biggest hurdles women face is menopause. Women’s bodies respond differently to menopause, but typical challenges include mood swings, decreased bone density, and a higher prevalence of pain in muscles and tendons.

“You can make a choice of living with those things and then gradually decreasing how much you do,” says Trish, or “make changes that support healthy ageing.

“A lot of women, including myself, don’t really want to admit that they’re getting older. The reality is that time moves on, but how time influences you is really up to you.”

Adding life to your years

This story is from the May 2019 edition of Good Health Magazine Australia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 2019 edition of Good Health Magazine Australia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GOOD HEALTH MAGAZINE AUSTRALIAView All
Unwind your MIND
Good Health Magazine Australia

Unwind your MIND

DOES YOUR BRAIN SWITCH TO YOUR NEVER-ENDING TO-DO LIST WHEN YOU SIT DOWN TO RELAX? TRUDIE MCCONNOCHIE LOOKS AT WHY THIS HAPPENS AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2020
True Health
Good Health Magazine Australia

True Health

FITNESS INSTRUCTOR NATS LEVI TALKS TO ERIN FISHER ABOUT UNREALISTIC BODY IMAGE GOALS AND THE HEALTH SCARE THAT PUT AN END TO HER EXCESSIVE EXERCISING

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2020
To the point
Good Health Magazine Australia

To the point

ACUPUNCTURE HAS BEEN USED IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. ERIN FISHER LOOKS AT HOW IT CAN BE USED TODAY AS A PATHWAY TO A HEALTHIER BODY AND MENSTRUAL CYCLE

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2020
Sonia regains her sparkle
Good Health Magazine Australia

Sonia regains her sparkle

SINCE HER STRICTLY BALLROOM BREAKOUT ROLE TO PRIME-TIME TV PRESENTER, SONIA KRUGER HAS COME FULL CIRCLE. SHE TALKS TO PAUL EWART ABOUT DANCING AS MEDITATION, OVERCOMING ANXIETY AND BECOMING A MUMLATER IN LIFE

time-read
8 mins  |
March 2020
Gifts of gratitude
Good Health Magazine Australia

Gifts of gratitude

MONIQUE MCKENZIE EXPLAINS THAT OUR GRATITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS AFFECTS HOW WE SEE OUR LIVES, AND HAS SOME IDEAS TO SHOW THOSE WE KNOW, AND DON’T KNOW, OUR APPRECIATION

time-read
1 min  |
March 2020
The Naked Chef Bares All
Good Health Magazine Australia

The Naked Chef Bares All

British food hero Jamie Oliver talks to Paul Ewart about his recent weight loss, struggle to find balance and his mission to inspire healthy eating

time-read
5 mins  |
February 2020
Breaking Through
Good Health Magazine Australia

Breaking Through

From battling the bulge to dealing with professional burnout, Australia’s first lady of comedy, julia morris, opens up to paul ewart about the newfound health revelations shaking up her life

time-read
8 mins  |
February 2020
From Nature To Plate
Good Health Magazine Australia

From Nature To Plate

Michelle Grant is committed to educating others about sustainable food consumption. She talks to erin fisher about what we can all do to lead a positive change

time-read
7 mins  |
February 2020
Cocktails With A Twist
Good Health Magazine Australia

Cocktails With A Twist

At Andrea Waters’ London-based bar, you can drink as many cocktails as you please without suffering the next day. She tells Erin Fisher about her vegan and alcohol-free establishment

time-read
6 mins  |
February 2020
Calm Within The Chaos
Good Health Magazine Australia

Calm Within The Chaos

Our busy editor-in-chief Nicky Dewe travels to India and discovers how our mental, physical, and spiritual health are all connected

time-read
5 mins  |
February 2020