The fitness and health industries were hit terribly during the pandemic. All of my Retreats cancelled. Gyms closed, fitness classes cancelled. The impact ruined many small boutique gyms and studios. I had almost 2 years of Retreats cancelled in Spain, Dubai and Cyprus and didn’t believe I could pick myself up from this.

Health Retreats

I remain optimistic and will not give up. I am training some high profile clients in Dubai as a kind of on site 1-2-1 Retreat. If you can afford it, then why not. I managed to hold a Retreat in Cyprus November, with the next one January 2022 in the Canary Isles. My Health Retreats are very personal, with 5-6 guests.

We follow COVID safety protocols to ensure the safety of all guests.

Echelon Fit

Home/Online Workouts

Home/online workouts increased from 20%-70% overnight.
People invested in home gyms Peleton/Echelon bikes and virtual classes.

For me personally as an instructor I would offer free 20 minute workouts 3 x weekly with Pilates, HIIT, HIITABILATES and core strength, although I lost all of my income, delivering live sessions gave me a reason to get up, look presentable and do a workout, helping me also to maintain a routine.

As personal trainers and fitness instructors we had to be creative, it gave us an opportunity to review our own wellness, we were all stuck at home.

You had 2 options, couch potato or change the way we look after our health, the pandemic gave us the opportunity to reflect on our fitness and wellbeing.
Looking at alternative ways to support our physical and mental wellbeing. No commuting and we were able to get into a better sleep pattern. I was involved with BITA Networking, delivering advice on mindfulness and health.

Healthy Eating

We started to experiment with healthy cooking. A number of healthy food deliveries like Hello Fresh, Mindful Chef and Love Yourself, as more people were opting for healthier alternatives. The meal kit industry boomed and continues to thrive beyond the pandemic

The Health and Wellness industry is very profitable globally and although Gyms, Studios and spas hit and incredible loss, Health and wellness has fast forward to the virtual world and a life of convenience, so health can easily be incorporated in your life.

We had to look for new ways to support our physical and mental wellbeing, lets face it, this is the new normal.
Wellness Revolution!

Ageing is a privilege, not something to dread, we should embrace it. We live in a culture obsessed with youth.

“I’m fitter now than when I was younger”

Sandy Donnelly Personal Trainer

Our environment has changed and I’ve noticed more and more people are more inclined to want to get fitter and healthier when they hit their fifties.

BENEFITS

The benefits of training in your 50s are undeniable, age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is a natural part of ageing (once you hit 30, you can lose as much as 3 to 5 per cent a decade), we need to incorporate some kind of resistance training to increase muscle mass and bone density.

RESISTANCE TRAINING

Bone density and muscle mass drops rapidly after 50, making resistance training a crucial part of a complete exercise program. Pilates, or any weight bearing exercise 3 times weekly for 20-30 Minutes will strengthen, tone, increase lean mass and build muscle. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. Increasing muscle and bone strength also prevents falls and fractures.

CARDIO

Cardio exercise helps reduce heart disease risk, which accelerates after 50. Focus on interval training for 30 minutes 3 times per week. Interval, Hiit sessions help decrease belly fat. Moderate, continuous cardio does not!. Interval training involves alternate bouts of higher intensity cardio with “rest” or easier periods. Intervals create an “after burner” effect called EPOC, “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.” That’s a state in which your body continues to burn a higher rate of oxygen and calories after you’ve finished your workout”

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility and mobility are equally as important as strength and cardio, because it’s related to the collagenous tendons, which is a part of our lean body mass, which starts to decrease. Since our tendons connect our muscles to our bones. Incorporate stretching and 2 weekly Pilates or Yoga sessions.

Endorphins make you Happy

Practically, it’s more productive to train the body as a whole, with a focus on functional fitness. ideally aim for 3-4 sessions weekly. 2 days Pilates 2 days cardio and strength. I created a method called Hiitabilates a few years ago, a combination of Hiit Abs and a Pilates, giving you a quick full body workout.

HiitAbilates

TIPS TO GETTING FIT AT FIFTY

1. Find an exercise you enjoy

2. Exercise with friends

3. Plan your weekly routine

4. Set yourself a goal

Exercise helps with the mental and physical challenges associated with menopause too. Weight-bearing exercise is especially good because it improves bone density, reducing the chances of osteoporosis.”

I have great energy. I get up early and I’m on the go all day, I am very rarely ill. I travel often and have a fantastic social life, yes I drink alcohol and eat chocolate as it’s all about balance.
Personal training to over 50s