A goal for many women over 50 is to stay as fit as possible as they get older. While fitness routines and trends come and go, one type of exercise proving to be especially beneficial for our age group is Zone 2 cardio.
Many of our workouts have included Zone 2 cardio, which is a form of low-intensity aerobic exercise that targets the fat-burning zone. It also builds cardiovascular endurance without overtaxing the body.
Recently, my teacher, Louisa Nicola, a neurophysiologist and Alzheimers Disease Researcher, pointed out the cognitive and metabolic benefits of Zone 2 training. She shared her personal journey with Zone 2 cardio, explaining how it transformed her outlook on health.
Inspired by her insights, I’ve decided to share everything you need to know about Zone 2 Cardio and how it can boost ageless fitness while supporting brain health and metabolism for women over 50.
What is Zone 2 Cardio?
Zone 2 cardio refers to an exercise intensity that keeps your heart rate between 60% and 70% of its maximum rate.
This means that women over 50 should stay in a range that feels sustainable and comfortable while still being vigorous enough to improve their fitness.
This level of intensity is usually matched to activities like fast walking, cycling, or slow jogging.
Zone 2 is characterized by a pace where you can carry on a conversation without gasping for breath, but you are definitely working hard enough to break a sweat.
This is the key aerobic zone where fat oxidation occurs, making it one of the best zones for long-term energy expenditure and fat burning.
The Science Behind Zone 2 Training
Zone 2 training is backed by science. Studies show that exercising in this range helps improve mitochondrial function—the body’s powerhouse for energy production.
As we age, mitochondrial function naturally declines, which can lead to decreased energy levels and an increase in fatigue. Zone 2 cardio counteracts this by boosting mitochondrial efficiency, enabling your body to produce more energy from the fat stores already present in your body.
Furthermore, this form of training enhances the body’s ability to process oxygen and distribute it to muscles more efficiently, leading to better endurance and improved cardiovascular health.
This is particularly important for women over 50, as the risk of heart disease tends to increase with age.
READ ALSO: How ‘Exercise Snacks’ Can Help You Stay Fit and Healthy Over 50
Why Zone 2 Training is Perfect for Women Over 50
For women over 50, maintaining a balanced fitness routine becomes more critical than ever.
When you go through menopause, your hormones change, and your metabolism changes. These can make it harder to stay fit and feel energized.
Zone 2 cardio offers several benefits that directly address these issues:
1. Gentle on joints
One of the primary benefits of Zone 2 cardio is its low impact.
Unlike high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or weight-bearing exercises that may cause strain, Zone 2 cardio keeps the movements gentle and sustainable for aging joints.
This is important for preventing joint discomfort and ensuring you can continue exercising long-term without injury.
READ ALSO: Sore Back? These Joint Pain Exercises Will Give You Fast Relief
2. Promotes fat loss
Women in their 50s may experience weight gain due to slowed metabolism. When you do cardio in zone 2, your body burns fat as its main fuel source.
Since the body relies on aerobic energy in this zone, it burns fat more effectively over time.
Consistent Zone 2 training can result in better weight management, which is crucial for maintaining health and mobility as we age.
3. Improves cardiovascular health
As we grow older, the risk of heart disease increases. Zone 2 cardio strengthens the heart by improving blood flow and increasing oxygen uptake.
Studies have shown that more blood flow to the brain helps neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells) in the hippocampus, which is in charge of learning and remembering.
This not only lowers blood pressure but also helps reduce the risk of heart-related diseases, such as hypertension and heart attacks, both of which are more common in post-menopausal women.
When you work out in Zone 2, your heart rate stays steady, which brings oxygen and nutrients to your brain. Doing this is very important if you want to avoid diseases like Alzheimer’s that slow down neurogenesis.
4. Supports hormonal balance
Post-menopausal women often face challenges such as hot flashes, mood swings, and a decrease in bone density.
Zone 2 cardio helps mitigate some of these symptoms by supporting better circulation and boosting endorphin levels, which naturally enhance mood.
Additionally, Zone 2 cardio is excellent for preserving lean muscle mass while burning fat, which helps in maintaining a balanced hormonal profile.
READ ALSO: Signs You Have a Hormonal Imbalance and How To Treat It
5. Improves metabolic flexibility and brain health
Zone 2 training improves your body’s ability to burn fat for fuel, enhancing metabolic flexibility. This means your body can efficiently switch between using fat and carbohydrates for energy, which is essential for overall metabolic health.
For women over 50, this flexibility helps manage weight, balance blood sugar levels, and maintain energy throughout the day.
The brain also reaps the benefits of improved metabolic function. Your mitochondrial health is important for keeping your brain cells working at their best, and using fat more helps to support this health.
Zone 2 training increases mitochondrial efficiency, thereby protecting neural function. This lowers the risk of cognitive decline and keeps your mind sharp as you age.
6. Reduces inflammation
Chronic inflammation plays a major role in cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
Zone 2 training helps combat this by triggering the release of myokines, such as irisin, from your muscles.
These proteins work to reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the brain, acting as natural anti-inflammatory agents.
Think of myokines as your body’s internal defense system, protecting your brain from the harmful effects of inflammation.
You can protect your brain from inflammatory damage and improve cognitive health and brain function by doing Zone 2 cardio.
READ ALSO: Belly Fat and Inflammation Over 50? It Could Be Hormonal Imbalance and Insulin Resistance
7. Enhances longevity and aging gracefully
Exercise in Zone 2 stimulates the production of growth hormone, which aids in cell repair and regeneration.
This can help women maintain their youthful energy levels, build muscle, and improve overall vitality.
Regular Zone 2 training promotes better metabolic health, leading to a lower risk of developing age-related conditions like Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and chronic inflammation.
How to Calculate Your Zone 2 Heart Rate
You can calculate your maximum heart rate to find Zone 2. This can be done with a simple formula:
Maximum Heart Rate = 220 – Your Age
For example, if you’re 55 years old, your estimated maximum heart rate would be 165 beats per minute (bpm). This is the most commonly used formula to estimate the maximum heart rate (HR max).
However, there are other formulas that have been proposed, such as :
208 – (0.7 x age) = HR max
Some studies have suggested that the 208 – (0.7 x age) formula may be more accurate for older adults. For example, a 55-year-old’s estimated HR max (rounded to the nearest ten) is 170 beats per minute. However, both formulas are estimates, and individual heart rates can vary.
Zone 2 cardio occurs when your heart rate reaches 60 to 70% of its maximum. For a 55-year-old woman, this would mean maintaining a heart rate between 99 and 115 bpm during exercise.
For more accuracy, you could invest in heart rate monitors to keep track of your heart rate during your workouts. Keeping an eye on your heart rate will help you stay in Zone 2, which is the best place to burn fat and build endurance.
There are different ways to figure out your heart rate. Heart rate zones can be a useful tool, but it’s important to remember that they’re based on general guidelines. Individual factors can influence your resting heart rate and how your body responds to exercise.
Once you know your heart rate zone, you should be able to tell which types of exercise keep you at a low to moderate level of effort and which ones make you work as hard as you can. How hard you work out determines whether your body uses fat, glucose, or both to fuel.
How to Incorporate Zone 2 Cardio into Your Fitness Routine
It is easy to add Zone 2 cardio to your regular workout routine. Aim for 30 to 45 minutes per session, three to five days a week.
Try activities like brisk walking, swimming or cycling. If you are new to exercise, start with shorter durations and gradually increase as your endurance improves.
Don’t forget to always track your progress. Heart rate monitors and other wearable tech can help you stay in the right amount of exercise.
Zone 2 cardio can also be combined with other forms of exercise, such as strength training or flexibility exercises like yoga, to create a balanced fitness routine.
It does not have to be a strenuous workout, though. The key is to remain consistent with your workouts, allowing your body to adapt and improve its overall fitness.
Closing Thoughts
Zone 2 cardio offers a highly effective, low-impact way for women over 50 to maintain their fitness, health, and vitality.
Zone 2 training can help women age with confidence and style by keeping them in the fat-burning zone, improving their heart health, and maintaining their muscle mass.
Keep up with your workouts, keep an eye on your heart rate, and choose activities that you enjoy and can keep up for a long time to get the most out of them.
Don’t forget to balance with some strength training for additional health benefits like flexibility and mobility, especially for women over 50.
If you want to live longer and think more clearly, you might want to try Zone 2 today!
♡ Love ♡,
