Stop Feeling Like an “Old Person”?
Stop Feeling Old!
I get asked all the time “How can I stop feeling like an ‘old person’?!” - crotchety, stiff, achey 😣
But what they really mean is “What’s something I can do to improve my joint mobility?
”Improving and maintaining your joint mobility is one of the biggest things that’s going to help you feel younger and move better in your everyday life.
There are a few simple things I do every day to keep my joints mobile.
And you can (and should!) start doing them right now, too.
Why This Matters
Limited mobility puts extra stress on your joints, wearing them down faster and reducing how well they function. Over time, this greatly increases your risk of osteoarthritis, and often leads to joint replacements. It’s more important now than ever to work on it!
FITNESS SIMPLIFIED
For most major movements that you do in daily life, your ankles, knees and hips need to be able to bend pretty deeply.
But not just bend, they also need to have strength around the joint to bend with control and then re-straighten again easily.
Think climbing on the floor and getting back up again…
Or putting on your socks and shoes without sitting down.
(Oof - Nothing makes you feel old like struggling to do these simple things!)
Fitness Tip to Keep Joints Mobile
Do strengthening movements in a FULL range of motion
This one simple move - Assisted Deep Squats - is great to work on daily to improve your lower body mobility and strength in those deepest positions.
It will:
✅ Improve knee, hip and even ankle joint mobility
✅ Strengthen your thighs and knees
✅ Make everyday movements like sitting, standing and even climbing on the floor way easier
Even on days when I can’t do a full workout, I always do deep squats to keep the big joints lubricated and mobile—usually while I'm holding on to the kitchen sink 😜
Assisted Deep Squats
- Hold on for support (couch or kitchen counter works great).
- Lower as far as YOU comfortably can, making sure your knees are tracking directly above your feet.
- Use your strength (and a little bit of the support) to push yourself back up.
Extra tip: If it hurts your knees right now to bend deeply, begin by working on a range of motion that does feel comfortable and pain free. With consistent effort over time, your comfortable range of motion will significantly improve. Eventually you’ll have the strength & mobility to go all the way down and back up again! 🙌
Did You Know...
- Many fitness programs (like daily brisk walking) don’t move your major joints through their fullest ranges of motion, which can reduce your mobility dramatically over time. If you enjoy walking, it’s best to also incorporate full body/full range of motion strength training like in these programs.(Like we do inside the Jumpstart30 and Getstrong30 programs!)
- Got chronic low back pain or knee pain? Losing mobility in your hips could be to blame, as it transfers more stress to these areas.
- Your hips, ankles, knees, and shoulders are the joints that will lose the most mobility as you age. Dynamic stretches for those joints (like these) will ensure you maintain it and stay mobile.
NUTRITION SIMPLIFIED
Staying hydrated isn’t just important for keeping your digestive system, blood vessels, muscles, and other systems operating smoothly.
Water is the most important ingredient for “synovial fluid” - the joint fluid that helps with lubrication and ease of motion.
So staying hydrated actually helps with joint mobility, too!
Nutrition Tip To Keep Joints Mobile
Stay hydrated!
If you often get to the end of the day and realize you’ve barely had any water—yikes!
Chugging a bunch at once isn’t ideal.But neither is skipping it altogether.
The best practices for hydrating well are:
• Sip on water consistently over the course of the day. No huge chugging sessions!
• Aim for drinking half your bodyweight (lbs.) in ounces of water per day
• Add 16-24 ounces for a particularly sweaty day
• Check your urine color to confirm that it’s the right amount (pale yellow = perfect; dark yellow = drink more; clear = drink a little less)
Drinking coffee, tea, sparkling waters and other liquids are still hydrating, but it’s helpful to get in the habit of drinking plain water the most.
Protein and produce are very hydrating, too!
Here’s a great recipe that isn’t just full of good nutrients, but will also hydrate you.
Chicken or Steak Fajitas
More ideas to stay hydrated:ore ideas to Master the Easiest Habits
- Drink a glass of water with each meal
- Orange Banana Green Smoothie
- Red Lentil Soup
MINDSET SIMPLIFIED
Our culture paints a picture of aging that looks like this:
😣 Achy joints all day long
😣 Groaning every time you stand up
😣 Feeling stiff, slow, and “old”
The danger isn’t just in those symptoms…It’s in believing that’s the only option.
The moment you accept this as “normal aging,” you stop doing the very things that prevent it.
But here’s the truth: stiffness and aches don’t have to define your future.
When you work on joint mobility, you’re not just keeping your body moving today.
You’re rewriting the story of what aging looks like for YOU.
So while everyone else may be groaning, moving less and slowing down, imagine being the woman who can still squat, leap, and lift with ease.
Don’t settle for the cultural script.You get to choose a different story.
Mindset Tip to Make Your Habits Stick
Don’t Accept the Status Quo of Aging
THE TAKEAWAY
The ball is in your court. You get to decide how your body will feel and move in everyday life—today and for decades to come. And while it might not seem as important as other physical aspects, making joint mobility a top priority will pay off dividends.
- Do strengthening movements in a FULL range of motion
- Stay hydrated!
- Don’t accept the Status Quo of Aging
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Self Care Simplified podcast
Ep 413 Improving Wrist Strength & Mobility (Plus Modification Ideas for Weak Wrists)
Ep 328. STOP Feeling Old! Reverse Mobility Loss & Improve Joint Health to Feel Younger!
Ep 319. 3 Simple Hip Mobility Exercises for Hip Osteoarthritis
SPECIAL RESOURCE
Staying mobile and encouraging joint lubrication throughout all the joints on your body is the very best thing you can do if you’re experiencing joint pain and inflammation. Follow along with me in this video to target all the major joints of your body with feel good stretches. This routine is also great for relieving muscle tension from any stress you may be carrying. I bet you could use that!
20 MIN BEGINNER FLEXIBILITY ROUTINE // Follow Along
Until next week... Be strong
