Tara Riley is rejecting the idea that as we age, we need to slow down our exercise routines. “There’s this narrative that as you get older, you should pull back from cardio, but I don’t agree with that at all,” Tara tells us ahead of her upcoming milestone birthday.
“We need challenging cardio. We need it in our bodies and in our brains. Coordination, rhythm, memory – those things matter more as we age, not less,” she implores.
Far from being fastidious with her fitness and wellness, she says: “I don’t track anything, I don’t measure my workouts, my output, or my sleep. I don’t wear a watch or own a scale. I know how I feel, and I’ve learned to trust that.
She continues: “I know when I’m under-fuelled, I know when I’ve pushed too hard, and I know when I need to pull back. That awareness has come with time, and learning to listen to it is a mindfulness practice in itself.”
Feeling fit
That said, as her 50th birthday approaches, Tara says: “I’m the fittest I’ve been in my adult life. It’s a different kind of fitness to when I was younger. I was a competitive gymnast when I was growing up and I was training for hours a day, doing flips, twists, and balancing on a four-inch beam, so that kind of fitness is very different. My body simply wouldn’t do those things now and probably shouldn’t!
“What’s changed [as an adult] is the quality. I have more awareness. I understand and can use my breath, and my pace has shifted. I can move more slowly, with more intention, which is often much harder than moving fast. I might not be flipping through the air anymore, but there’s a depth and awareness to my movement now that I didn’t have back then.”
A changing routine
On her midlife exercise routine, Tara notes: “What I have added more consciously is resistance training. That includes heavier resistance within barre, more balance work, and incorporating weights. It’s about supporting muscle strength and bone health, but in a way that still feels good in my body.”
As a fitness professional, Tara works out daily, doing a little Pilates, barre, strength, and dance cardio each day. “Barre is probably where my body feels happiest and what I do for myself most days. Over time, I’ve learned there’s a balance; too much heavy weight training and things start to feel off; too little Pilates and I notice that too. And without the energy of dance cardio, my head isn’t as clear.”
© yogaandphoto.com“This combination hasn’t come from a trend or a plan; it’s come from years of trial, error, and paying attention. I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis since I was 27, and this forced me to listen properly to my body. I don’t push through for the sake of it anymore; I adjust, I respond, I work with it. And that’s what’s allowed me to keep going.”
My diet at 50
Tara says she follows a “consistent rather than strict” diet. She eats smoked mackerel on seeded sourdough toast with fresh tomatoes and spinach every morning for breakfast, and has cut out dairy and eggs. “I avoid fried and heavily processed foods because they trigger inflammation and joint pain. That’s just experience, I’ve learned what doesn’t work for my body.”
That said, she notes: “I’m not rigid. I enjoy food, I enjoy a glass of wine, and I’ll absolutely have something sweet if I want it. I don’t follow a set plan, but I do prioritise protein because I know I feel better when I do. It’s less about rules and more about knowing what supports me.”
© @yogaandphotoMy simple supplement routine
Tara keeps her supplement regimen simple, taking collagen for joint and bone health, turmeric to help manage inflammation, and magnesium “on and off” for muscle recovery and sleep.
Advice for others
As for words of wisdom for other midlife women dreaming of amping up their fitness, Tara reassures: “Fitness isn’t like a pension; it’s never too late to start.”
On where to start, Tara says: “Pilates is a brilliant place to begin. It teaches you how to really listen to your body, build control, and understand how everything connects.
© Cecilia Cristolovean-Csiky“Barre is also incredibly effective. I have clients in their 70s who absolutely love it, and who are stronger, more balanced, and more confident because of it.”
The bottom line? “More than anything, it’s about finding something that makes you feel good in your body, something that makes you feel alive and joyful while you’re doing it.”
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