ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – When you picture a fitness class, you might imagine a room full of young, energetic participants, but at BFit and Well in Anchorage, the scene looks a little different.

The 55-and-older crowd is proving that staying active isn’t just for the young — it’s for anyone ready to prioritize their health and well-being.

On a typical Tuesday morning, the energy in the gym is palpable. Owner and fitness enthusiast Bonnie Murphy, 79, leads the charge, encouraging her senior fitness class with motivational words.

For Bonnie, this has been a passion project for nearly two decades.

“When they get confidence, all of a sudden they’re different,” Bonnie shared. “They can do things and they, like go with their family on vacations and stuff, where before they were afraid of falling or afraid of, you know, losing their balance or something.”

BFit and Well offers more than strength and balance exercises — it provides a sense of belonging, according to members. For Brian Milbrett, who joined six years ago after retiring, the gym became a haven.

“It’s a great place to go,” he said. “You’ve got really good people that you work with, and Bonnie’s excellent.”

The benefits of senior fitness extend far beyond the physical. Member Sharon Frascati notes how exercise uplifts her emotionally, particularly during Alaska’s long winters.

“It clears your mind,” Frascati explained. “If you’re stressed, if you’re depressed, if you’re — you know, in Alaska, we have the SAD [Seasonal Affective Disorder]. You know, a lot of people get that, and I think it just boosts your whole emotional and mental and physical well-being.”

Kathy Jones, a member since 2015, emphasized the importance of staying active to combat the natural effects of aging.

“We lose muscle mass and bone density and so on as we age, so anything you can do to prevent that is great,” Jones said.

From light weights to cardio circuits, Bonnie tailors the workouts to meet members where they are, ensuring safety and accessibility for all.

“At our age, things are not as flexible as they once were, and we’re more prone to injuries,” Sandi Bentz said. “If we’re not careful, we can be injured and then working out is no longer an option.

“I just love it that everything is done according to how what our abilities are,” she added.

The takeaway? It’s never too late to start moving and feeling your best.

“I don’t feel any older than I did when I started,” Bonnie said with a smile as she got ready for her next class.

BFit and Well also offers Rock Steady Boxing classes for individuals with Parkinson’s disease, further emphasizing its commitment to holistic health for all ages and an option for those looking into senior fitness.

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• The personal trainer Sana Shirvani used to regularly do intense workouts and restrict her diet.
• She ended up burned out, so shifted her focus to strength training and eating a balanced diet.
• Shirvani said she feels better physically and mentally.

Personal trainer Sana Shirvani learned the hard way that pushing her body more and more doesn’t yield better results.

The London-based trainer, whose clients include Halle Bailey and her fellow cast members of the 2023 live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” told Business Insider that doing too much intense exercise of varying types burned her out.

“I was always that gym bunny who would go to a million HIIT classes and completely batter myself and think that’s the right way to get results,” Shirvani, 32, said.

“I always used to pour from an empty cup. I’d have multiple burnouts a year and it got to a point in 2022 where I had such a bad burnout that it took me six months to recover,” she added.

Her approach to fitness has evolved “massively” since then. Seeking help from other trainers to reduce her workload, having a less restrictive diet, focusing on longevity, and replacing HIIT with strength training and low-intensity cardio have helped her feel better about her appearance and feel less anxious and stressed, she said.

“It was such a big wake-up call for me,” Shirvani said. “I was mentally really not in a good place for a long time.”

Shirvani is among those who have realized in recent years that more is not always better when it comes to fitness. Focusing on recovery has become more important to many, reflected by the increasing demand for smartwatches and rings that measure how well you’ve recovered as well as moved.

Here’s how Shirvani’s priorities have changed.

Low-intensity exercise to minimize stress

While short spells of intense exercise can bring health benefits such as improved cardiovascular fitness, research suggests multiple, long HIIT classes each week can put stress on the body. However, personal thresholds vary depending on lifestyle, stress, and fitness levels.

Instead of regular hardcore workouts, Shirvani does low-intensity steady state (LISS) cardio, such as walking, climbing on a stair master, or incline walking on a treadmill.

She uses the time to relax and listen to a podcast or just be with her thoughts.

Strength training for longevity

Shirvani does a minimum of four resistance training sessions a week — two lower body, two upper body — and a full body workout, plus rehab exercises if she has time for a fifth session.

Strength training has helped Shirvani build muscle, but her health is a bigger priority than her appearance. She wants to continue moving well and being pain-free and preparing her body for potentially carrying a child, as well as the menopause. She hopes the workouts will prevent age-related muscle loss, and maintain joint health, balance, and stability, she said.

Research shows that strength training is crucial for healthy aging as it helps combat age-related muscle and bone density loss.

“Every single human on this planet should be strength training in some sort of capacity,” Shirvani said.

However, she stresses that as someone without children who works in the fitness industry, her routine may not be manageable for most people.

“You can still reap those benefits with two or three weekly strength training sessions,” she said.

Eating a balance of protein, carbs, and fats

Shirvani used to think she had to eat plain meals like chicken, broccoli, and rice and stick to “crazy” calorie deficits to be healthy and leaner.

Now, she feels better for eating more and has learned that she can make nutritionally balanced dishes that are flavorsome using spices and sauces.

Shirvani doesn’t eliminate any foods, and still enjoys chocolate and desserts.

“Moderation is such an annoying word, but it’s genuinely everything in moderation,” Shirvani said. “Food is there to be enjoyed.”

Eating enough protein is her priority because it helps her body recover from workouts. Her staple meals include chicken salads topped with cheese, shepherd’s pie, and homemade turkey burgers.

She’s also started paying more attention to her energy levels as she’s got older. On days when she ate a high-carb breakfast, such as a bowl of oatmeal, she found she was hungry a couple of hours later and felt her energy levels slump.

In contrast, when she has a high-fat and high-protein breakfast, she feels satiated for longer.

“This is so personal though, this does not apply to every single person. I know people who have oats in the morning and they’ve got so much energy,” Shirvani said.

Sleeping for recovery

Sleeping well is Shirvani’s top priority when it comes to recovery, and for that reason, she never goes on her phone in bed.

“That’s helped me massively,” she said.

Research suggests that blue light exposure from screens such as phones could disrupt sleep.

Shirvani takes saunas when she can to relax in the evening. She always gives herself time to wind down before sleeping, rather than working late and going straight from emails to bed, she said.

She’s also a fan of offloading her brain through journalling and ice baths a couple of times per week.

While losing weight is about diet, creating a calorie deficit, and following a workout routine, other lifestyle factors affect fat loss results. Sunil shared his ‘easiest way to lose fat faster’ and improve your success when trying to lose weight in a post, writing:

1. Create a calorie deficit

◉ What it means: Burn more calories than you consume.

◉ How to do it: Track your food intake using apps, eat smaller portions and avoid overeating.

◉ Tip: Start with a 500-calorie deficit per day for sustainable fat loss.

2. Don’t drink liquid calories

◉ Why it matters: Drinks like soda, juices and fancy coffees are calorie-dense but don’t fill you up.

◉ What to drink instead: Water, green tea, black coffee or herbal tea.

◉ Tip: Add lemon, mint or cucumber to water for flavour without extra calories.

3. Exercise at least 3 times per week

◉ Why: Strength training builds muscle, while cardio burns calories.

◉ What to do: Combine weight lifting with 20-30 minutes.

◉ Tip: Focus on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts and push-ups for maximum impact.

4. Eat protein at every meal

◉ Why: Protein keeps you full, preserves muscle and boosts metabolism.

◉ What to eat: Eggs, chicken, fish, tofu, lentils or Greek yoghurt.

◉ Tip: Aim for 20-30 g of protein per day.

5. Fill up on veggies

◉ Why: Low on calories and high in fibre, veggies keep you satisfied.

◉ What to eat: Spinach, broccoli, carrots, zucchini and bell peppers.

◉ Tip: Fill half your plate with veggies to avoid overeating.

6. Sleep 7-9 hours per night

◉ Why: Poor sleep increases hunger hormones and reduces fat loss.

◉ How to improve: Stick to a bedtime routine, avoid screens before bed and create a dark, quiet sleep environment.

◉ Tip: Quality sleep accelerates recovery and reduces cravings.

7. Increase your daily steps

◉ Why: Walking burns calories and improves overall activity levels.

◉ How to start: Aim for at least 10,000 steps daily.

◉ Tip: Take short walks after meals and use stairs instead of elevators.

8. Be consistent and enjoy the process

◉ Why: Fat loss takes time, consistency beats perfection.

◉ How to do it: Track your progress, reward small wins and focus on building long-term habits.

◉ Tip: Find workouts and meals you enjoy to make the journey sustainable.

Get better sleep with these tips

Not getting enough sleep can make it harder to lose weight because it increases your hunger hormones, which increases your cravings and makes you eat more the next day. Are you facing trouble getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep every night? Check out these simple tricks recommended by sleep experts.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.