Fitness over 50 and Healthy Living for Baby Boomers

Everyone in fitness had to go online fast this year when Covid-19 hit. But Amy Lang was way ahead of the game in helping people find fitness over 50 and healthy living for Baby Boomers.

Months before anyone heard of the coronavirus, Amy was planning to closer her gym in San Francisco and open an online business to help mature women with their weight. 

Now, Amy and her Moxie Club are doing great. She joined the Optimal Aging podcast to talk about why she wanted to make the change and the challenges she faced.

Amy’s high-tech background didn’t hurt. Neither did her can-do spirit and determination to find ways to help people live better lives.

She packed the conversation with tons of useful information for anyone who wants to start an online coaching business, help with fitness over 50, or promote healthy living for Baby Boomers.

Here are excerpts from our conversation. Listen to the whole thing here or wherever you get podcasts.

Amy Lang:  A few years ago, I was working at Yahoo. And the media coverage on the rising rate of obesity quadrupled that year. This was the year Baby Boomers were turning 50. And so it was all the conversation around how healthcare costs were rising. And I thought, you know, I really want to be part of the solution. And so I left high-tech and ended up owning Pacific Heights Health Club in San Francisco, a small neighborhood health-club brand, for 15 years.

At Yahoo, I was not in the right position, and I ended up gaining weight from overeating because I was so bored. So, and I hired a personal trainer. And she worked with me. And, you know, I remember going into the Yahoo fitness center for the first time, and she wanted me to do squats on a Smith machine. I looked at that thing, and I’m like, ‘What is that?’

I was 37 or 38 years old at that point. So I’m 54 now. And I discovered what it meant to really be fit and strong. And the confidence that comes with that. 

Jay Croft: Tell us about closing the gym and deciding to go online. What was behind that?

AL: My lease was up, and I realized I wanted to help women with their weight more through coaching online than continuing to have a gym. So, I closed the club back at the end of November.

I wanted to reach more people and help them adjust their mindset – about why they wanted to get fit and healthy, why they wanted to lose weight. And if they were coming from a state of what I call scarcity, right, where I need to lose weight, I don’t feel good about myself, I’m disgusted with my body. I mean, I remember, every time I hear that, it breaks my heart, when I hear a woman say that about herself. That is not motivating. So while you that might be what got you in here, we need to change the conversation that you’re having in your head for this to be sustainable. 

JC: Someone goes to Moxie-Club.com, and what happens? Do they take a class and that’s it?

AL: I have a six-month coaching program. The focus is about creating self-care habits that stick. 

I have starter programs to get people into it. I have five key self-care habits. It’s staying hydrated. Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I talk about getting enough sleep, seven to nine hours. And then 30 minutes of mindful movement. You notice I don’t say exercise — mindful movement. And then the last one is 10 to 20 minutes of meditation every day, being aware of what that conversation is so that you can reframe it if you need to, so that the interpretation serves you.

JC: How’s it going so far?

AL: It’s going well. I really enjoy it. I now have clients and you know, like Birmingham, Alabama, and Denver, Colorado. I get to reach lots of people. And it’s really fulfilling.

Learn more about Moxie-Club here.

Listen to the Optimal Aging podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts to learn more about fitness over 50 and healthy living for Baby Boomers.