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- Aging is being redefined as empowering, joyful and full of growth by women thriving beyond 50.
- Morning routines, protein-rich meals, movement and community are keys to healthy aging.
- Embracing discomfort, trying new activities and valuing wisdom make later years vibrant and fulfilling.
Aging and mortality is a shared human experience. But how we age and view life after 50 is very different for each of us. Until recently, we didn’t really talk about what it means to get older, except in a negative way. Think: midlife crises, increased health issues and all the products designed to help you banish gray hair.
While “anti aging” beauty regimens and supplements are being championed by younger and younger creators on TikTok and other platforms, we’re also seeing a major counter shift in how we view and talk about aging. This is in part thanks to that same social media that got us here in the first place. More and more people are sharing how incredible life actually is after 50—empowering even more women to do the same.
Why does this even matter? How we think about aging can shape everything from our long-term health to our confidence and sense of purpose. “Longevity” is a popular term of the moment that illustrates our desire to age well and in good health—not to delay it or avoid it. That mindset is also reflected in the media we consume, which is finally starting to catch up to reality. There’s been a “significant improvement” in how older adults are portrayed in the media, according to a recent AARP report. Negative messaging in online images of people 50 and up has dropped from 28% in 2018 to just 10% in 2023; adults aged 50-plus are being portrayed as more active, adept with technology, more fashionably dressed and leading independent, connected lives. It’s like Carrie Bradshaw in And Just Like That… versus The Golden Girls’ Dorothy Zbornak. Or, if you were born in 2000 like me, Ted Lasso’s Rebecca Welton versus Emily Gilmore on Gilmore Girls.
To be honest, as a 25-year-old, I haven’t spent much time thinking about aging. But as I hit new milestones and talk with friends decades older than I am, I’ve started reflecting on how life transitions redefine who we are. Seeing more women publicly embrace career shifts, health changes and new definitions of beauty inspired me to look more closely at what aging might look like for me in the future. I wondered what it would be like to grow older and feel more confident, capable and fulfilled.
That curiosity led me to speak with five successful women in their 50s and 60s who are redefining what it means to age well. They shared everything from their morning habits to their fitness routines, plus how they feel about aging and what they wish they could tell their younger selves. And what they shared inspired me—and I hope it inspires you, too.
Who I Interviewed
- Angela Kinsey (54) Actor best known for The Office, co-host of rewatch podcast Office Ladies and co-author of You Can Make This! with her husband, Josh Snyder.
- Carla Hall (61) Renowned chef, Top Chef finalist and Food Network star who now co-hosts The Chew’s reunion podcast, Chewed Up.
- Christine Cernera (61) Certified personal trainer who shares simple mobility and balance tips on social media.
- Mimi Ison (62) Influencer inspiring more than a half-million followers by sharing her boxing and shuffling adventures.
- Susie DiGiovanna, M.S. (64) Gerontology expert who gives aging counseling and follows her own advice in her daily life.
Featured Interviews
Angela Kinsey Shares Her Morning Habits for Healthy Aging
Carla Hall Just Shared Her Secret to Feeling Her Best at 61
Rise and Shine
As we age, prioritizing our health becomes even more important, as it preserves not just our bodies but our minds. One of the greatest challenges we face as we age is the increased risk of cognitive decline. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dementia risk can be notably reduced through healthy lifestyle habits, like managing diabetes and blood pressure, getting regular physical activity and limiting alcohol use. And all of the women I spoke with start their days with habits that could help.
For these women, their morning sip is a top priority—but they’re not beelining to the coffeepot. “I drink a glass of water before anything else,” Angela Kinsey tells me, showing the measurement of the glass with her hands (it’s nearly the size of her head). She shares that starting her day with water gives her more energy than a cup of coffee. Carla Hall, sporting her signature-style bright green frames, notes the same, saying that she’s a water drinker in the morning and that she never got into the habit of drinking coffee.
“I brush my teeth, slap on some sunscreen, drink a big glass of water and take a walk, just to get a little bit of outside time and sun exposure before breakfast,” Mimi Ison says. They’re all onto something, even if they don’t know it. As we age, the water content in our bodies declines and our thirst sensation—the mechanism that tells our brain I’m thirsty—diminishes, making hydration even more important. New guidelines suggest older women should aim for 1.6 liters of water from drinks per day (2 liters for older men).
Ison’s not the only one getting outside in the morning. Christine Cernera says, “I sit in my backyard and watch the birds and hang out with my dogs.” Whether you take a walk around your neighborhood or enjoy the sunshine on your porch, you’ll find that spending some time outdoors is ideal for vitamin D absorption, which may be key in supporting better sleep, your mood and overall health. A review found a link between low vitamin D levels and an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety, and we know vitamin D deficiency can cause bones to soften, making them more prone to breaking. Because our skin becomes less efficient at making vitamin D as we age, older adults should ensure they’re getting 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily. Including more vitamin D-rich foods—like salmon, mushrooms and fortified milks—into your eating pattern is another way to reap the benefits of this crucial nutrient. You could also consider a vitamin D supplement to meet your needs.
Power Up
As for the most important meal of the day (yes, we’re talking about breakfast!), protein and fiber are top of mind for these women. Cernera loves her homemade flaxseed muffins, and Susie DiGiovanna is a fan of avocado toast with an egg on top.
Protein is essential to healthy aging, as it supports muscle and bone health. A recent study found that a higher intake of protein, especially plant protein, supports physical functioning and mental acuity in older populations. Simple additions like sipping on a high-protein smoothie or prepping a nutty snack mix for the week can be both delicious and necessary protein boosts for your routine.
And fiber is especially important, as 95% of Americans are not eating enough of the nutrient; the recommended daily intake is 22 grams of fiber for women over 50, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Getting enough fiber not only helps maintain strong bones and keeps us satisfied, it can also aid in better digestion and support heart health, which are especially important for older populations.
Kinsey’s favorite breakfast features both of those key nutrients. “My husband makes amazing granola. We call it ‘Josh’s granola,’” Kinsey enthuses. “In [our] cookbook it’s called Bakery-Style Granola, but it’ll always be Josh’s granola to me. It’s so good! He’ll make a Tupperware full of that, and I’ll grab a handful and put it in yogurt.” The granola provides fiber-containing, plant-based proteins like oats, almonds, sunflower seeds and raw pepitas for a satisfying bite.
Ison opts for yogurt, too, topping her bowl with fruit and nuts. “For many years, my morning was all about a brown sugar oatmeal packet and iced coffee with tons of honey,” Ison admits. “I realized for myself that if I didn’t start my day out with a bunch of refined sugar, I wouldn’t keep craving it through the day. It took a long time to transition over to this nonsugary breakfast, but now I’m really used to it.” Research suggests that a diet higher in added sugar may cause our bodies to age faster, but the good news is, switching to a more nutrient-rich diet (like the Mediterranean diet) and limiting added sugar can undo some of the damage.
Let’s Get Moving!
While what we eat is important, getting regular physical activity is also crucial as we age. Recent science shows that all different types of movement, from an 18-hole game of golf to Nordic walking (using walking poles to upgrade your stroll), correlate with improved cardiovascular health in older adults. And a recent meta-analysis showed that adequate dietary protein intake along with resistance training is a key preventive strategy against sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), which affects more than 25% of older adults.
There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all exercise routine. It’s about finding something that sparks joy for you, because that’s what will keep you motivated. For DiGiovanna, it’s taking Zumba Gold classes. For you, it may be daily walks, bike rides, yoga or club sports like soccer. As long as you’re moving your body more often, you will reap the benefits.
When I interviewed Cernera, she shared that she had just deadlifted 105 pounds that day—her new personal record! Wearing heart-shaped silver hoop earrings, she explained how she plans to keep up the heart-pumping workouts and start aiming for a heavier weight to lift. Throughout the day, the trainer implements movement “snacks” to foster better mobility and balance, which are sometimes as simple as standing on one leg while she brushes her teeth.
Those short spurts of movement throughout the day can be just as effective as a long-form exercise plan and something that Hall does herself when she’s juggling her busy schedule. “If I am in a hotel, sometimes I will walk up and down the steps for about 15 minutes before I get my day going,” she shares.
“I have an incline board next to the kitchen counter,” Kinsey reveals. “So if I’m chopping something or talking to Josh while he’s cooking, I stand on it to stretch out my calves.”
Ison has always loved fitness and dance, but she didn’t take up boxing until she was 50. Now the 62-year-old social media star is best known for showing off her skills in shuffling, the fast-footed dance style that combines moves like the running man, T-step and Charleston.
“I think some people may be surprised to see someone my age doing some of the activities I do, but that’s kind of the point,” she shares, aptly wearing trendy wireless headphones. “Your age is not a limitation. A lot of people use age as the reason why they can’t or shouldn’t do things. And as you get older, a lot of things do happen and age does matter, but don’t automatically use it as a default.”
Connect with Your Community
Finding community and connecting with loved ones are key strategies for healthy aging, but it can be a challenge to try new things or join new groups as you age. DiGiovanna has seen this hesitation firsthand in her 22-year career literally working to improve the quality of life of older adults. “A lot of older adults will say to me, ‘Well, I’m not a joiner; I’ve never been a joiner.’ That’s not a good thing,” the gerontologist shares. “It is good to enjoy your own company, but I would say not being a ‘joiner’ is going to work against you when you get older.”
And the research backs her up. A recent study suggested that older adults who prioritized quality time with loved ones through social engagement and activities were at a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, especially if they were prone to these cognitive impairments.
More social activity could mean joining a walking group, hosting neighborhood potlucks, signing up for a book club or attending a fitness class at a senior center. Before you panic at the word “senior” and even more so “senior center,” DiGiovanna advises ignoring the stigma, as finding community in one leads to healthier habits. “People who have accepted ‘I am a senior’ have an openness and curiosity that’s much more healthy,” she says.
Embrace Change
Learning to accept discomfort, challenges and failure are all things that have helped each of these women come to see aging as something empowering rather than limiting. Ison noted how she had to become “comfortable with the discomfort” of learning how to box at 50. This inspired her to take on new challenges, like shuffling.
“We’re not disposable; we are sexy,” Hall says. “Our best years are not behind us. As I age, I am filled with so much more wisdom, wisdom that I can actually use.”
Because I know one day I will look back and wonder the same thing, I asked these women what advice they would give their younger selves if they had the chance. They’ve all learned lessons along the way.
“There’s that expression: youth is wasted on the young,” Kinsey says, wishing she could tell her college self to “just enjoy your youth.” We often wish we could be in a different place in our lives than we are or look a different way than we do at the current moment. When we’re younger, we might want to be older, and when we’re older, we might want to be younger. If we think wistfully of the body we had when we were younger, it could very well be that we didn’t appreciate it at that time. Her reflection is a reminder to appreciate and celebrate the body you have right now, at any age or stage. Negativity might come naturally, but confidence is recognizing your own beauty and strength in the present moment.
And, Hall, if given the opportunity, would tell her younger self, “You may cry a little bit, you may laugh a little bit, but have the tears, have the laughter and know that everything that you experience, you will need later.” And, she admits that this advice isn’t really for her younger self after all, but for me, the 25-year-old on the other side of the Zoom screen.
When and Where to Start
Being in my mid-20s and interviewing women with double the life experience as myself was eye-opening. Aging healthily and focusing on my long-term health were not things that I’d truly considered prioritizing in my own routine. But I noticed that I started modifying my morning habits (goodbye, skipping breakfast; hello, healthy yogurt bowl) and moving my body more often, even if it’s just a daily walk or a 20-minute yoga session.
Here’s the thing: It’s never too late (or early!) to start focusing on your health and wellness. While every journey is different, taking care of yourself is the most important thing you can do. Aging is a new beginning, not an ending, as there’s so much to look forward to. Because of these women, I’m excited for the years to come and the opportunities I will face. And just like Angela, Carla, Christine, Mimi and Susie, you, too, can live your best life in your 50s and beyond.
Credits
Editor: Megan Ginsberg
Visuals & Design: Mira Norian; Arif Qazi; Cassie Basford; and Maria Emmighausen.
Special Thanks: Penelope Wall; Carolyn Malcoun; Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia; Jessica Ball, M.S., RD; Sophie Johnson; Alysia Bebel; Allison Little; Abigail Abesamis Demarest; Leah Goggins; Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD; Lily Menk; Taylor Boeser; Anne Treadwell; Beth Stewart; and the entire staff of EatingWell.
