The 10-Minute Daily Routine That Changed My Body at 50
As you age, your body naturally changes. Once you hit your 50s, habits like strength training, balanced nutrition, stress management, and sleep optimization become more important than ever before. If you’re ready to take charge of your health, allow Elizabeth Brown, MS, RDN, CPT, The Kitchen Vixen™, to serve as major inspiration. She shares the 10-minute daily routine that completely transformed her body at 50.
“At 50 and beyond, consistency outweighs intensity,” Elizabeth stresses. “Short, daily workouts maintain momentum, regulate hormones, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation without overtaxing the body. As we age, recovery becomes more important. A daily 10-minute routine builds a foundation of movement that supports energy, joint health, and body composition—without triggering cortisol spikes that can promote fat storage and burnout.”
Here’s exactly what her routine entails.
She Begins Her Day With Hydration and Light Fuel
The Kitchen Vixen kicks off each day by sipping 20 ounces of water with lemon or apple cider vinegar. She follows up her hydration with light fuel, which may include half a grapefruit or an orange and coffee with soy milk.
Her Workout Regimen Promotes Strength, Energy, and Mobility in Midlife
Elizabeth’s workout routine combines posterior-chain strength exercises (i.e., squats and band pull-aparts) to promote solid posture and core stability, mobility flows (i.e., cat-cow and hip circles to preserve range of motion and joint health, push-pull balance (i.e., rows and pushups) for shoulder health and upper-body toning, mindful movement (such as yoga) to decrease stress and boost recovery, and optional load using resistance bands or dumbbells.
An example of her daily 10-minute flow includes three rounds of the below:
- 12 air squats (or goblet squats with a dumbbell or kettlebell)
- 10 pushups (on knees or toes)
- 15 glute bridges
- 12 band pull-aparts
- 30-second forearm plank
- 1-minute yoga flow (cat-cow, downward dog, low lunge, spinal twist/world’s greatest stretch)
Post-Exercise, Protein Fuels the Rest of Her Day
“Post-movement, I replenish with a protein-rich smoothie (banana, soy milk, pumpkin protein, and cocoa),” Elizabeth tells us. “At night, I focus on anti-inflammatory meals—wild salmon, kale salad with tahini vinaigrette, and air-fried sweet potato fries. Balanced nutrition amplifies the benefits of a short routine by fueling recovery and metabolic health.”
The Motivational Tricks She Uses To Commit Daily
One major trick that keeps Elizabeth committed to her craft is something she calls “habit stacking.” She says, “I link movement to something I already do (like brushing teeth or making coffee). Daily movement > coffee for increased energy and mental acuity.”
In addition, Elizabeth changes into workout clothes first thing when she wakes up and lives by “wearing the gear” to stay in the right mode.
Lastly, she follows the mantra, “One set is better than none,” adding, “Even one round counts toward the habit.”
