Joseph CascianiGeropsychologist, Consultant, Public Speaking, Freelance · Podcast Host of the Living to 100 Club | Clinical Strategies for Senior Residential Settings & Lifestyle Directors | Geropsychologist | Keynote Speaker

Empowering Midlife Health: A Conversation with Heike Yates

6 Nov 2024 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:54

In this interview excerpt, Heike Yates, a 63‑year‑old woman, reflects on how German culture encourages walking and cycling, which helps maintain fitness throughout life. She recounts gaining about 50 pounds during pregnancy and feeling lost about how to lose the weight. She also describes the outdated advice she received from her OB‑GYN—rest, sweets, and being pampered—contrasting it with current recommendations that encourage activity for pregnant women. The passage highlights the interplay of cultural habits, midlife weight challenges, and evolving medical guidance on exercise during pregnancy.

Chapters

I had no idea of what to do when it comes to exercise. Exercise is always built in or has been built in, in the German culture that you do a lot of things on foot or you bicycle to the store. It's not a lot of driving around. And that in itself keeps you relatively good in, in good shape. And that's great. Also, as we're aging, a lot of older people And I'm not a young chicken. I'm 63, so I'm not a young chicken. Walking is a great activity, or people bicycle to the beer garden. So the environment was there. So once I gained those 50 pounds, I had no idea how to lose them. And then my OB-GYN said, oh, you're pregnant. Just rest, eat bonbons, let your husband spoil you, do nothing, which is completely different than what we recommend for women to do now.