Sophia Raday/SheFlexx - Writer/Advocate for POWER of women 50+

Hello Friends new and old! I had 20% growth in followers recently so I thought I’d (re)introduce myself. SheFlexx is about: 1. Providing ongoing examples of the badassery of women 50+ (whom I call Flexxers). 2. Sharing what I Iearn as I work to be stronger than ever having just turned 60 this year. 3. Making you laugh and hopefully dance and try new things. 4. Occasional thoughts on writing About me: I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my husband and a large German Shepherd. I have 2 kids in college. As a post-menopausal “open nester,” this is the happiest time of my life…yet.😊 My mom died in 2019, as I was about to turn 55. I wanted to do something to celebrate the power of older women in her honor. I’ve come to see that most of what we absorb about life after 50 is BS. We are not diminishing - we are still very much becoming… stronger, wiser, more powerful. I was 5’7” by the time I was 12 and very self conscious about it so I hunched. I’ve always been sporty and outdoorsy but also I’ve always had back and posture problems, which I’ve only found the right help in addressing in the last two years. Correcting my posture plus mobility and strength training and lots of dancing (even tho I’m a beginner!) are opening up new levels of fitness to me. I’m a writer. Among other things, I wrote a “Modern Love” column in the New York Times about my husband deploying to Iraq which grew into a book “Love in Condition Yellow: A Memoir of an Unlikely Marriage” (Beacon Press). Now I’m working on a murder mystery featuring (surprise surprise) strong sexy amazing older women. I collaborate often with @carolinembpaul , fellow Flexxer, writer, and adventurer. LMK if you have any questions. I’d also love to hear about you! What do you love about getting older? What are your challenges? So glad you are here! 💕 PS format of this intro inspired by a reel from @moov_through_midlife - who is very cool and has lots of good fitness tips. . . . #queenager #fitwomenover50 #fitwomenover60   #fitover50women #proaging #ageconfidence  #proage #proagerevolution  #proagewomen  #instagramover50 #agestronglivewell #loveyourage

Hi, I have some new followers (WELCOME!) so I thought I’d reintroduce myself and give an overview of what this SheFlexx account is all about. We are giving the🖕to ageist stereotypes of women in midlife and beyond. There’s never been a better time to be a woman 50+. We are the healthiest wealthiest, most active generation of women of experience (or “Flexxers“ as I like to call us), to ever walk the planet. This is a time in our lives where we often have more freedom and more resources, along with an ability to focus on ourselves - our health, our interests and our connections - more than ever before. Perhaps that’s why we we are the happiest demographic in the United States. So in this channel, I encourage us to flexx our possibilities, power and joy. I’m also a writer and I’m writing a mystery featuring a number of amazing Flexxers, so I’ll occasionally update you on that project. And let’s learn some dance moves along the way! Clips from: @heymiddleage @blackwealthcrew @windjammerangelique @shirleycrochet @advancedstyle . . #midlifewomen #womeninspiringwomen #adventurouswomen #sheflexx #flexxyourpower #ageisjustanumber #proaging #womenover50 #womenover60 #fitwomenover50 #fitwomenover40 #fitwomenover60  #womenover50 #fitover50women #womenworkout #strongwomen  #proaging #ageconfidence  #proage #proagerevolution  #proagewomen #sheis #happywomen #dancethroughlife

Nothing against knitting or card-playing 💕 . #adventurouswomen #ageisjustanumber #proaging #womenover60 #fitover60women  #fitwomenover60   #proagewomen #middlescence #thisisourtime #outdoorsywomen #toughbroad

Women have been taught to fear aging instead of preparing for it. Strength, agility, mobility are part of our resistance. Every time we practice balance, build muscle, or move with intention, we’re investing in our independence, confidence, and future freedom. Don’t make plans for shrinking gracefully. Let’s age powerfully. And yes… sometimes that looks like cranking good music and dancing on one foot. 💃 #FeministWellness #WomenOver50 #StrongAtAnyAge #OsteoporosisAwareness #MidlifeStrength EmbodiedWoman HealthyBones MovementForLife

50+ women…. If it requires shrinking, apologizing, or disappearing quietly with age… then, click, you got the wrong woman.

Sometimes you’re not reliving your Twenties, you’re living it up in your Sixties. No better way to do that than to DANCE. #toughbroad #fitover50 #bestyearsofourlives

Your shoulders and neck aren’t the real problem… your pelvis is the foundation. Your head will always gravitate to a position above your pelvis. When your butt is tucked under, rounded shoulders, forward head, that “hunched” feeling so many of us notice over 50– naturally follow. The good news? You can change it. Not by forcing your shoulders back, but by reconnecting to your center and rebuilding support from the ground up. Let your “behind” be behind you! I learned this from the extraordinary @christarypins We don’t move our bodies to chase perfection.�We move to feel strong.�To feel aligned.�To feel at home in ourselves again. This is about your power, your posture, your connection. . . . #strongatanyage #posturematters #womenover50fitness #BodyConnection #SheFlexx

My amazing 50-plus women, wanna stand tall as you age? You gotta get down on the floor! Because that’s where real strength lives: in how you rise, roll, twist, stabilize, and move with control. After 50, core strength isn’t about a flat stomach—it’s about engagement - of all the muscles of the core. And floor work forces you to do that! There’s nothing like the confidence that comes from a strong core. It fuels posture, balance, agility. So get on the floor. Not to shrink—but to build the kind of strength that carries you forward with ease. 💪 . . . #womenover50 #strongover50 #midlifefitness #movementismedicine #sheflexx

Because you can ⤵️⤵️⤵️ Put the chin strap on Wear the comfortable shoes Leave the party if you’re bored Be unapologetic Order what you want Learn new things even if you’re not good at them Dress up if you want. Don’t if you don’t. Dance how you want Laugh out loud. Be cringey Have the confidence of being comfortable in your own skin 💕

Ugh I’ve been sick for a week! I’ve had a chest cold. It’s really hard mainly for my mood that I can’t do much working out. Thankfully, I’m on the comeback and I’ve been able to walk my dog and get out in nature, which helps a lot. As far as how much working out to do when you’re sick, the Mayo Clinic recommends first: NEVER WITH A FEVER. If no fever, a guide is the “neck rule“: if your symptoms are mainly above the neck, it’s OK to work out, but if they’re below the neck like in your chest, they recommend caution. I tend to let my energy level dictate. In the meantime I’ve been introduced by my son to a wonderful home remedy: ginger tea with turmeric. You grate up fresh ginger maybe a tablespoonfull and you let it steep in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Add some turmeric and some honey or maple syrup. Warm it back up in the microwave if you have to, and oh my gosh, it’s so wonderful! A natural anti-inflammatory that soothes your throat and calms your cough while helping to break up the gunk in your lungs. It has really saved me through this last week. Hope you’re all staying well and doing lots of movement while I recover!

Maturity is knowing…⤵️ All you need is to introduce an old friend to your two new best friends… Shane and Ilya. And to go to the cottage! 🩷🩷🩷

There’s nothing like decades of history, memories, and shared love of something. Send this to a long-time friend! . .