Get Moving, Have Fun — and Get Healthier
By Margaret McCormick
Shortly after her feet hit the floor in the morning, Karen Brown begins part of her daily exercise regimen.
While her husband prepares breakfast, she puts on some music and moves to the groove, doing some light cardio and piecing together possible steps for her upcoming fitness videos.
Movement comes naturally to Brown after a lifetime of it. She inspires other women and men “of a certain age’’ to fit in some fitness every day — especially if they’re out of practice or never exercised and lead a sedentary life.
Brown, 67, who lives in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, Canada, is the founder of “Easy Fitness Over 50,” an exercise, health and wellbeing brand with a presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
Her easy-to-follow videos and relatable approach to exercise have earned her more than a million followers on Facebook alone (and nearly half a million on Instagram). Her motto: “If it’s fun you’ll get it done.’’
Getting in the habit of exercising when you’re in your 50s or older can feel daunting to some or even intimidating or pointless. But studies show that the benefits of exercise for older adults are many. Exercise can reduce muscle loss, improve joint and bone function and better our mental health and outlook on life. Movement might not add years to our life, but it can add life to our years: Regular exercise can help us navigate stairs, get on the floor with the grandkids, work outside in the yard and maintain functional mobility and independence.
Exercise using social media? Why not? Back in the day, people turned on the TV to get moving along with Jack LaLanne and sweat to the oldies with Richard Simmons. Exact figures aren’t available on the number of online fitness instructors, but these days, anyone with a smartphone and social media account can attempt to become a fitness influencer.
There’s a huge audience to attempt to reach: Meta (the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, etc.) estimates that more than 190 million people follow fitness accounts on Facebook. And more than 140 million people do the same on Instagram.
Brown comes to the space with silver hair, an engaging and encouraging approach and impressive credentials: 45 years of experience as a certified fitness instructor and health coach. If her videos look more professional than others, it’s because they are. She and her husband, Brian Chaulk, are the founders of a video production company. For years, they’ve been helping small businesses with advertising, marketing and social media.
Brown previously worked as a paralegal in a law office and for years taught as many as eight fitness classes a week. In recent years she embraced a new role: teaching fitness classes for seniors. She is in the same age set, after all, and found she connected well with class attendees — and they with her. She also found she needed to “restructure’’ her workouts.
“I used to teach these classes that were so difficult I could barely do them,’’ Brown said. “I’m not that person anymore. … We’re not supposed to be doing hard exercise. It can cause inflammation. Gentle activity is much better for people our age.’’
When COVID-19 hit in 2020 and brought about lockdown in many places, gyms and fitness venues were forced to close their doors. People looked online for alternatives and Brown shifted gears. She and her husband took a marketing course that suggested it was prime time for individuals and businesses to get on board with TikTok, a social network that focuses on short videos, to build brands and following.
“So, I started on TikTok and I was doing well. I had about 45,000-46,000 followers and then it sort of plateaued,’’ Brown recalled. “Since we were going to the trouble of ‘lights, camera, action,’ I decided I would post each video on Facebook and in our Facebook group and on Instagram, put it on all of them every day.
“In November 2022, Facebook started to explode. I went from 10,000 to one million followers in a year. I think it’s because that’s where my audience is. I’ve got a real sense of my audience now. A lot of people tell me they’re not on Instagram and not on TikTok. A lot of my audience is 65. I’ve got 85-year-olds who love what I’m doing and 55-year-olds who love what I’m doing.’’
Brown emphasizes that there is no “one size fits all’’ when it comes to exercise and that people should consult a medical professional before beginning any program. Her strategy: Everyone has a couple minutes a day for exercise, or, even better, a couple minutes a couple times a day. If you sit a lot, stand up every 30 minutes. Get moving. And turn up the music.
On social media, consistency is key. Brown posts three- to five-minute “Reels” about five times a week and mixes up her content, often adding something new.
One video might feature four exercises for leg strength and balance, another might show Brown sitting in a chair and then standing to demonstrate beneficial moves for the glutes, thighs and lower back. Another might feature Brown with a broomstick raised to her chest and above her head, to give the pectoral muscles and shoulders a gentle workout.
She loves dance — it’s what got her interested in exercise — and frequently works in dance moves to increase circulation and build coordination and balance.
Most videos are shot at her home. She frequently sets up in her kitchen and makes use of the countertop to demonstrate stability. You’ll also find videos that show Brown in the beautiful Newfoundland countryside, on the swings at a playground, shooting a basketball and getting in some yoga on the dock at a lake. “Have fun, everyone,’’ she said.
A good deal of Brown’s time, on Facebook especially, is devoted to staying in touch with followers who leave comments, ask questions and send messages, via her page and the “Easy Fitness Over 50” private group. Over time, people started requesting longer videos. Those videos are available for purchase on her website.
“The key is to get moving and do it gradually,’’ Brown said. “Take two minutes and do something you love. Do some reaching. Do some movements. Forget about exercise as daunting. Feel the sense of accomplishment. Think about how you want to feel better. Don’t get overwhelmed with the big picture. Everyone can do two or three minutes.’’
Where to find Easy Fitness Over 50
www.facebook.com/talkingwellness
www.instagram.com/easyfitnessoverfifty/?hl=en
• TikTok
www.tiktok.com/@easyfitnessover50
• YouTube
www.youtube.com/@easyfitnessover5066
• Website