For the more than 65.2 million women of Generation X – women in their 40s or 50s today – finding time for self-care may seem impossible. More often than ever before, this generation of women finds itself balancing the roles of primary caregiver in the family and full-time employee in the workplace, leaving little time to spare for self-care, especially fitness.

This is a problem that needs to be addressed, according to Krishea Holloway, Curves president and CEO, because research points to the important role that physical activity plays in improved health and longer life. According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, “Chronic diseases are major killers in the modern era.” The researchers go on to say that “…conclusive evidence exists that physical inactivity is one important cause of most chronic diseases” and concludes, “… physical activity primarily prevents, or delays, chronic diseases, implying that chronic disease need not be an inevitable outcome during life.”

“The connection between physical fitness, better health, and even increased lifespan is clear,” says Holloway. “The problem for Gen X women is finding the time to invest in their own health. For an increasing number of women, Curves’ effective HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts that take just 30 minutes are the answer. And the good news is that it’s never too late to start exercising or to step-up your exercise plan. The time you invest now will help ensure a healthier future.”

With tongue-in-cheek, Curves urges women not to think of fitness, forties, and fifties as negative “f”-words, but to add them to a list of good “f”- words like fun, free-time, friendship, flattering, fearless and fabulous.

“Gen X is often spoken of as the forgotten generation,” said Holloway, “adding another negative ‘f’-word to the list. But that’s not true at Curves. Curves cares about all women, and nobody provides comprehensive fitness and wellness support for women over forty like Curves does.”

To learn more about Curves’ full-body 30-minute circuit training approach to fitness in the gym and the MyCurves on Demand at-home workout, visit Curves.com.