As people get older, they tend to exercise less. Whether it’s because they have busy lives, or simply because they lose enthusiasm for it, the average amount of time spent on exercise is likely to decrease sharply each decade people get older. However, it’s never too late to get back into exercise, and here are some ways you can do it without injuring yourself.
Deal with aches and pains before you begin
One of the reasons why many older people give up exercise is that they suffer from more aches and pains. This can limit them from achieving their goals and doing the activities they want to do. It’s worth seeing a Wenty physio before you start an exercise routine. They can check you over, diagnose problems and suggest ways to reduce your pain.
Make exercise a good habit
Simply exercising once a week isn’t enough. It’s better to try and exercise daily, as small, regular bursts of exercise is much better than one session of intensive activity. It has recently been reported that regular exercise is more important than we thought, so if you can do some gentle exercise each day, you’ll soon feel the health benefits.
Try some gentle exercise
If jogging or the gym is too much for you, then you can try some gentle exercise to begin with. Some activities that older people often enjoy includes:
- Yoga
- Swimming
- Walking or hiking
- Beginners aerobics
- Stretching
You don’t have to do high impact exercises to get the benefits of regular exercise. Do something you enjoy and you’re more likely to stick with it, and low impact exercise is much better for older people. Lower impact exercise can be done every day, which is better for you.
Workout with friends
As you get older, you also risk feeling more isolated, but exercise can not only help you stay healthy, but it can also give you a better social life. Joining a gym, a walking group or an exercise class allows you to interact with your peers and meet new people. Also, studies have shown that exercising with others can motivate you to do better and achieve your goals.
Don’t put it off
While it’s never too late to begin exercise, the older you get, the tougher it is to start a new regime. So, don’t put it off any longer. It takes three months for a change of lifestyle to become a habit, which means if you start now and stick with it, in just a few weeks it’ll all come naturally to you.
If you’ve not exercised for a while, it can be hard to get back into it. But it’s never too late to exercise again, even if you are retired and have health issues. The key is to seek professional medical help for any issues, and to find exercises that work for you and you don’t mind doing several times a week. Exercise can help you look and feel better, as well as giving you focus, so make sure you make time in your schedule.
