YOUR FITNESS LEVEL: NEVER TOO LATE TO TAKE CHARGE!

Is it possible to get fit at any age if you’ve never been physically fit before? The research definitively says yes!

It’s a common misperception among the 50+ set that there’s no way they can run, lift weights, or whatever the physical fitness challenge, especially if your body has never been conditioned for those kinds of activities earlier in life.  The body is actually a remarkable machine. It can learn at any age, both intellectually and physically. You just need to put in the time and energy to achieve your goals.

The path to sustained physical fitness is pretty straightforward (NOTE: If there is concern about a health condition, be sure to consult your provider before engaging in a specific type of exercise):

• Take a baseline of your current physical fitness and potential physical limitations (e.g., weak joints or a chronic condition). To make this baseline complete, include your starting weight and body composition if possible (fat, muscle, and water percentage).
• Choose a cardiovascular activity that’s easy to start with. The most popular form of cardio is walking.
• The ultimate goal is to spend 30 minutes exercising at least 3 times per week, but just like any long-term goal, you need to create more achievable interim goals. For instance, start with a walking routine around your block for 10 minutes once a week. Then, add one more day of the week. And then another. Then gradually build up the time of each walking session.
• Before you know it, you’ll be a regular exerciser! You should be feeling the positive effects of exercise as well as other complementary nutritional and behavioral changes. You’ll have the energy and drive to keep exploring how to push your fitness to the next level and enjoy doing so. Joy is actually the secret to a lifelong exercise regimen.

Time and time again, people who are seriously overweight and who haven’t exercised in decades turn their physical fitness and overall health levels around. They go from being 50+ pounds overweight and mostly sedentary to slimming down and participating in marathons within a year. If you search for these kinds of inspirational stories on the internet, you’ll find them.

And the same can be true for you, too, if you seize the day and make today the last day you neglect your physical or emotional health. Instead, make the conscious decision to take charge of your health and fitness level, no matter your starting point.

Look for ways to be more active, not less active. Choose the nutritious food on the menu, rather than the high-fat, high-calorie one. Make dining out a special event rather than an everyday one. Park in the furthest spot from the store entrance instead of the closest one. Cope with stress by talking to a friend or walking around the block instead of with a trip through the drive-through window.

Making the active healthy choice will provide your best chance of enjoying a lifetime of good health and a higher fitness level – a high-quality life vs. one filled with illness and suffering. It will mean doing things differently than you have been and probably doing things differently than most people. The end results will be well worth it.