It’s Never Too Late To Exercise

By Author: Dr. Victor Marchione
Total Articles: 90
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Have you wanted to start exercising, but are worried about how you’ll hold up?
Well, according to a new study, it’s never too late to begin an exercise routine.
Many people, especially the elderly, are concerned about the impact that exercise will have on aging knees or an aging heart.
Perhaps you’ve had similar concerns. After all, if you’ve led a relatively inactive lifestyle, you’re probably feeling a bit stiff and creaky.
You might get winded easily when climbing stairs or carrying the groceries.

And, of course, there’s the problem of feeling fatigued. When you don’t exercise for a long period of time, it’s hard to muster the energy for physical activity.
It’s a vicious circle.

The good news is that you can break a cycle of inactivity and reap the benefits of exercise almost immediately.

Almost all conditions can be helped by exercise.

That includes chronic conditions like heart disease, high cholesterol or arthritis.
What are the benefits of exercise? To review, short-term benefits for you include a more relaxed body, reduced stress ...
... levels and a more positive mood.

Long-term benefits can include weight loss, improved strength, better balance and an overall improvement in your quality of life.

This can mean anything from a sense of engagement with the world to a better awareness of your body and a renewed feeling of confidence and well-being.

Of course, the other long-term benefit if you suffer from a chronic condition is an improvement in frequency and severity of symptoms.

Building strength and confidence are of equal concern to older adults.

Often, as we age, we lose faith in being able to accomplish certain physical moves or activities.
Researchers suggest that the best way to overcome this lack of confidence is to build on something that you’ve done in the past.

For example, a former runner might take up walking or a former hockey player might take up pleasure skating.

Whatever skills you have from previous participation in sports and other physical activities will come back to you, at least in part, no matter your age.

Another bit of good news: according to researchers, older adults are more likely to stick with a new exercise program than any other demographic.
So all you have to do is get started.

Choose a fitness level that will give your body time to get back into shape. Don’t overdo it in the first few weeks, especially.

Take a bit of extra time to warm up and cool down properly, and don’t forget to eat and drink accordingly.

The more help you give your body, the more enjoyable exercise will be and the more you will get back in return.

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