No Limits: It’s Never Too Late To Start Exercising

Fitness activities are frequently intimidating. After all, no one wants to be the adult scoring into the wrong basketball hoop or stumbling along behind the pack of runners.

Still, as anxiety-producing as such situations can be, embarrassment isn’t a good reason to avoid exercising and establishing a fitness routine can yield lifelong health benefits no matter when you start.

The key to moving more, then, is simply finding activities that bring you joy and pushing past the initial discomfort.

Worried About Weight? It’s Not Too Late

One of the most common reasons people cite for avoiding exercise is concern that they are already too heavy and out of shape to exercise without getting hurt. This isn’t true at all, but rather a good indicator that you might need some added support to get started. If you’re worried that your size isn’t compatible with exercising, working with an online personal trainer can help you get started without the anxiety of going to the gym.

Even if your goal isn’t to lose weight, exercising can lower your blood pressure, improve lung and heart health, and support your metabolic function – and the fact is, with the right simple exercises, you might lose weight anyway.

Taking a brisk morning walk each day, for example, has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity by half in those with known obesity-promoting genes.

Baby On Board? Move That Bump

Another reason that some people think they should put off exercising is because of pregnancy. Can you really start a new fitness routine while carrying a baby? Absolutely! In fact, exercising while pregnant can reduce your risk of gestational diabetes, as well as making it less likely you’ll need a C-section and more likely you’ll have a shorter labor.

Obviously, not every type of exercise or degree of intensity is suitable for pregnant women, especially in the third trimester, so consult with your doctor and focus on gentler activities. Your center of gravity will also shift during your pregnancy, so be careful when participating in activities that require a good sense of balance.

Age Is Just A Number – Get Moving

Older adults do have to be careful when exercising, especially those in their 60s and above who may be dealing with some degree of bone density loss, but don’t let being in your golden years act as a deterrent when it comes to fitness.

Research has found that people who exercised consistently from the time they were in their teens and those who didn’t begin until the 40s, 50s, and 60s had almost identical reductions in mortality risk; those who had exercised since their teens had a 36% lower risk of death compared to a 35% lower risk of death in those who didn’t begin exercising until middle age.

Those are statistics you just can’t argue with – and it’s not like these were 55 year old novice marathon runners! They were just average people who decided to get up and get moving.

Keep It Simple

There’s no good excuse for avoiding exercise, especially with the right support and oversight, so don’t put off developing a routine. Whether you have a specific fitness goal, like being able to walk further or swim more laps, or you’re just looking to move your body more, ask for help and guidance and get started.

It won’t be easier to start tomorrow, but you’ll benefit immensely if you begin today.