I had coffee with a friend the other day. It’s something we do regularly. We sit and talk about what we’ve been doing and what we have planned coming up. My friend said she was thinking about joining a gym or starting some exercise classes. I asked her why. She said she’s been feeling tired and a bit depressed lately and really wanted something to get her motivated again. She was planning an overseas holiday later in the year and was worried that she’d not have the energy to keep up with the pace of the tour group and this would put a stress on her enjoyment of the holiday.
So, we talked about what things specifically she wanted to change and how to use an exercise program to get there. We started by drawing up a Top 5 list – things to focus on to get started, the benefits that each would bring and the specifics for each activity.
Here is what we set out.
1. Getting started.
Now that our 50th birthday has come and gone, we often feel we are pretty settled in our life. Kids are growing up, career is looking good, finances not too shabby, family and relationships all OK. But we feel something is missing. We move slower. Everything takes longer to do or feels too difficult to make the effort. And so, we ask “Is it too late at 50+ to get fit?”
So, it becomes an inertia thing. But the best way to push through the inertia is to give yourself a good reason to make the effort. Mindset is the most important starting point for any journey, including getting fit. By thinking of the rewards to come, the motivation to get out and get started becomes so much easier.
But it is also important to be realistic. Break your fitness journey down into steps and stages and set a realistic goal for each. For example, if my friend wants to be able to walk at a fast pace in the heat of the day on her tour, then exercises that build stamina will be a realistic goal.
2. Make it fun.
It’s hard to feel depressed when you’re having fun. So, do exercises and activities that you enjoy. These could be walking in the cool early morning along a lakeside path or joining a class of others your own age and add a bit of ‘social competition’ to your exercising.
Exercising doesn’t have to be high intensity. Doing something is always better than doing nothing. And once you start and find it enjoyable, then it’s easy to expand the duration and intensity of your routine so that you slowly build towards your goal.
3. Work on one thing at a time.
If you’re starting an exercise program after not having done much for a long time, don’t try to do everything at once. Pick one aspect or area to get started and focus on that. If it’s a flabby belly, select exercises that work on that area specifically. Or if you’re puffed walking briskly upstairs, exercises that build strength and stamina for this are where you can start.
Whatever you start with, remember that exercise alone is only half the answer. It’s essential to look at your diet as well.
4. Rework your diet.
It’s unfortunately a fact of life that living in our 21st century world we’ve all become a part of the quick easy solution to eating and dieting. We know that fresh, healthy foods in the right balance are essential for good health and to provide us with the energy and strength we need. But it’s so easy to take the convenient option when out shopping or eating out.
If you’re not sure whether your current diet is doing you more harm than good, do a little research and draw up a daily meal plan that takes account of the obvious. Firstly, avoid the bad food types, and secondly, include the good food types. Healthy diet plans are easy to find. Start with Google – you don’t need a dietitian (unless you’re seriously in need of some professional guidance).
5. Challenge yourself.
If you look in the mirror and think, “I can fix these things” you’re halfway there. Setting and achieving a goal will be even more satisfying when it involves pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone. By challenging yourself, you’ll not only have a greater chance of reaching your objectives, but your victory will be all the more sweeter. Once you’ve pushed yourself, you’ll realise that yes, you can do this, and you can get to the fitness level that will allow you to then do the things that motivated you in the first place.
So, now with our starter list of 5 achievable steps, my friend has the confidence and the motivation to put in the effort that will lead to achieving her immediate goal – joining that tour group and genuinely enjoying not just her holiday, but the personal satisfaction that she did it by herself, for herself. You won’t get a better reward than that!