Better late then never!!

It's never too early or too late to start exercising. Whether you are eight years old or 80, being fit and active will greatly improve your quality of life and help you stay and feet as young and healthy as possible.

There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to continue the same kinds of activities in your 50s as those you did in your 20s, 30s and 40s. Indeed cardiovascular exercise and strength training is essential at this stage of your life. Many people complain of stiffness and loss of flexibility once they reach their mid-50's, so, if you are not doing so already, consider adding an activity that encourages flexibility, balance and muscle control -such as yoga, Pilates or tai chi. Combining exercise with social activity- and possibly also a new challenge - is an excellent idea: join a dance class (ballet, ballroom or Latin), take some figure-skating lessons, or even enroll at the local golf club. Swimming, walking, cycling and badminton are also excellent forms of exercise to keep you active and mobile.

Take care!!!

If you are starting an exercise programme for the first time, remember to work slowly and steadily and avoid pushing yourself too hard to begin with. If you start to feel any discomfort or find yourself getting over-tired, stop immediately.

Don't worry about being unfit

Learn to take each day as it comes. Think of your fitness routine as a journey, not a destination, and focus your attention on the next step of that journey. The best exercises are the ones you do. Any exercise is good if it done correctly, consistently, and regularly. This approach will surely help you in achieving fitness.Be sure to check with your doctor before undertaking any new fitness routine.Varying the type of physical activity you engage in will help to use all the major muscle groups in your body, and avoid overuse of any one major muscle group. It will also prevent boredom.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

Physical exercise not only increases the metabolic rate so that more calories are burned during the activity, but for several hours after you have stopped. What is more, as you improve your muscle tone and enlarge your muscles, they will burn more calories even when you are engaged in sedentary activities.

Citations

Yvonne Worth, (2005).
Total Fitness: An individual exercise programme for men and women of all ages, U.K.:Parragon

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