If you’ve given up ever becoming fit again or losing weight, change your mind. No matter what age you are or how out of shape you are it’s never too late to get fit. The more out of shape you are, the slower the initial process. The same is true for those with health issues and seniors. Seniors, in particular may see slower results than their younger counterparts and those results slip away quicker when exercise is discontinued. However, it can be done with consistency and dedication.
There are people older or in worse shape than you that have managed to get fit.
You might not expect a supreme court justice that’s 85 to be an avid gym attendee, but that’s because you may not have seen the vigorous workout of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her workouts vary and are done with a trainer, but start with stretching, strength training and body weight exercises, like pushups and planks. She’s an 85 year old woman, so if you’re in your 40s surely you can build up to her standards. Another story came from a man that was so heavy, he had leg and hip problems with doctors giving him only a few months to live. He started by walking just a few steps outside, then extended it to the corner, then around the block. He lost hundreds of pounds over a few years and now runs marathons—with no health issues.
Start small and work toward bigger.
You don’t have to and shouldn’t do a tough workout that was created for people in good shape the first time you workout. Overdoing it the first few times will most likely make you want to quit or could be hazardous. That’s why personal trainers always assess each person’s fitness level to ensure they have a program that’s tough, but safely doable.
Change your eating habits.
Sure, you may always eat a Snickers or an order of fries right after work, but look at where that got you. Skip a day, but allow yourself to have fries the next day or cut that Snickers bar in two and eat it two days if you can’t simply drop the habit. After a few days off eating half, eat only a quarter a day and eventually none. Start making substitutions. Instead of weaning yourself off fries or candy, substitute a piece of fruit or a small serving of nuts. You’ll lose weight making a few changes at a time.
- Plan meals rather than wait until the last minute. If you plan ahead, you’ll be able to eat healthier. Some people make the meals on the weekend because their weekly schedule is hectic.
- Change out water for soft drinks and skip the sugar and cream in your coffee. Soft drinks provide nothing but extra calories and do have other health risks. Don’t consider diet soda, since there are issues with those, too.
- Learn to cook differently. Just substituting some applesauce for oil or sugar can save calories but leave baked goods tasting just as yummy. Grilling, broiling or steaming can replace frying, making food healthier in the process.
- As long as you’re breathing, you can do something to make your life healthier. There’s no better time to start than today.