Approximate read: 3 minutes; 

Are you over 50, and afraid to exercise?

When I look at people who fall in the 50+ age group, I see they tend to fall into two groups: those who just keep cruising along and doing something active all the time, and those who are too afraid to get started. So this article is for those of you who are afraid to get started. And what I want you to get from this article is that, although your fears are real, they are not insurmountable – this is something I wholeheartedly believe in.

 

You’re too embarrassed to go to the gym

Especially when you’re a bit older, it’s very easy to feel out of place at the gym. We all know the typical gym crowd: guys who lift big, or ladies sticking to cardio machines. Oh, and everyone is younger than you, more fit than you, and look like they know exactly what they are doing. It’s enough to make anyone run for their lives – let alone someone who hasn’t stepped inside a gym in years.

There are a couple of ways you can tackle this:

  1. Don’t go. You don’t have to be in the gym to get a workout in. I achieved my results and lost my baby weight in my living room. From workout DVDs, to internet videos, to personal trainers who come to you (such as yours truly) the gym is no longer the go-to place for workouts.
  2. Have a plan for when you go to the gym. The worse thing you can do is just show up because that’s when you’ll feel like a deer in the headlights. So take out a piece of paper and take 5 minutes to write down what you’re going to do: maybe you plan to spend 20min on a cardio machine, and then do some basic weight training exercises. So write that down. Now, when you get to the gym, you have a purpose.

As a personal trainer, the other thing I can tell you about the gym is that, just like you, at least half the people there have no idea what they are doing. Seriously. They don’t.  They are just making it up.

Related: Structure of a workout

 

You think fitness is boring

When people think of “being active”, they automatically think “the gym”. The reality is that fitness can be incredibly diverse, and not everyone enjoys the same things! Here are some things you might consider trying:

  • Yoga
  • Martial arts
  • Spin
  • Swimming
  • Aquafit classes
  • Cardio classes
  • Bootcamp
  • Outdoor stuff: walking, hiking, running, biking, rollerblading
  • Zumba and other types of dancing

If you think fitness is boring, it just means you haven’t found that aspect of fitness that really speaks to you. Don’t be afraid to try different things to see what sticks.

 

You think you’re too weak and you’ll get injured

Actually, studies have shown that the risk of an older adult getting injured is the same as for younger adults. Isn’t that interesting? The difference lies in an older adult’s fear of injury (and especially falling)- which is significantly greater. Again, this is not trying to dispel your fear – I know it’s very real. And again, there are still things you can do!

Start with things you can do, which don’t feel like you will hurt yourself. Exercise builds muscle and strength, and it makes you less prone to injury.

For aspects of fitness such a strength training, consider working with a personal trainer, a kinesiologist or a physiotherapist, who can help create a plan that will build reduce your risk of injury and keep you safe.

 

You’ve got health issues

No one hits their 50s and 60s in peak perfect health. Perhaps you’ve got a bit of excess weight, high blood pressure or diabetes, past injuries, and have had life-related sh*t happen to you. So your instinct is to think that there’s waaaay too much going on with you, and that you’re screwed. It’s too late, nothing can be done.

Start with your doctor, and share your concerns. I guarantee your doctor will still encourage you to become more active. Then, if this is your main concern, start looking around for expert help, such as a personal trainer who specializes in clients who are not sure where to start and don’t know what exercises are best for them (ahem – yours truly).

Then, once you’ve built the confidence that you can exercise safely, and have learned some tips and tricks, you can keep going on your own 🙂

 

You think being active means doing intense and crazy workouts

Yeah, that’s what I thought too. I thought that the only way I could see results was to work out until I was completely done. Oh, and also that if I wasn’t doing all of this, I couldn’t call myself “fit”.

Being active means moving. It also means moving consistently – not just once a week when you feel like it. So if you exhaust yourself to the point where you can’t even get off the toilet because you’re so sore, how are you going to sustain your activity level in the long run? Plus, chances are you won’t be enjoying that very much, which means you are less likely to stick to your workouts in the long run

There is also more and more research suggesting that many health benefits can be achieved from moderately intense workouts – burning yourself out is totally overrated!

 

Now it’s your turn

What barriers are you facing, that are preventing you from taking that first step towards becoming more active?

More articles in this series:

The secret behind how to create motivating fitness goals

Is your personality sabotaging your fitness goals?

Fitness lessons: What exercising teaches you about life

5 ways to motivate yourself to work out

 

Let’s work (out) together

Personal trainer New Westminster

My specialty is working with clients who want to become more active but don’t know where to start. Check out these links to learn more about how I got into fitness, my personal values, and my personal training approach.

If you are ready to begin your personal training journey, I look forward to hearing from you through my Intake Form. You can also email me directly with any questions: irina@toneeveryzone.ca

Let’s get started!