Exercising in Your Middle Age

“Motivation is the fuel, necessary to keep the human engine running,” says Zig Ziglar, a renowned author, and motivational speaker.

As you age, your energy levels tend to go down from full to empty. Low energy levels often lead to a lack of appetite for exercise. However, regular physical activity is very much needed to help you live longer and healthier. In fact, you need at least 150 minutes of exercise per week or about 30 minutes of exercise in 5 days.

But, how can you stay motivated to exercise even when aging seems to make it difficult? Here are seven simple motivational tips for exercising in your middle age:

This is a guest post by Sanford Harvey, a researcher and writer from the Genemedics Health Institute. We hope that you find it enjoyable and informative.

#1 Determine what motivates you.

Individuals differ in what drives them to work, live, and do things. What motivates you may not motivate me or other people. Figuring out what greatly excites you is the first step to help you reach your fitness and health goals. It may be family, friends, rewards, long life, achievement of goals, etc. Get to know yourself and your body better. Know yourself, know what drives you, and start from there.

#2 Know the countless benefits of exercise.

Research about the many benefits of exercise to your overall health and wellness. Knowing what good exercise can bring you can make exercise much more appealing, exciting, and inviting. List these benefits down and stick it to where you’ll most likely see it every single day. Knowing that a better version of you awaits when you exercise can fuel you to keep moving on a regular basis.

To name a few, here are some of the many benefits exercise can give you:

• Reduced risks of chronic diseases
• Better illness management
• Improved physical and mental function
• Prevention of injuries from falls
• Stable mood and better memory
• Promotes better sleep
• Longer life
• And much more

#3 Map out an exercise plan.

Get someone to plan out an exercise plan based on your personal needs and preferences – health and fitness needs, inhibitions, goals, schedule, and the like. Exercise plans can help you stay on the right track of staying healthy especially now that aging has brought you its unpleasant effects. Other health institutes also offer customize exercise programs that will greatly suit your particular needs.

#4 Find an accountability partner.

Getting yourself surrounded by people who you can count on for accountability can help you stick to your fitness and health plans long-term. Being consistent in doing exercise is hard to keep up with when you keep it solely to yourself. Find people you can trust and bring along in your lifelong journey to health. An accountability partner will help you eliminate your excuses and encourage you to keep moving when you don’t feel like exercising.

#5 Make exercise fun and enjoyable.

Incorporate fun to exercise to make it much easier to bear. Exercising doesn’t need to be treated a burden. In fact, it can be enjoyable yet productive activity to pass the time. You can exercise without feeling like it yet reap its outstanding benefits. Figure out what you love to do. You can walk with friends, swim, dance, do yoga, play games that can make you active, bike to work, play with your grandchildren, and a whole lot more.

#6 Join exercise groups and communities.

Group exercises can give you more than physical health benefits. It has been found out that group exercises can also offer social opportunities, psychological support, motivation, and accountability that most adults need. Fitness classes with people your age is a great avenue to meet people who go through the same stage of life as you. Build friendly relationships and enjoy exercise much better.

#7 Get inspiration from peers who stayed healthy over time.

Take a break and evaluate your life and your peers’ lives. Carla of idealshape.com found it effective to look at the lives of her friends who managed to stay healthy even after having children. This became a great motivator for her. It can also apply to you. Connect with your active friends and ask for tips and encouragement on your health goals. Take a look at your healthy peers and tell yourself you can be like them too.

Exercise should be a priority especially while you age. In fact, an active lifestyle gets much more important than ever as you grow older. Exercise can reverse some of the adverse effects brought about by aging. Exercise can be a challenge as you grow older, but it can lead you to a life that’s happier and healthier.

You need not over exercise your body. Start with little steps. Stay active. Follow the motivational tips given above and be your best self in your middle age!

Author Bio:

Sanford Harvey is a researcher and writer at Genemedics Health Institute, a natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy clinic in the different states of USA consisting of highly trained hormone specialists. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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