Keep Active - Get Movin' at 50 Plus

By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2003-06-19 12:36:00-04:00

Beginning a fitness program is only half the challenge. To get fit, you have to stick with your plan. After a while, you'll be able to do more and reap even greater benefits.

Stay The Course

Believe it or not, one of the biggest complaints of people new to fitness is that their routines quickly become boring. And boredom sometimes leads them to forgo fitness entirely and lose the benefits of an active lifestyle. Don't let this happen to you. The following tips can help you maintain your fitness level by avoiding burn-out or boredom.

Choose activities you enjoy.
Schedule your activity, just as you would any other appointment.
Find a training partner.
Listen to recorded books or music during endurance activities.
Cross train to reduce boredom and to work different muscle groups. For example, play tennis on Monday, walk on Tuesday and garden on Wednesday.
Set goals and track your activity so you can evaluate your progress. Reward yourself when you reach a goal--a new tennis racquet or a belly dancing lesson.
Have a backup plan. If it's raining on the day you planned to walk, work out with an exercise video. If the treadmills are full at the gym, try the stair climber.
If your routine has become routine, add a new or more challenging activity.

Step It Up

When you first start out—especially if you're brand new to fitness—even a little activity can be a challenge. But once you've made fitness a regular part of your life, you may want to "up the ante." As your body adapts and you become more fit, you can gradually add more challenging activities. Best of all, the more vigorous your exercise, the greater the benefits. Just be careful not to overdo it.

By establishing well-written goals, you can make fitness a way of life. But a goal is just a wish if it isn't SMART:

Specific. Be precise. Write down exactly what you expect to achieve.
Measurable. Include amounts, times, days, and other milestones for gauging success
Achievable. Set your sights on an attainable goal, yet one that causes you to stretch, to go beyond what you're doing today.
Relevant. Although it's nice for your spouse, kids, boss, parents, and friends to want you to be successful, your goal should matter to you, first and foremost.
Trackable. Behavior change doesn't happen in a fell swoop—it takes time. Record your progress over days or weeks to see how much you've achieved.

Sample SMART Goals "I will plan my weekly activity routine on Saturday and mark the days and times on my calendar." "As of next week, I will take two or three short, brisk walks every weekday." "Next week I will look into joining an exercise class at my local gym."

Endurance

An endurance activity is anything that raises your heart rate and breathing. First, build up the amount of time you spend on endurance activity. If you're walking, for example, gradually increase your time to 30 minutes. Once you've mastered that, increase the difficulty of the activity. Walk faster, or walk steeper hills. For positive peer pressure, join a walking group.

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National Institute on Aging
Arm raises strengthen shoulder muscles.

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Strength Training

Each performance of a strength-training exercise is called a repetition or "rep." Reps performed in succession are called a set. If, for example, you perform the arm raises pictured here for two sets of twelve reps, that translates into performing the exercise a total of 24 times. Don't forget to rest for one to three minutes between sets.

When you've reached the point where 12 reps of the same exercise is very easy for you (the 12th rep is as easy as the 1st), it's time to increase the amount of weight you're lifting. Be conservative when increasing weight. Adding just one pound can produce the resistance needed to stimulate further gains in strength.

Meeting Your Goals–Realistically

According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the amount and type of fitness activity you pursue should depend on your activity level and personal goals.

If you're sedentary or inactive, find ways to fit at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity into your days. Be sure to include weight-bearing activities.
If you're moderately active and have specific health goals, keep your active daily lifestyle, continue accumulating 30 minutes of daily activity, and choose activities that correspond with your health goals.

Recommended Activities to Meet Your Goals

Health goal	Recommended activity
Improve cardiovascular health	Aerobic exercise for extended period or at higher intensity
Improve bone health	Weight-bearing activities; resistance exercises
Increase lower back strength	Static stretching in mid-back, abdomen and thighs
Boost psychological well-being	Enjoyable activities and fun atmosphere. Aerobic exercise over time has also been shown to boost psychological well-being.

If you're moderately active and have specific fitness goals, keep your active daily lifestyle, continue accumulating 30 minutes of daily activity, and choose activities that correspond with your fitness goals.

Recommended Activities to Meet Your Fitness Goals

Fitness goal	Recommended activity
Improve aerobic fitness	20-40 minutes vigorous activity, 3-5 days per week
Increase muscular strength/endurance	Resistance exercise, 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps for each muscle group, 2-3 days per week
Increase flexibility	Daily static stretching, 10-30 seconds, 2-3 times each muscle group
Gain muscle mass	Eat more calories, especially carbohydrates; include resistance exercise
Lose weight/tone up	Reduce calories, increase duration of aerobic work, include resistance exercise

Keep Active: Get Movin'

Any activity is better than no activity. If you can just walk around the block, keep at it and you will be able to do more. Remember, the key to becoming active and staying active is to make fitness a regular part of your life—and to have fun doing it.

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