Be realistic and set goals
Check your expectations
Most people have high hopes when they start exercising. Overdoing it at the get-go is never ideal, but lofty expectations can especially backfire on women over 40. Your body might have fared okay doing too much too soon five or 10 years ago (or whenever you last tried to get serious about fitness). However, joints become less forgiving with age.
So start slow. "If you've never run before," says Murumets, "you shouldn't expect to be able to run for 30 minutes right away." Try mixing one-minute spurts of jogging with four minutes of walking—and set goals to keep motivation in high gear.
Keep the motivation alive
To stave off boredom, try different activities and set your sights on new challenges. "Many people find the best way to stay motivated is to work toward a specific goal, such as a 5 km run," says Murumets. "Having something to train for is a great reason to stick to your routine."
Just give yourself a realistic timeline so you're motivated to move forward. "If you have a goal to achieve in three months, you'll be more likely to start taking action now!" says Murumets.
Count the ways
Make your fitness goals tangible. "It's hard to measure whether you're ‘healthier,' but it's easy to measure how many pushups you can do," says Murumets. And skip the all-or-nothing approach; when it comes to fitness, every little bit counts. "Being physically active is about the small things you do, every day, that add up to a healthier lifestyle," says Murumets.
For more information:
Amanda Vogel's website: www.activevoice.ca
ParticipACTION: www.participaction.com
American College of Sports Medicine: www.acsm.org
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This article is original content on More.ca
