How To Get and Stay Fit While Aging

To remain youthful it is necessary to be able to perform key movement patterns which keep us agile and fit for life. These are bend, push, pull, squat, lunge, twist and gait (walk, jog or run). If you can perform these movements regularly, and preferably while lifting some weights (except for gait), you give yourself a huge advantage in your effort to remain youthful and feeling fantastic.

Throughout my years as a personal trainer, I have noticed that many women train with a goal in mind. Sometimes it’s to be in shape for an occasion like a wedding or a holiday, or to look good in a bikini for a short amount of time. The reality is we need to stay in shape for our whole lives. Remember, this is not a hobby but a lifestyle. Sooner or later you have to make an important decision; make time for health and fitness or suffer illness later. Exercise faithfully every week, every month and watch your body change shape and become strong, consistency is the key.

The Best Exercises

If you are unable to make it to the gym, and have no equipment at home, squats and push-ups are two ideal exercises that can be performed almost anywhere. Squats alone work over seven different muscles in one value packed exercise. Your whole lower body in one move! Push-ups, in turn, work your upper body, including your core muscles. No excuses here! You don’t have to start with full push-ups or full squats but you will soon progress and reap the rewards. It’s the same with your gait – start Consistency is the Key by Lesley Maxwellwith walking and later mix it up with some interval training (adding short bursts of intensity).

If you have never trained before and are wondering where to start, a good place is at the beginning! Don’t do too much too soon. Consistency is the key. Three to four steady workouts a week is much more beneficial than thrashing yourself with a hard workout every now and again. You could injure yourself, which would inhibit your training. In order to train consistently we need to remain injury-free. A simple way to help you achieve this is by performing warm-up sets. A warm-up set is performed by lifting a much lighter weight during the same exercise you are about to perform.

If you have never trained before and are wondering where to start, a good place is at the beginning! Don’t do too much too soon. Consistency is the key. Three to four steady workouts a week is much more beneficial than thrashing yourself with a hard workout every now and again. You could injure yourself, which would inhibit your training. In order to train consistently we need to remain injury-free. A simple way to help you achieve this is by performing warm-up sets. A warm-up set is performed by lifting a much lighter weight during the same exercise you are about to perform.

[…]