3 EXCUSES KEEPING PEOPLE 40+ FROM EXERCISE – AND HOW TO BUST THEM As a personal trainer, I gladly work with people of all ages and fitness levels. I’ve trained clients from age 15 to 78 (and counting – like Joan in the photo above, doing her thing on the TRX!). But I get the most satisfaction from training people 40 and older. Nothing against super-fit younger people wanting me to push them super-hard, but I feel an affinity for the… ahem, more mature exerciser. Because I’m one too. I’m a tail-end Baby Boomer, born in 1964 - and believe it or not, I have *not* always loved to work out. Seriously. When I was younger, the majority of my exercise came from being in my school’s marching band. But after I saw the light, began exercising, and eventually became a trainer at the ripe middle age of 47, I ended up working with a lot of “chronologically enhanced” folks like me – many of them reluctant exercisers who wandered into the gym because their doctor ordered them to, who had no clue where to start, and who came armed with multiple reasons they thought they couldn’t cut it. But guess what? They did cut it – and you can too! Here are the top three excuses I hear older people make about why they don’t exercise – and how to break on through to the other side. (Hey, that’s a Boomer musical reference! Bonus points if you know what I’m referring to.) 1. “This is gonna hurt, isn’t it?” Well, I’m not gonna lie – exercise *can* make you a little ouchy, but hear me out. It’s likely that the day after your first workout, you may have trouble going up stairs, raising your arms overhead, or even lowering down to sit on the toilet. (Yes, I went there.) It’s called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS – and it’s very common. I refer to DOMS as “temporary discomfort for long-term gain”. In short, it’s your body’s way of telling you that you’ve woken up long-dormant muscles. When you exercise, you create microtears in your muscles – which may sound bad. But the process of rebuilding those muscles is what helps you get stronger - which is a big reason you’re exercising, right? A few precautions you can take to cut down on soreness: spend a few minutes warming up with light cardio work and some dynamic (moving) stretches before you begin your gym routine, ease into your starter workouts gradually, and leave enough time to stretch well at the end of your session. Already sore? Try ice on the affected area, and give massage a go (whether it’s done by a professional therapist or on your own with a foam roller). And though you’re probably tempted to just sit on the couch while you recover, that’s counterproductive. Try some gentle exercise like walking or stationary biking to keep you loose (and when you’re done, stretch as much as you can tolerate). WARNING: if your pain is severe or lasts several days, please consult your doctor. 2. “I’m sooo out of shape.” Hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day - so don’t expect to build your body into a coliseum overnight. But the adage “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” isn’t just good fortune cookie stuffing– it’s great fitness advice! If you only end up walking on the treadmill for five minutes your first time out, you know what? It’s okay – that’s five minutes more than you walked before, so that’s a victory! If you keep at it you’ll gradually build your stamina, and soon you’ll hit ten minutes. Then 15, and 20, and so on. Also, though your overall goal may be to lose a large amount of weight, breaking it up into smaller, less intimidating goals can help. For example, rather than being daunted by the idea of losing 50 pounds, focus on losing just 5 to 10 pounds a month. Each time you reach your mini-goal, treat yourself to something non-food related (e.g. new workout clothes, a piece of jewelry, a massage) so as not to derail your progress. With persistence, mini-goals can add up into maxi-milestones! 3. “I hate to exercise.” No, you don’t – you just haven’t found an exercise you love yet. Everyone’s got some physical activity that rocks their world (for this blog’s purposes let’s stay out of the bedroom for now, okay?) – whether it’s hiking, dancing, bowling… whatever floats your boat. Oh yeah, boating! A woman who is an avid sailor takes my TRX class regularly to help build her upper body strength so she can start her outboard motor more easily. When you think in terms of what can help you enjoy your favorite activities to the fullest, you’ll eagerly lace up your shoes and hit the gym. What’s that? You really *don’t* have a favorite physical activity? Then get out into the world and find one! The possibilities are endless – and with a little trial and error, you’ll eventually ditch the stuff you don’t like and stick with what you do. There you have it! I’d love to hear what you think – if you have other excuses that I can help you overcome, or if you had an excuse that you successfully got past. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments – you’ll find me at [email protected]. DISCLAIMER: Before starting a workout program, please check with your doctor to be sure that you’re medically cleared to exercise. If you experience unusual pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath during exercise, stop immediately and seek medical attention.
