Healthy aging also involves consistent exercise. It keeps you and your loved ones active, and fit, and prevents many age-related declines in health. While many different factors contribute to our health, constant exercise has a direct positive impact on our ability to manage current illnesses and prevent chronic diseases from developing.
Exercise improves our cognitive ability, flexibility, endurance, and strength, and reduces the risk of falling. However, most elderly find it difficult to motivate themselves to exercise consistently and as a result, they are at risk of developing serious health issues such as memory issues, cardiovascular diseases, poor bone strength, obesity, and many more. Here are some of the ways you can motivate yourself to exercise consistently.
Start Small
Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous, intensive, and tiring. It can involve something light such as stretching and light jogging. You and your loved ones will probably be more motivated to exercise when there is an easy routine instead of a full-body workout. You can start with 30 minutes of light exercise twice a week, and eventually increase the routine to four times a week or increase the duration of the exercise to 45 minutes.
You can also simplify the exercise based on your current abilities or train a specific muscle group. Starting small makes the exercise look much more achievable and is a good way to motivate yourself and your loved ones to exercise. By starting small, you can also gradually increase the intensity or duration of the exercise when you feel more comfortable.
Exercise Group
Studies have shown that most people prefer to exercise when they have an exercise buddy. Exercising in a group provides you with more motivation to continue exercising, even if you may feel like quitting. Exercise buddies may also motivate each other and cheer each other on to complete the workout even when they feel tired.
In addition to sharing tips about the exercise, exercise groups also provide a good way for friends to bond and connect. When exercise is done with a group and treated as a social activity, individuals often have positive thoughts about the exercise and look forward to it. You may also consider professional trainers if you require more specialized exercises and therapy.
Keep Track of Your Progress
It can be hard to consistently exercise especially if you lack purpose and motivation. Another great suggestion is to exercise with a purpose and aim in mind. It can be any goal such as wanting to lose weight, increasing the intensity and duration of exercise, and hitting a certain time when jogging.
Having a goal also ensures that you will keep track of your progress. Whenever you have hit a new milestone, you can celebrate your successes and tailor your workout accordingly to make it more challenging. Keeping track of your progress also allows you to find new ways to increase your physical activity and constantly challenge yourself. It also ensures that the exercise you are doing is effective and achieves the intended outcome.
