forever young naturally exercise

If you aren’t naturally sporty you may find the lure of the TV, bathtub, or bar too strong to keep up an effective exercise regime. A range of actions may help, from recruiting a friend to accompany you on jogging sessions or fitness classes to plotting your progress in a diary.

Working out with a buddy is one of the best ways of maintaining motivation, but don’t let your relationship become competitive. Each of us has a different exercise history, body type, and levels of mental and physical stamina. We also all have differing requirements and expectations of an exercise regime. If you find your exercise partner is making you feel disheartened because she can stretch farther or hit harder than you, then it is probably time to find a new partner.

Some people prefer to exercise alone, so they are better able to switch off and enjoy exercise almost as a form of meditation. If that applies to you, you might prefer jogging or swimming, walking or Mysore-style self-practice yoga rather than a cheery group of badminton players.

Seek out women-only mornings or evenings to avoid having to face rows of sweaty young muscle men in the gym (unless that’s part of the attraction). Being surrounded by people like you rather than young exercise fiends in tight-fitting lycra can prevent motivation from slipping away. Women-only evenings also often offer attractive add-ons, such as free use of the sauna or steam room or a complimentary swim.

Don’t expect to see impressive results instantly. Although it can help motivation to choose an activity in which you can see progression relatively quickly, it’s good to keep fitness expectations realistic. Talk to gym staff about drawing up personal fitness targets, and ask for help in monitoring them. If you join an exercise class with fewer than 10 members and a regular teacher, the teacher should be able to push you toward a path that’s right for you. If you don’t feel you’re getting results, splurge on a session with a personal trainer to discuss and establish realistic expectations.

To chart progress, fill in an exercise diary. Don’t try to see progression with every exercise session this can be too dispiriting but every month make a list of the things you can do that you weren’t able to before. Each small change signals a more youthful you.

It can help to join an online community of exercisers, especially if you are training for a national event, such as a charity fun run or a marathon. Online you’ll find progressive training plans, troubleshooting tips, and advice from expert coaches, and you’ll be able to moan to, enthuse, and egg on fellow exercisers on message boards.

If you think of yourself as an active person who exercises you are more likely to become one, a study suggests. If you’ve lived a largely sedentary life until now, this mindshift may take some getting used to. It can help to join a club of active people, who naturally include you in their fitness activities. Affirmations are helpful, too: start repeating to yourself “I am active and fit.”

Those who expect health to decline with age are less likely to be physically active researchers have found. Keep your expectations of good health high and you are more likely to stay active and mobile regardless of age.

Although older people tend to get exhausted more quickly by physical tasks than people in their 20s and 30s, researchers have found that older people who exercise regularly increase their fitness levels more quickly than younger co-exercisers.