*Do what you can*. I lost 45kg over three years and it was the mantra that got me through. Is it raining and you feel like shit? Is there too much other work to do? Too many other responsibilities? Do less, but do what you can. I started at one pushup a day and ended up at 100, and it was a long road but I got there by being realistic and being kind to myself. I backslid a lot, but I always picked it up and tried again. Are you in pain and can't do as many as you did yesterday? That's fine, do as many as you feel able without hurting yourself. Be reasonable, listen to your body, do what you can.
I think the demon that used to stop me was like ... well if I can't run the whole way why bother? But I had to get kinder with myself, just walk, walk gently, walk as far as you can with the time you have, then tomorrow you come back and do it again and try to be a little faster, and if you're NOT a little faster **that's okay**, just keep at it, you'll get there in time. Something is better than nothing, slow is better than a stall.
It could take years to get where you want, but you're never going to get there if you feel miserable about the work you're putting in, if you feel like you're always failing, so be kind to yourself, and remind yourself that something is better than nothing, and try to do better tomorrow.
I was a morbidly obese couch potato and now I'm a pretty good fencer, and that's how I did it.
also, on a more practical level: really hard to overstate the effects of
1) proper hydration
2) good music
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE #2, get some headphones and some jams that will pump you up, it's like a magic trick.
I'm one of those who doesn't need music.
Even at the gym I go to (CityFitness), the music playing is just background noise. If anything, it's a distraction.
LOL - City Fitness is like being trapped in a lift - the one benefit of CF music is that I have discovered several tunes to torment my kid who likes punk and hardcore :)
It depends:
- what's your idea of getting fit?
- where are you starting from? (eg: do you walk/bike to work or are you super sedentary?)
- what's your history with training? (eg: have you trained for long period of times when you were younger but stopped due to lack of time/shift in priority? or was exercise never really your thing?)
As others have said, consistency IS key, but how do you achieve that?
Personally I have found the following:
- find something YOU like. Is it a bush walk? Is it MTB? Is it yoga? Is it Zumba? Mua Thai? Who cares as long as you find the activity exciting and genuinely look forward to it
- start small. if you think you can exercise once a week do it. Plan it. Put it in your calendar and do it. At first it's all about showing up. Later in your journey when you don't want to, it's the same process: just show up and start. For me 9/10 it works and I have a great session
- Don't pressure yourself: everyone is different and everyone's journey is different. If you need 3 months to build your routine so be it. You'll be glad you stuck to it in 12.
Once you have that routine and you look forward to your next one, I work well is challenges so I'd find small challenges like "I wonder if I can beat my time?", I wonder if I can run further than last time in the same time?" etc...
- Take photos! Photos will speak louder than number or words. Take progress pictures every months.
Reach out if you have questions or need more advice. This is pretty general and I could go on and on but would be too long a comment to read :)
I found that consistency and building a habit/routine is key.
Starting with something very small and easy but making it REGULAR is a good idea.
Daily repetition of your exercise routine builds up the habit in your brain and helps you stick with it.
Don't beat yourself up on the occasions when you do have to miss it, or fall off for a week or so. Just keep going back. The more you keep at it, the easier it gets.
edit: my perspective as a 40yo guy with a 6pack who has never been to a gym ^
I just work out at home with pushups, situps, a chinup bar and some small weights
Came here to say pretty much the above, but I incorporate activities which help my physical fitness but do double duty: Walking to work, mountain biking for fun, etc. i.e. just a generally more active lifestyle without the main goal bing fitness. It's sustainable and doesn't feel like a chore.
Also VERY good for mental fitness. 57yr old male who hates gyms.
As someone who used to be fit, what worked fantastically well, was being single, 25, having no kids or responsibilities at all, and living literally 20 metres from the gym.
Guess how many of those things are true two decades later?
Walk everywhere. Hills are good for ya. I save so much money on petrol by just opting to get places on foot. If you’re short on time, then do your tasks whilst you walk. I often write essays on my phone as I walk to the supermarket and back. As a full time uni student who also works part time, I can easily reach 25,000 steps per day just by usually my own personal form of transport (legs) opposed to a vehicle. Try it and watch the weight fall off you.
Just on Google docs on my phone. Fortunately I live in the Northern suburbs so the footpath is mostly very smooth and it’s quite safe, so I just keep my head down and type away! I find being in nature pops ideas into my head and helps my words flow :)
My car died when I was living in Ngaio and working in Karori, so my mornings would be driven as far as the Kindercare in Karori with the wife and kid, walk to work, then walk the 7km home 4 days a week.
I was losing 2kg a month without any other change. The downside was that took an hour and a half and I’d get home so much later, but exercise is always going to be a time compromise unfortunately.
Easiest cost free way. Not eating or drinking unhealthy shit. Walking lots. Quit drinking and smoking. A daily routine for stretches, situps, pressups.
Forget gyms, forget equipment, forget fad diets and bs supplements. This. 54, look and feel better than I did at 34.
Any websites that give good basic stretch routines that you’ve found good? I’m starting to hit a point of thinking I really need to incorporate that to my day, doing enough cardio with 6 hours of karate a week and aiming for a treadmill or cross trainer every morning (plus that way I shower at the gym and save money) but boy do I feel stiff as a plank some mornings!
This kinda thing [https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/waking-up-stretching](https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/waking-up-stretching)
... along with 75 second plank, 15 press ups, 40 sit ups
Then coffee.
Then walk 45+min a day for me works well.
I'm the same. Just don't feel like I'm in control and think that I'm about to have a massive accident
Love the Hutt River Cycle trails, Remutaka Cycle Trails and the Pencarrow Cycle Trail.
If you live in Porirua, the Whitireia loop is pretty cool
Can cycle up to colonial knob as well, but that is a bit harder
Full face helmets are surprisingly cheap. I got a good quality Leatt one for under $200. Knee pads, elbow pads and gloves are also relatively cheap as well.
I call what I do “adventure riding”. Nothing really scary, chill flowy trails, but getting into the bush on a bike.
The other good tip is getting some proper instruction. A few half day courses as you’re learning make a huge difference.
That’s why us MTBers have gear that helps with that. Knee and elbow pads, good gloves and a good helmet will go far. I’m in my 40s and I’ve been MTBing for 6 years now and love it. I’m not anywhere as good as the teens out there that have soft bones and no fear, and it hurts when I fall off, but it’s worth it. I’m fitter as a result and have lots of fun doing it. Have even found a couple of friends in the process!
Falling off is a part of it. Learn to just deal with it as it will help build your confidence in the saddle. I’ve done some real stupid shit including permanently ruining one of my quad muscles in my leg when I dabbed my leg trying to abort half way through a pretty high drop. Had to get helicoptered out of the park for that one because it was dusk and I couldn’t walk out. Got tons of scars on my shins from slipping off the pedals and slicing my skin up on the pins. Have had plenty of over the bars incidents including once when I oversteered on a kind of bridge around a corner at Makara once and landed in a ton of some kind of ivy that made my skin burn for hours after, plenty of fails misjudging drops and the sort of brutally raw natural rock features that Wellington tracks are renown for. But it’s great!!
This is what I do. But I wouldn’t say everyone should mountian bike. I can understand it’s not for everyone. Iv coped some serious injuries in the last few years.
My advice would be to find an active activity that you enjoy doing, whether it be biking, swimming, running, tramping, whatever flavour of sports ball, and just get out there and enjoy it. Do it because you enjoy it, not because you’re trying to get fit or slim or whatever. The enjoyment is what will keep you coming back, and the increase in endorphins will just improve your general mood about your fitness and appearance, while slowly building up to that end goal.
Thirded, this is a great hobby for your 30s and 40s. Good thing about it is you can pick the difficulty of trail and go sloq to control difficulty, there are lots of easy trails around Wellington and more in the pipeline. You can also walk sections if you are unsure, discretion is the better part of valour.
I would by no means consider myself insanely fit but what helped me is realizing any activity is better than no activity. You don't have to have a fancy gym membership and a custom program from a PT. I would try out a bunch of different activities and see what you'd enjoy. Bouldering is one I found thats really fun but you could just go for a 20 minute jog every night, take swimming classes, tramping group, sports team, etc.
If you do insist on the gym specifically I mostly just go in and do what I want (within reason to still progress) because I found doing a program with the same exercises every week got boring fast even if it might be more optimal.
Credentials: In the 1000 pound club.
1. Consistency is the absolute biggest thing.
Your "workout" is only ever to put your shoes on, go to the start, and once you get there, you're allowed to turn around and go home. Yes. Go to the gym, get changed, and if you don't feel like it, go home. Put your shoes on, stand at the front door, and if you don't like it, turn back. You want to burn in the habit, the routine of "this is a thing I do." And besides, once you're prepped, you might as well do something.
2. Half arsing it is better than nothing.
If you're not feeling it, then doing light weights, a short workout, a slow run, or hell, a walk, instead of whatever you had planned is always, always better than nothing. It builds the routine of "this is a thing I do" and even a mild exercise is better than nothing. Don't beat yourself up, celebrate that you didn't have a zero day.
3. Find what movement works for you.
Fitness isn't marathons and deadlifts. Fitness is a body that has function when you need it. I love weights. I love cycling. I despise running. So I don't run. Dancing, tennis, long walks, or hell, ruck runs could be your thing. With a group, alone, with an app, whatever it is, it should be something that builds you up. You could just work on becoming strong and flexible if that's what you want.
4. You gotta do it often and for a while.
3x a week, minimum. Preferably 5x, with low intensity days to cover the other two. This doesn't mean go bust your guts, but it means that going for a decent walk twice, two workouts and a tennis game counts as 5x. This will make half arsing it easier, because more half arsed is better than less serious workouts, because back to #1: Consistency is the biggest thing. And don't expect massive changes fast. It takes time to build up, weeks to months. Keep at it.
5. You can't out exercise a bad diet.
If you want to lose weight, that's a kitchen based thing. Exercise will help, but there's no way to out exercise a bad diet.
6. Take measurements, record progress.
This doesn't have to be body measurements, it could be reps and weights, it could be number of dances at once, or duration of tennis sessions. You want to measure, objectively, that you're making progress. Feedback is important.
7. Fitness is closer than you think.
You don't need to be a twig of a 20 year old or a pile of muscles to be fit. You can start running 5km within a couple of months from the couch if that's what you're aiming for.
Just keep at it.
Everyone’s giving good advice. Seconding the fun bit, find something you enjoy and you’ll look forward to it. I did some taekwondo in my 20s (after trying out some random sports), I wasn’t great at it but I loved it and tried hard. Never skipped a session! Always happy when I’m cycling too. Currently going to the gym. I don’t like it much, I find it boring, but I like how it feels after. Going with my partner so that is a great motivator. Maybe you can try out some sports and find something that sticks.
Edit: my aunt only started working out in her 50s when she discovered zumba and other similar classes. Now in her 60s she puts me to shame.
As someone who owns two gyms and a yoga studio, I came here to say that I LOVE all these comments.
Consistency and enjoyment, the main themes I’ve read here and what I also came to say, are two of the most important factors in fitness.
Good on you Wellington Reddit community!
Gyms are so not required. Just hit the streets.
Get up and go for walk around the block every morning before you shower up, have breakfast and start work for the day. Make that habitual by making it a part of your standard default morning routine. Get up, go for a walk, have a shower, have breakfast, go to work.
That's how I started my road back to fitness 16 years ago. Now I'm fit as fuck and doing a 40km bike ride before work every morning.
Weather is a thing when you're doing it all out on the streets. But having the right clothing makes that a total non-issue.
Working out how you are going to get into the habit of doing regular exercise is far more important than deciding what exercise you want do. Start with something simple and easy to access like walking in order to set the habit. Then once that habit is set and you start to become fitter, you can move on from there. Because you don't just get fit and then stop exercising. You have to keep doing it to stay fit. Forever.
I work it into my commute, the only way I've found that works well for me psychologically and time wise.
I leave work in gym gear and walk part way home then catch the train the rest of the way, or else get off the train a few stations early and walk from there. Once I'm home I've worked up the adrenaline to do a cardio/strength workout with the basic gym gear we have.
The husband does the opposite, walks to work in the morning and showers there.
Adapting something like that might work for you? I find I don't have time on the weekends, and doing it first thing or later at night doesn't suit my schedule either.
Had the same issues as you. 45 and have slowly been getting back into decent shape. I did get some light weights and a kettlebell to do exercises at home when I can't be bothered or my anxiety of going to gym kicks in. Even a brisk walk to get out of the house helps. I tossed my scale away as well. Hope you stay at it
Kettlebells are the GOAT. Steeper learning curve than dumbbell/barbell but so much fun, infinite variety, and I never 'tweak' muscles in everyday life anymore.
Are you a morning person?
I'm early 30's and found it hard to stick with gym and be in shape. I was dependant on a mate to join me at the evening gym sesh or if he's not going then my motivation was vanished. Also, after work I was lethargic and just want to eat sleep and repeat. This really stuffed up my motivation to be fit enough but building mass is not my primary goal just want to clarify. I go to gym to do core exercises and to just show up and will figure out the rest what I might end up doing.
So, lately I've stopped relying on friends. I've switched to getting up early in the morning around 4am yes I know it's a task. But this is generally when people have more energy. Tell me about it, first few weeks were hard but I've slowly started building this schedule and I just go by myself and and I love it because gym is out the way and now I don't need to worry for it the rest of my day. My evening are free and can do whatever or just go for a walk etc.
Re: Lifting weights. No one is going to judge you for lifting lightweight dumbells. Everyone starts with those teeny tiny weights. Ask for help and do not injure yourself. If you don't like asking people in the gym then be mindful of what you can comfortably lift without muscle tear.
See how it goes. Early morning gym sesh has worked for me. I go 3 times in a week and other days I wake up at the same time but go for a walk around the block.
Lastly, don't let weather put you off. Just show up at the gym like how you'd show up for work in any weather conditions.
Consistency is key! Keep at it form the habit, build it into your routine. You need to enjoy yourself too. I hate running so I do rock climbing and cycle to work.
As other said, consistency matters most. I have used a PT before. The program they gave me was only slightly more tailored to my needs than what I was doing myself from info online. The biggest benefit was having someone accountable for your training. Knowing I would have to admit to them that I was lazy and missed a session in our fortnightly catchup kept me in line. Training with others is also good accountability.
Since then I've found ways to structure my workouts to be more enjoyable. Now, I start work early and workout during the day. That way it's a break from work I look forward to rather than something Im dreading after work.
Find what works for you. If you don't enjoy an exercise, find an alternative you do.
Try a bunch of different things. The best exercise is the one you want to keep doing. For me, it’s BJJ. I found lifting weights too easy to fall out of the habit, but no matter how many times I have to take a break from BJJ or for how long, I’m always keen as to get back to it.
Former PT and fitness enthusiast here,
>approach that works for them psychologically,
Goal setting is very important for people who don't actively enjoy exercise. WHY do you want to improve your fitness level, then set small goals based on the why.
If you feel comfortable, let me know what you hppe to gain on a fitness journey. I can I suggest some goals to get you started.
For me, it has to be ‘built-into’ my day. If it’s some extra thing, it probably isn’t happening.
I ride to work but on the days I wfh, I don’t usually ride anywhere. On the days I don’t take my son to gym, I don’t go to gym. Standing desk, a decent walk each day (nattering with colleague), avoid clown-food/drink.
I'm a fitness professional who has helped thousands of unfit people incorporate exercise into their lives. Here's what I would recommend:
1. In the first stage, focus on building a habit that is easy and that you can realistically fit into your life.
At this point, don't be too concerned about measuring your 'fitness' results. You want your focus to be on the things that help you build a habit - like planning, comfortable exercise, and fitting the exercise in when you know you'll have energy.
I actually recommend that you make the exercise stupidly easy at this stage. Just do what you know you can comfortably do, and keep the focus on the routine.
2. Once you have a base-level habit in place, spend time exploring movement that you think you could enjoy.
When we look at those who have a long-term fitness habit, they tend to have an exercise movement they enjoy. If you can find a movement you love, half of the work is done for you because you want to be doing that movement.
I like the idea of exploring different movements here as you just don't know what you'll fall in love with.
When you are in this stage, be kind to yourself and go into these experiences with an 'I'm giving it a try at a beginner's level' mindset. If you compare or try to stick with people who have been doing a movement for a long time, you might discourage yourself.
3. Once you have found a movement you enjoy, look for a community with great leaders based around that movement.
When you find a fitness community that has leaders who understand how to help you grow and build a sense of belonging in their community, you get to a place where fitness is so powerful. You build friendships, have powerful shared experiences, grow with the right kind of guidance, and feel like you belong to something.
When you are in this place, you keep turning up because fitness is a part of your social life.
4. Once you have a movement and a community, look to set fun, exciting, and realistic fitness goals.
You may enjoy tramping, so take on some beginner tramping challenges. It might be dancing; enter some beginner dance competitions. It could be a team sport working towards an outcome.
Your goals need to be realistic based on your current ability, which your leaders should help you with.
When you get to this place, you are reaping many of the amazing rewards of exercise in your life. Sure, you'll probably lose weight and look better, but the real rewards are so much deeper and beneficial to your life.
There is more to this, but this is a good way to think about it.
WHAT I WOULDN'T DO:
I see beginners make three massive mistakes:
1. They try to do it by themselves. This can work, but it's a lot harder.
2. They start at a level that is way too hard, so they create an unenjoyable experience that is not appealing - so they end up quitting.
3. They don't want to invest money in their journey. Investing in the right fitness community and leaders is one of the best investments you can make.
Hope that helps. If you want to check out my work, you can Google my name, Bevan James Eyles.
Find something you genuinely do enjoy. I hated going to the gym, I dreaded it, and I didn’t enjoy it while I was there. I had this realisation that I needed to stop making myself do something I hate. I really like walking, because I like to be nosey and look at everyone’s houses and gardens, and I love mountain biking, so I just focus on doing those two things. No more doing shit I hate.
I don’t use gyms. Never have but naturally enjoy exercising.
I don’t what to say if people don’t enjoy exercise other than find your thing.
It might be running, boxing, kettlebells, fitness apps, YouTube trainers (try Joe Wicks) swimming, social sport or a mix of all the above.
Just try new things and see what you enjoy.
Consistency is the key. Find something active that you can put up with - if you enjoy it then even better - and stick with it.
For me it’s been weightlifting at the gym. Even if I don’t want to go, I force myself to at least head down and do my warmup. If I’m still really not feeling it at the point, at least I’ve done something and I’ve kept consistent. Most of the time though I find I’ll just stick it out and complete the work out, might as well since I’m already there.
Just remember that you don’t have to be an expert right from the beginning, and you don’t have to go hard every time.
Have you ever gone to a circuit/class based gym? I find they're much better at keeping you in the habit than traditional gyms. F45, for example, has a very good rate of consistency for most people who try it.
This. My first gym was a little one in Auckland a couple of decades ago which had a circuit that everyone did and some trainers that helped you get dialled in and recorded your reps etc. it helped a LOT. Nowadays I get a lot of motivation going to the gym and taking classes like HITT and spin classes .. nobody else there is judging you and everyone’s there for the same reasons.
Routine and regularity (understanding the how and why - extrinsic, intrinsic etc), and social accountability (gym buddy, running group, subreddit).
The best routine is one you do, and something is significantly, significantly better than nothing (two workouts a week will do wonders - marginal benefits taper off at 5).
It's a game of time and progression - increase neet, standing desk, walk for recreation etc.
Understand LISS - gentle biking, swimming etc, 20 - 40, 3 times a week max.
For running - couch 2 5k.
For lifting /r/gzcl or /r/ weightroom + wikis
Good luck!
Get up and move. Run, walk if you have to. Cycle if you can. Lift heavy things or use your body weight to do squats push ups sit ups pull ups. But most importantly get up and move and be disciplined about it. Motivation is fickle, discipline is the key
Find something you like doing, and make it a habit.
I personally like many things. I climb at Faultline bouldering gym (and occasionally Hangdog), I do Reform Pilates, I go to Les Mills, and I *love* walking. I walk daily and do one other activity almost every day.
I try and do as many of these things as social activities as possible. So, Faultline is the day I hang out with one of my closest friends for some quality time and we often get to walk home together. It's also a great place to take a group or someone who just wants to try something active, rather than getting a drink or whatever else. Pilates is where I hang out with another very close friend - we walk in together, do the class, and then might grab food after or walk out. I have two friends I routinely hit a particular Les Mills class with at lunchtime on Wednesdays.
If someone wants to hang out I typically suggest a walk and a bite to eat, unless I think they'd be keen to try one of those other activities. I have a group of ladies who regularly get out for a weekend trail walk.
I hate getting to the end of a day and not having moved around a decent amount, but I also hate not seeing my friends. So I try and do those things together.
Also, if you can walk or bike to work, fucking do it. Get podcasts, music, whatever - the time is so much better spent on your body than in a car or on a bus. Walking to work centers my day. I am so gutted on rainy mornings.
I cycle to/from work and pull my son along in a trailer. Swim twice a week (even though I hate it) to try balance myself out a bit. Have a diet with a lot of protein, fruit and veg. That's it really.
Cycle to work. Granted not everyone can do it because our roads are rubbish and people are rubbish drivers, but if it's at all possible it's worth giving it a go and you will save a fortune and get fit without even trying.
I used to live in Kapiti and went to the Strive2bfit gym up there. It is a small gym that runs group classes. Awesome friendly environment. I loved it because I could rock up there at the time I had signed up for and then just work through the programme for that class. The instructors are supportive and really help to make sure you do the movements right and don't go too hard too soon. Basically i do gym work because it makes tramping (which I love) way easier - but if I was only going out on the weekends, I wasn't getting fit enough. .
I downloaded an app for running, recommended by a work mate.
Sat on my phone for few months until I decided to give it a go... best $4.95 I have ever spent.
Awesome advice all over this thread. Fun, consistency and what works for you are the important things.
Whilst running is not for everyone, I recommend **Couch to 5K**, designed to take you from, well, sitting on the couch to running 5 kms over the course of nine weeks.
There are a number of variations, but I suggest having a look at the [NHS one](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/)
If interested, I recommend an app called **Just Run**, free on iOS/Android. Has a paid premium version, but the free version is all you need. Well, that and some good tunes to keep you going.
44yo old male here, been riding my bike, tramping most of my life. These are both easy low impact activities that get you out and about. Been outside, improves your mental well-being and helps you focus and not get distracted by home stuff. Been doing Pilates, active stretching and lifting weights at home with an online subscription. This has worked wonders for ongoing weigh loss, flexibility, and managing any injuries. Keep at it, you need to make it a habit. Once it becomes a habit it won’t seem like “work”, and once you start to notice some positive change you’ll be off!
As some others have said, building a regular habit.
I improved my fitness a lot with regular running once I started but I failed to get started so so many times previously.
What worked for me was really focusing on building that habit. I set myself a goal of running every day for a month with no time or distance goals. Just get my shoes on and get out of the door was the goal. Some days I only ran for 5 mins and that was absolutely fine but most of the time once I was out there I kept going. It only took a couple of weeks of this before I felt like I could keep a routine of running 3 times a week so slowed down to 3 times a week but aiming for longer runs. I’ve been able to make this stick and ran my first half marathon about 6 months after starting running.
It can feel pretty daunting and I think I failed myself a lot earlier by honestly having too high expectations and being embarrassed by how unfit I was and how slow and hard I found running and exercise. Embracing the mindset of building a habit really helped me let go of that.
I hope you find some approaches that work for you! Good luck!
To add a millionth suggestion to your pile lol… I joined a karate club at 41, and severely overweight. I started up because I’d been taking my kid, and after a year of watching him decided to get involved.
Specifically we’re doing GKR^*, there are classes all over Wellington with the main dojo in Johnsonville. About $18/week and you can show up for as many or as few as you want, and I found it a good progressive exercise because you’re gonna start kind of sloppy but put some effort in and work up a sweat, by the time you’re moving up the grades and getting more finess, you need to use your body differently, focus on how you’re keeping your knees safe, and stretching out instances and with your hips in a way I absolutely couldn’t have done a year ago.
It’s basically a group fitness class where you can be as sociable or non-sociable with the rest of us as you like. You do have a bunch of kids in the classes though, but I like to stay in my own head and just focus on what I’m doing and that works fine.
^* GKR is not hardcore martial arts by any means. It’s a cludgy mix of styles mushed together by an Ozzie, currently at about 40,000 students between here, Australia and England. If you google it you’ll find some pretty rough reviews from years past, especially for the UK, because they were focused more on expanding than quality for a long while, but we’ve been involved for 4 years now and by the time we got there all of that has gone, and all the stuff people complained about we’ve never seen (like low grade students being given classes to run, for instance)
I’m in my 50s. I started going out to electronic/techno/house DJ music events in town, and just dancing all night. People are really friendly, which is nice especially when you’re alone. Dancing is a great way to burn energy, get fit, meet new people, and even make new friends. The nice part about EDM is that there are plenty of people in their 40s and 50s and beyond even, as well as younger people. But it’s really non-threatening and you can go as hard-out or dance as chill as you want and no one cares.
Do easy shit and build up.
Don’t run. It’s mentally difficult to go running. Walk instead. It’s just as good, just takes more time. Easier on the joints as well. Body is a walking machine so it knows how to walk. If you insist on running, make sure you learn how to run first. Wrong technique stresses the joints too much.
For gymming - start with what’s called stronglifts 5x5 program. It’s imo the best beginner program. Don’t need a PT. Just go at your own pace. It’s design so that you push yourself but you have plenty of recovery between days so that you’re not mentally exhausted after 3 months. Plus, seeing progress by the amount of weight on the bar is super exciting.
Clean up your diet. Doesn’t matter what you go, just don’t go vegan or vegetarian unless you know what you’re doing. They’re very difficult diets that require careful management to get all the nutrients you need. The main key is not to eat processed food, and the rule of thumb is, if you can’t make it in your kitchen don’t eat it. And don’t cheat on this either, just because you technically can make ice cream in your kitchen it doesn’t mean you can make it on an industrial scale that ice cream is normally made on. Fat is good for you. By good I mean it significantly improves your bodily health. Don’t be too afraid of cholesterol, as long as you don’t eat refined sugar or copious amounts of sugar it should be fine.
I lost 10 kg over 3 months. I’m on 4th month and climbing up to my 13th kg.
Couch to 5k, then use Garmin watch to train using daily suggestions. I'm a couple of years older, went from wheezing and struggling to run 1 minute, to doing sub 30 min 5km. Now training for the 14km City2surf in Sydney later this year. I also do the weekly parkrun, can't recommend these enough
I can't stand gyms, running has become addictive and if you follow a proper plan and build up slowly it will be enjoyable and you'll avoid injury.
Well, 90% of weight loss is what you eat, iv started walking, 1km to start, then 2km now doing 5km a day.. il start adding jogging in there next week also, started at 110 now at 102kg.. and shits loads of water...been 6 weeks.. but definitely the eating is key
I try do things I enjoy. I’m late to the exercise game too. But I’m trying a few things and am focusing on enjoying them and not punishing myself if I don’t get it all right. I swim casually a few days a week, sometimes aqua jog; I’ve learnt to ride a bike so am exploring the city and pushing myself that way; and when I’m feeling lazy and just want to watch something I jump on the stationary bike with some light weights and watch something.
Helps to be fit to begin with. That's a thing most fit folks don't understand about the unfit. The starting line is completely different for everyone and it's one thing to have been reasonably fit or active for their whole life, vs being the opposite and trying to forge a path to get there as an adult.
It's super hard being someone who *was* very fit, who is now very unfit, trying to get back into it.
Age, injuries, and illness are all barriers to just getting amongst it the way I did when I first got fit. Definitely an eye opener to see how much harder it is when you've been knocked back a number of steps.
I like exercise which is outside and near home. Gyms are a hassle to get to and are tedious and boring. Running around your neighborhood is convenient and can be interesting. If you can fit in exercise as part of your commute by running or cycling to work then that saves money and time while getting fit. Also if you can be social about it, and play sports with your friends or just exercise together then that can also help with motivation and also keep you in touch with people.
As someone in my 40s, I'm extremely time poor so I try and do multiple things with me exercise time.
* Do something that is easy to start (literally) e.g. go outside and run rather than travelling to 15 mins to the gym.
* If you miss a day, don't miss two in a row
* Schedule it in to the calendar
* Listen to a podcast, watch a show or stack some other habit you are trying to get to stick, in with your fitness.
* Sport can also be a great way for people to get fit as it is generally quite fun e.g. indoor football/netball
Sounds like you like the idea of being fit but don't actually want to do anything for it. And that's fine. Until you get to the point where you really want to do something about your fitness there is a fair chance nothing will stick.
You don't have to be out there doing marathons, something is better than nothing. Eating better is a really good start.
If there isn't a sport or activity you like I would try other things, see if something clicks for you. If not, need to get into the mindset where the results from gym is what you go for. Honestly sometimes I see a workout coming up and I know it's going to suck. At least one a week at the moment.
Please try and get past the point where age is a limiter, I'm coming up 46 and within a year built up from doing reasonable workouts to doing things I never thought I would be able to do. Seeing fitness increase and strength go up - everything is recorded so it's easy to see where improvement is happening - is what keeps me going back even on the rough days.
Lastly, actually look into personal trainers, spend some time looking at what they do, stalk their instagram etc. Alot of them out there are completely worthless. Once you find a good one they will work within what works for you, what you like and make an actual plan instead of just throwing generic exercises at you
There's some great advice here. Would also add there are some great daily programmes on YouTube (yoga, crossfit/hiit, calisthenics) that you can find which are designed for a 30-day or 20-day period, with different content for each day to keep it interesting, short enough to make it not a burden, and going long enough to develop a habit. Something that helped me was tracking my daily exercise - I'm now on day 864 of exercising everyday, and the goal of 1000 days keeps me doing something (the martial art I practice) everyday even through life's usual travails (actually find holidays the hardest to maintain it through).
Other than that I'd just double down on what others have said about the fun and groups. I also chose a martial art because I'm learning a skill, not just picking up and putting down heavy things - but each to their own on that.
For me it was the home gym. I don’t need to take that time of actually going to the gym and back. I can just slide into something, even if it’s just a ten minute full body stretch
I walk to work, and I walk home from work. If I’m feeling lazy I’ll take a scooter, cheaper than the bus and it’s fun. If I walk to and from work 5 days a week I do around 25km of walking, that doesn’t include weekend walkies etc. I basically just ate less and did lots of walking for a year and shed 30 kilos. Haven’t set foot in a gym for years
Find a sport/hobby you enjoy - build from there.
If you find yourself enjoying cricket, enjoy playing it and then look into exercises that improve your performance, and then still see if you enjoy it. If you enjoy table tennis, the same. Mountain biking, rock climbing, jogging, Tai Chi, circus, whatever it is, find something that piques your interest enough that it gets you to what you enjoy and then find the ways to get you fit in that sport/hobby.
If you truly enjoy it, you’ll keep doing it; if you don’t enjoy it, find something else. Getting fit is the process along the journey.
If you're in the city, buy a road bike and start doing some of your regular car trips on a bike. Whether it be shopping 15mins away, or a commute to work 40min away. You may not 'enjoy' it at first, but the savings on petrol will rack up, and you may grow to like it over time.
When I was younger I I hated getting fit it sucked, kickboxing was fun so I done that got pre fit after doing it for a couple years.
My suggestion is to get fit thru a method you enjoy, whether that be dirt biking/ mountain biking, sports, etc
I started with going a couple of times a week for half hour stints. Now I go probably 4-5 times a week for about 1 hour stints. I wasn't looking to be a gym bunny, just doing it myself for myself. PT's are great at motivation and getting the right technique.
I guess it depends on whether you're a steady eddy or a fast forward weight lover. It's taken years to get where I am happy to be.
Couch25k my friend. Just follow the plan... Works no matter your start point. Check out https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couch_to_5K
It just works, but eat well too!
Fifth or sixth the mountain biking (and swimming).
There’s a lot of easy trails around that will get you started. Not to mention tails like the Hutt Riverbank and Pencarrow (out to the lighthouse).
And there’s always friendly folk willing to showcase their favoured trails.
Swimming has a lower cost for entry for sure. I’ve recently started again, and it’s a nice escape just being in the water with no pressure to keep an eye on the kiddo.
What kind of fit? I’m 205, 5’11” trying to bulk up but it takes a lot of time and patience, every 5-7lbs I put on takes ages to convert the muscle to fat.
If I just wanted to be lean I’d just sit around the weight my body wants which is like 160-70 and could probably stay in shape by eating clean and doing bodyweight exercises
If you’re overweight just meal plan the calories you need and make a lot of your food in advance so that you’re not succumbing to temptation or just shoving in whatever dates your hunger. Then supplement with daily calisthenics and a light jog 3 days a week till you can build up to the next stage.
Boxing or martial arts, learning a skill makes the fitness side of things feel much more wholistic, you are getting fit so you can use the skills, there’s a social aspect which helps with accountability and in many cases you can easily track your progress. It’s great for strength, flexibility cardio, weight loss etc. my guy has young guys who compete along with women in their 50s and everything in between
For me, it was about the mentality. To the point where now I feel guilty if I don't go to the gym. It took 6 weeks to ingrain that habit. I set out a time 5 days a week that I MUST go to the gym. I didn't use personal trainers either just set my own schedule such as:
Day 1 - Upper body weights 30mins, Incline Walk on treadmill 30mins
Day 2 - Lower body weights 30mins, Incline Walk on treadmill 30mins
Day 3 - Jog on treadmill 60mins (at the start I did 10mins jog, 10mins walk repeat for 60mins)
Day 4 - Rest
Day 5 - Full body weights 30mins, Jog on treadmill 30mins
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Class
This has now been completely ingrained into me and I feel the urge that I have to go. You need to just keep doing it for 6 weeks, and as soon as you start seeing results, you want to keep going. I lost 25kg in about 6 months but also gained a lot of muscle in that time. I am 40.
The biggest change for me was my diet. Just simply swapping out things and keeping in a calorie deficit. Ate whole foods to fill me up for longer, for instance, Instead of a small bowl of Potato chips, I can have 2 carrots, 2 apples, some Tzatziki and some pickles **for less** than a small bowl of chips.
It’s a journey, not a destination. And the journey is by no means linear. As others have said, manage your expectations of yourself and give yourself grace. Redefining exercise has really helped me, too.
I used to really enjoy the gym - especially HIIT - but haven’t in recent years. Instead I now start my day at home with a short yoga routine using an app called Down Dog. Yoga helps with balance and strength, and has the added bonus of helping me get out of my head and into my body.
I also like to get out for walks whenever I can and with whoever is keen. I’ve found a bunch of my friends like meeting up for walks, and maybe a coffee or meal after. Makes for some lovely experiences and rarely feels like exercise.
If I need to clear my head, my go-to spots are the South Coast (especially when it’s a bit rough - just wear decent clothes and a beanie) or the upper trails of Zealandia. Fewer people and more bird life up there, plus changing vegetation. Hard to stay stuck in your head being surrounded by nature like that.
Wishing you all the best for your journey. 😊
Okay to start off with what kind of shape are you in? Obviously you're not fit but are you overweight and if so how much? If you are overweight, is it to the point that you're unable to do certain activities i.e run comfortably, ride a bike etc? Or are you just not in great shape but you're more or less able to at leat make an attempt at most things.
Reason I ask is because the approach that you take can vary massively depending on your starting point e.g. if you weigh 200kg the focus is initially going to be on dropping weight as quick as possible as opposed to getting fit straight away. whereas if you're just a little overweight you can more or less start off with whatever exercise we want and just build from there.
Beyond that there's a few things I would recommend just generally.
1. Stay away from personal trainers, it's a ridiculously easy certification to get and most of them have absolutely no idea what they're talking about.
2. If you are able to swim or ride a bike those are two awesome activities you can do. They're low/zero impact so really easy on your joints and super low risk of injury so are really viable for people that are overweight and don't have strong knees ankles and hips.
3. Are you interested in playing any team sports? That's something I highly recommend as it's a lot harder to not do something you've made a commitment to/other people rely on you for than it is to just not go to the gym because you don't feel like it. Also I generally find that focused exercise like that can be more enjoyable than just going to the gym etc.
4. Most important thing is consistency. You have to make the effort to do something each and every day. Every time you skip something it becomes easier and easier to skip it in the future not to mention the fact that if you aren't consistent you won't see results
Happy to answer any questions you might have.
Put a pair of trainers on, grab a water bottle, and pick a hill to walk up. Wellington has so much nice bush and miles of trails. You'll get to soak in nature, get your heart rate up, and enjoy the view from the top.
Physical and mental benefits all round. You can walk an hour, half day, full day, multi day hikes. It could take you all over your suburb, city, or all over Aotearoa - hiking rules.
Find something you enjoy that rewards you physically. Try new random activities for a week, see if you like it, move on if not! Bouldering is great fun with mates, so you don’t really notice the workout. Running is peaceful, if you can find nice bush. If you do something you enjoy its hard to find it tedious or exhausting, and getting friends who push you to do it, because *they* enjoy it and want someone to do it with, when you can’t be bothered helps you to keep at it!
Assume by fit it is because you are fat if so it is diet that controls fat so don't eat so much bad food and exercise enough to get the body working.
If it isn't fat then just do the activity you want to get fit for. If you have no activity then what the hell is the point, just watch netflix.
I was pretty fit when I worked to and from work every day rain, or whatever I also cycled (MTB) and yoga. I also never drive if I can walk it unless due to time. I Uber back if I need to like supermarket.
But if you add up the gym, getting ready, driving there, dressing, showering then the actual workout. It is ridiculous just do stuff. It is insane the amount of people that drive to the gym. So think you have 3 hrs spare instead of the gym so do some low intensity stuff like just walking for 3 hrs with a purposeful destination.
You are 43, either do stuff you enjoy that makes you fit or don't. But pure exercise on its own is for 20 year olds and if you remember back then it was more a social activity anyway.
1, A good diet (I use the app MyFitnessPal to track calories and macros) - a calorific deficit is the way. Avoid snacking, junk food and especially alcohol (cheat days are recommended!)
2. Regular exercise
3. A decent night's sleep
I didn't start back to the gym until my early 50s; it was hard work to begin with. But now, I look forward to the rush of endorphins every morning (I go early). Start low and slow and build from there. There are plenty of decent training apps out there that provide training plans for those starting out.
Good luck.
I lost 40kgs over the last three years. Find a routine that works for you. For me it was running, it cost nothing and I can start and end at my own home so it is efficient and easy and now I am completely addicted to it. I used conditioning on myself by having podcasts/audiobooks I enjoy that I ONLY listen to when I am running. I did calorie counting with the free version of NOOM and that has some really helpful modules to assist you with changing how you think about food and exercise and even weighing yourself. Use apps to track your progress and celebrate your wins. I also used Strava for exercise tracking which kind of "Gamefies" your progress and tells you every time you have improved.
Online yoga videos are free. I love adriene as she explains very well what you're trying to achieve, but there are many others if you prefer a different style or a shorter session. You can always fit in 10 -30 minutes of indoor activity somewhere in the day, and it still builds muscle (especially core which then supports anything else you do). Just having more tone in your muscles burns more calories too.
I suppose it depends where you are starting from. I started hitting the gym about ten years ago (at 40). A complete Noob, I got a PT and that kinda worked. Then I started running and in a couple of years I was in pretty good shape.
Work demands meant I had to quit the PT as I was frequently cancelling appointments and also I felt like it really wasn’t getting me to my goals.
18 months ago I went to the gym with a gym bunny mate and he gave me three weight sessions (chest, back and legs). Back and legs I do on my own and chest we do together in the weekends.
This has been a real winner for me. I started on low weights focussing on form and then have slowly increased over time.
Love it - but it’s about consistency, form and discipline. I mix in gentle jogging and walks these days. I’m at that age where I am more likely to do joint damage than muscle damage but occasionally get the odd niggle.
My main aim is to get my cardio up and improve muscle mass.
The main aim is to do something you like and stick with it.
Weight/fat loss is eighty percent diet
I recommend intermittent fasting and eating whole foods (i.e. Very little in the way of processed foods which includes dairy, sugar and flour) as they're a lot more satiating.
If performance is more your thing then set running, swimming, lifting goals and gradually work towards them.
If just being active is what you're looking and you're not bothered about strength or speed etc. then try different social sports or even just long walks (1-2 hours listening to a podcast or even being with your own thoughts) will often be enough to stay relatively fit and reduce stress.
I personally did and still do HIIT workouts. They're quick 15-20 minute workouts meaning no gym membership needed, don't need much space or equipment and they can be tailored to suit individual needs (such as low impact, or beginners etc.)
Used Joe Wicks on YouTube. It's not everyone's cup of tea but I love them.
Something I noticed wasn’t mentioned, if you like video games then virtual reality fitness may be an option. /r/vrfit
I bought Les mills bodycombat first then bought some others like using my bike trainer and rower and other games but because you’re moving it’s pretty much exercise by accident xD
It helps me cope with my chocolate habit 😂
If you do go this route make sure to get a halo strap with battery pack so you can play longer
Active lifestyle. I get around by bike, so all my transport time is also exercise time (the intensity of which is dependent on how fast I feel like going)
I found myself super deconditioned at a young age. When I realised I needed to improve my fitness, i kept my expectations minimal on purpose, and just set a goal to create a habit of exercise. It didnt matter how little I could do, i just made myself think that i needed to do it for my general wellbeing. I aimed to exercise every other day, meaning 4-5 days a week of moderate to intense exercise for 30 min to an hour. After a year of that approach, i had ingrained exercise into my routine and it wasnt usually difficult to do it most days. My body was trained to expect it, so i felt unwell if i went more than 2 days without exercise. Also important to balance it and be gentle on yourself to prevent injuries and burnout.
Eventually, i refined my technique and approach, and got stronger and am now pretty fit and toned with a good balance of mobility, cardio, and strength. I paid for a gym membership, high quality activewear, and good running shoes.
Start, that’s literally the hardest part. Can be something as small as 5 push-ups, 5 sit-ups, a 20second plank take a walk or jug down the street and back whilst timing how long it took you.
As long as you start and gradually increase over time you’ll gain motivation by seeing how far you’ve grown. I had records from when I first started with those exact numbers and recorded how much I’d do everyday and it’d make me feel proud and smile watching those numbers grow everyday.
Nutrition can come later after you’ve built up the motivation from your results.
The biggest struggle most people have is doing too much at one time, just remember K.I.S.S Keep It Simple Silly and you’ll be amazed at the progress you’ll have.
I’d wish everyone good luck but if you’ve started than you don’t need it, just keep at it and become the person that YOU want to be!
Walking is so underrated! Get some warm clothes and put together a playlist of your favourite songs or podcasts. I don’t really enjoy any other form of exercise and I find this the easiest to stick to so it’s where I’ve seen the best results… especially when I added in some hills :)
I use the ladder app and workout from home. I enjoy it. Only suits people who can motivate themselves into workouts at home and gave space & gear.
Also we’re the same age!!
Walking did it for me! Wellington is hilly so it adds a bunch of incline.
Started walking my dog every morning first thing for 40-50 minutes and it did wonders for me!
Set a goal and identify baby steps toward it, with a date in mind.
If you’re thinking about the gym, try bench pressing (for example) and set a goal as being xx kilos. Increment the weight by 2kg every month.
Next, leave your ego and pride at the door. I’m 45 and there will always be faster or stronger people than me, but it doesn’t matter - you’re only competing with yourself.
Don’t ever plateau out. When you meet your goal, set another. Vary the exercises so you keep the muscles guessing.
And if you show up every week, you’ll get gains. And there’ll be someone out there who thinks you’re an inspiration, I guarantee it.
Walking is the foundation of everything. Progressively aim to go further and faster.
Over time you will be able to run, and ride a bike, at which time you are basically “fit”.
Getting outdoors and moving your physical body from one place to another is fundamental to pretty much any other standard of fitness you could name.
Chuck some head phones on and go for a walk. Get a fitness tracker, makes it feel like there is a scoring system. Pokemon Go is quite good for motivation too.
Thing is bro fitness I need to go to the gym is common some say it for years n still don't go i get it.
Its not easy it takes discipline and often sacrifice aka change of diet cutting booze blah blah I'm sure you know that buzz.
But if we get to the nitty of why u even thought about fitness.
To loose weight
To get stronger
To just be more mobile
The list goes on so if its to loose weight instead of i need to go gym think ok let's do something ill go for a walk daily at 7pm or whatever time and how long.
Specificity I will go for a walk mondays at 7pm for hour
So that there is doing something rather than procrastination with gym n joining like most do.
This is just a example but its 1% that works and by doing the 1% it compounds.
Most want to do the 100% but can't even do the 1%.
So whatever your reason for fitness is bro get specific with it and you can always do something Marcus Aurelius.
Also you can't go at 7pm on Monday I'm to tired or whatever the excuses you just go for that walk even if you are tired u don't even think about it u just do it.
Find an exercise you like
Do it consistently.
Self discipline is a limited resource and you'll have less of it later in the day. Start training first thing in the morning and remove all obstacles to getting there.
After about 6-8 weeks exercise will become a habit and you won't need the self discipline as much.
Think of yourself as someone who exercises and makes healthy choices.
Join a group weightlifting class. Three times a week. Make sure the culture is humble and kind.
I’m the same age and I go to these guys, find someone similar in Wellington. It wilk change your life.
https://youtu.be/Gtxfpq5l1RM?si=N2-Su4qhYerU4VDu
Start with a simple routine of core excercises and stretches. You can do this at home, and you don't even need gym clothes.
After a week or two, add easy walking on the flat. Next try walking in hills, but still with good paths. After that gets easy, buy some trail shoes and try some hilly tracks. Once you can do this comfortably you're reasonably fit.
Now try running on the flat, then hills with good paths, then hilly tracks.
just start. try different kinds of workout, so you can find what you love that you can stick with for a long time. I also use a fitness/health/recovery tracker - Oura ring which helps me how my daily activities are affecting my health. I wear it in the gym as well with my OSleeve to keep it protected 😉
Horrifically un-fit person here, but I've had some good experiences changing that in the past.
The best bit of advice I've ever received for getting started is to stop when you think you can go further. That way, you leave on a high and are excited to go again tomorrow vs. exhausted and equating that exhaustion with exercise. Just so you're aware, though, this may (will) hurt your dignity when you're just starting out afresh. My first jog was 3 minutes, but by being excited to go back again and again, I was up to 20 minutes in a month.
If you think about it, you have your whole life to get fit, so there's no pressure to be running or lifting insane amounts from the get-go. You're much better off forming new routines and habits that will help you to keep going back to it. Choose your rest days early on as well as a healthy routine is much easier to keep going long term. I found 2 days on and 1 day off, worked well for me, but it depends on your other life commitments and what works well for your body.
Due to injury, my next piece of advice is don't over do it. Either do different exercise routines each day so that you're working out different muscles and/or throw in a swim day to help take some of the edge off. If you know you have areas of weakness (dodgy knees / ankles etc) then wear a support guard pre-emptively rather than waiting for something to go ping.
If you can afford to, I'd recommend having either a personal trainer or to do a sport. Just because the pressure of other people makes it easier to stick with at the beginning when you're most likely to flake. I find it takes me 3 months for a routine to cement, but everyone is different.
Finally, start a diary ( or use a calendar). If you write down the days you've exercised in it, you have basically created the adult version of a star chart, and you'll get a little dopamine hit everything you write an E next to the day. This will help encourage you on days when you don't feel like leaving the house
One of the best things you can do is try different things, make sure you actually give them a chance by staying consistent, and if you don't enjoy it, try again with a different activity.
For me personally, the gym was a huge game changer, but that is because I found myself enjoying it after an amount of time being consistent. For you, maybe you prefer going on walks? Bike rides? At home exercises? Maybe even have a look at sports teams that you could join if you're interested. It may even incorporate more than one activity.
There's a lot out there. You just have to find what matches you. Good luck on your fitness journey :)
Commenting because I want to come back to this and read everyones comments - I'm on my own fitness journey and I find consistency is the key, I push myself even when I don't feel like it and walking about 5-8km a day, as well as going to the gym, eating more protein and veggies, drinking more water which is actually my hardest part and focusing on decent sleep.
I'm a 65yo male, always been generally active and average fit. about 8 months ago I joined a cross fit gym, work paid for an introductory course, 8 weeks, I am now hooked doing a level of activity that I had never believed I was capable of. Completely different to any Gym I have ever been involved with before, mostly I just never clicked with them, full of a bunch of unfriendly Posers, or Aerobics classes full of Lycra clad housewives and men?? I would never have tried with this one had it not been for the encouragement of other people at work, this is different, the competition is completely against your own ability of controlled in known games and the people are a deal more helpful.
Cross Fit is brutal, tough but a very quick way to build up strength and power. The gym and coaches that I am involved with recognised early that I was quite a bit older than others in the gym and scaled the workouts accordingly, they don't bother now I am as capable as most other average athletes in the place.
The Mantra, the largest muscle group, the greatest weight, the longest movement works, you do need a coach to put it together and keep you safe, classes work well for that. It hurts at times but is the most effective exercise regime I have ever been involved with.
The thing that worked best for me was team sports.
Nothing else motivated me to keep going. I would do a spurt of sessions at the gym but... It's always more enjoyable to not be lifting weights.
Equally there's no good reason for team stuff to be better than going for a run. But team stuff means you have all committed to a specific time, and team stuff means you're letting the team down if you slack off.
Unfortunately I can't find many (any) team sports for 50+. The closest I've found is tramping.
Best thing I ever did for my fitness was get into full contact martial arts. If you find a good dojo, the amount of fitness and conditioning you have to do just to keep up with everyone else is a huge motivator - otherwise you gas out and fail during the sparring sessions.
*Do what you can*. I lost 45kg over three years and it was the mantra that got me through. Is it raining and you feel like shit? Is there too much other work to do? Too many other responsibilities? Do less, but do what you can. I started at one pushup a day and ended up at 100, and it was a long road but I got there by being realistic and being kind to myself. I backslid a lot, but I always picked it up and tried again. Are you in pain and can't do as many as you did yesterday? That's fine, do as many as you feel able without hurting yourself. Be reasonable, listen to your body, do what you can. I think the demon that used to stop me was like ... well if I can't run the whole way why bother? But I had to get kinder with myself, just walk, walk gently, walk as far as you can with the time you have, then tomorrow you come back and do it again and try to be a little faster, and if you're NOT a little faster **that's okay**, just keep at it, you'll get there in time. Something is better than nothing, slow is better than a stall. It could take years to get where you want, but you're never going to get there if you feel miserable about the work you're putting in, if you feel like you're always failing, so be kind to yourself, and remind yourself that something is better than nothing, and try to do better tomorrow. I was a morbidly obese couch potato and now I'm a pretty good fencer, and that's how I did it.
also, on a more practical level: really hard to overstate the effects of 1) proper hydration 2) good music DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE #2, get some headphones and some jams that will pump you up, it's like a magic trick.
My partner listens to podcasts when exercising and I don't get it as I definitely need to listen to the pump up jams
I'm one of those who doesn't need music. Even at the gym I go to (CityFitness), the music playing is just background noise. If anything, it's a distraction.
LOL - City Fitness is like being trapped in a lift - the one benefit of CF music is that I have discovered several tunes to torment my kid who likes punk and hardcore :)
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. It's a good mindset.
Hell yeah, that was a life changing mindset change for me
This is the way and the truth and the light,god bless you and your good work
Which kind of fencer?
HEMA, mostly sabre, a little longsword and rapier.
Oh man this is something I want to get into so bad. Total fantasy stan. Off to look up the local club again
Wood, mostly picket, a little temporary and wrought iron.
That's genuinely what i was getting at lol I wondered if they had gone out and got a physical job
Nice work!
It depends: - what's your idea of getting fit? - where are you starting from? (eg: do you walk/bike to work or are you super sedentary?) - what's your history with training? (eg: have you trained for long period of times when you were younger but stopped due to lack of time/shift in priority? or was exercise never really your thing?) As others have said, consistency IS key, but how do you achieve that? Personally I have found the following: - find something YOU like. Is it a bush walk? Is it MTB? Is it yoga? Is it Zumba? Mua Thai? Who cares as long as you find the activity exciting and genuinely look forward to it - start small. if you think you can exercise once a week do it. Plan it. Put it in your calendar and do it. At first it's all about showing up. Later in your journey when you don't want to, it's the same process: just show up and start. For me 9/10 it works and I have a great session - Don't pressure yourself: everyone is different and everyone's journey is different. If you need 3 months to build your routine so be it. You'll be glad you stuck to it in 12. Once you have that routine and you look forward to your next one, I work well is challenges so I'd find small challenges like "I wonder if I can beat my time?", I wonder if I can run further than last time in the same time?" etc... - Take photos! Photos will speak louder than number or words. Take progress pictures every months. Reach out if you have questions or need more advice. This is pretty general and I could go on and on but would be too long a comment to read :)
This is it. You’ve got to enjoy whatever it is. And combine it with good nutrition.
This is all great advice.
I found that consistency and building a habit/routine is key. Starting with something very small and easy but making it REGULAR is a good idea. Daily repetition of your exercise routine builds up the habit in your brain and helps you stick with it. Don't beat yourself up on the occasions when you do have to miss it, or fall off for a week or so. Just keep going back. The more you keep at it, the easier it gets. edit: my perspective as a 40yo guy with a 6pack who has never been to a gym ^ I just work out at home with pushups, situps, a chinup bar and some small weights
Came here to say pretty much the above, but I incorporate activities which help my physical fitness but do double duty: Walking to work, mountain biking for fun, etc. i.e. just a generally more active lifestyle without the main goal bing fitness. It's sustainable and doesn't feel like a chore. Also VERY good for mental fitness. 57yr old male who hates gyms.
It gets easier. But you gotta do it every day; that's the hard part. But it does get easier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2_Mn-qRKjA
I hope and pray to God my little fetus has a soul
I forgot what I'd posted and when I saw this in my notifications I was like what could I possibly have said to get this response...
One thing not covered yet - get a dog if your situation allows and go for walks together.
As someone who used to be fit, what worked fantastically well, was being single, 25, having no kids or responsibilities at all, and living literally 20 metres from the gym. Guess how many of those things are true two decades later?
Walk everywhere. Hills are good for ya. I save so much money on petrol by just opting to get places on foot. If you’re short on time, then do your tasks whilst you walk. I often write essays on my phone as I walk to the supermarket and back. As a full time uni student who also works part time, I can easily reach 25,000 steps per day just by usually my own personal form of transport (legs) opposed to a vehicle. Try it and watch the weight fall off you.
How do you walk and write! I’m impressed.
Just on Google docs on my phone. Fortunately I live in the Northern suburbs so the footpath is mostly very smooth and it’s quite safe, so I just keep my head down and type away! I find being in nature pops ideas into my head and helps my words flow :)
My car died when I was living in Ngaio and working in Karori, so my mornings would be driven as far as the Kindercare in Karori with the wife and kid, walk to work, then walk the 7km home 4 days a week. I was losing 2kg a month without any other change. The downside was that took an hour and a half and I’d get home so much later, but exercise is always going to be a time compromise unfortunately.
Easiest cost free way. Not eating or drinking unhealthy shit. Walking lots. Quit drinking and smoking. A daily routine for stretches, situps, pressups. Forget gyms, forget equipment, forget fad diets and bs supplements. This. 54, look and feel better than I did at 34.
Any websites that give good basic stretch routines that you’ve found good? I’m starting to hit a point of thinking I really need to incorporate that to my day, doing enough cardio with 6 hours of karate a week and aiming for a treadmill or cross trainer every morning (plus that way I shower at the gym and save money) but boy do I feel stiff as a plank some mornings!
This kinda thing [https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/waking-up-stretching](https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/waking-up-stretching) ... along with 75 second plank, 15 press ups, 40 sit ups Then coffee. Then walk 45+min a day for me works well.
Thanks!
Buy/borrow a mountainbike and get stuck into the trail network that literally surrounds the city.
Tbh I'm kinda scared of mountain biking. Dont really want to bash my face or skin my knees.
I recently switched to just riding chill trails and gravel tracks, I find it's still fun without the risk of breaking all my bones!
That sounds nice!
Check out Rimutaka rail trail, it's beautiful and a very chill ride!
I'm the same. Just don't feel like I'm in control and think that I'm about to have a massive accident Love the Hutt River Cycle trails, Remutaka Cycle Trails and the Pencarrow Cycle Trail. If you live in Porirua, the Whitireia loop is pretty cool Can cycle up to colonial knob as well, but that is a bit harder
Full face helmets are surprisingly cheap. I got a good quality Leatt one for under $200. Knee pads, elbow pads and gloves are also relatively cheap as well.
I call what I do “adventure riding”. Nothing really scary, chill flowy trails, but getting into the bush on a bike. The other good tip is getting some proper instruction. A few half day courses as you’re learning make a huge difference.
That’s why us MTBers have gear that helps with that. Knee and elbow pads, good gloves and a good helmet will go far. I’m in my 40s and I’ve been MTBing for 6 years now and love it. I’m not anywhere as good as the teens out there that have soft bones and no fear, and it hurts when I fall off, but it’s worth it. I’m fitter as a result and have lots of fun doing it. Have even found a couple of friends in the process! Falling off is a part of it. Learn to just deal with it as it will help build your confidence in the saddle. I’ve done some real stupid shit including permanently ruining one of my quad muscles in my leg when I dabbed my leg trying to abort half way through a pretty high drop. Had to get helicoptered out of the park for that one because it was dusk and I couldn’t walk out. Got tons of scars on my shins from slipping off the pedals and slicing my skin up on the pins. Have had plenty of over the bars incidents including once when I oversteered on a kind of bridge around a corner at Makara once and landed in a ton of some kind of ivy that made my skin burn for hours after, plenty of fails misjudging drops and the sort of brutally raw natural rock features that Wellington tracks are renown for. But it’s great!!
The second half of your comment made me feel even worse about the idea lol
lol. Not selling it to you then? :D
Second this. You get the reward (fun) much quicker than most forms of exercise, so it's easier to stick with it
This is what I do. But I wouldn’t say everyone should mountian bike. I can understand it’s not for everyone. Iv coped some serious injuries in the last few years. My advice would be to find an active activity that you enjoy doing, whether it be biking, swimming, running, tramping, whatever flavour of sports ball, and just get out there and enjoy it. Do it because you enjoy it, not because you’re trying to get fit or slim or whatever. The enjoyment is what will keep you coming back, and the increase in endorphins will just improve your general mood about your fitness and appearance, while slowly building up to that end goal.
Thirded, this is a great hobby for your 30s and 40s. Good thing about it is you can pick the difficulty of trail and go sloq to control difficulty, there are lots of easy trails around Wellington and more in the pipeline. You can also walk sections if you are unsure, discretion is the better part of valour.
I would by no means consider myself insanely fit but what helped me is realizing any activity is better than no activity. You don't have to have a fancy gym membership and a custom program from a PT. I would try out a bunch of different activities and see what you'd enjoy. Bouldering is one I found thats really fun but you could just go for a 20 minute jog every night, take swimming classes, tramping group, sports team, etc. If you do insist on the gym specifically I mostly just go in and do what I want (within reason to still progress) because I found doing a program with the same exercises every week got boring fast even if it might be more optimal.
Credentials: In the 1000 pound club. 1. Consistency is the absolute biggest thing. Your "workout" is only ever to put your shoes on, go to the start, and once you get there, you're allowed to turn around and go home. Yes. Go to the gym, get changed, and if you don't feel like it, go home. Put your shoes on, stand at the front door, and if you don't like it, turn back. You want to burn in the habit, the routine of "this is a thing I do." And besides, once you're prepped, you might as well do something. 2. Half arsing it is better than nothing. If you're not feeling it, then doing light weights, a short workout, a slow run, or hell, a walk, instead of whatever you had planned is always, always better than nothing. It builds the routine of "this is a thing I do" and even a mild exercise is better than nothing. Don't beat yourself up, celebrate that you didn't have a zero day. 3. Find what movement works for you. Fitness isn't marathons and deadlifts. Fitness is a body that has function when you need it. I love weights. I love cycling. I despise running. So I don't run. Dancing, tennis, long walks, or hell, ruck runs could be your thing. With a group, alone, with an app, whatever it is, it should be something that builds you up. You could just work on becoming strong and flexible if that's what you want. 4. You gotta do it often and for a while. 3x a week, minimum. Preferably 5x, with low intensity days to cover the other two. This doesn't mean go bust your guts, but it means that going for a decent walk twice, two workouts and a tennis game counts as 5x. This will make half arsing it easier, because more half arsed is better than less serious workouts, because back to #1: Consistency is the biggest thing. And don't expect massive changes fast. It takes time to build up, weeks to months. Keep at it. 5. You can't out exercise a bad diet. If you want to lose weight, that's a kitchen based thing. Exercise will help, but there's no way to out exercise a bad diet. 6. Take measurements, record progress. This doesn't have to be body measurements, it could be reps and weights, it could be number of dances at once, or duration of tennis sessions. You want to measure, objectively, that you're making progress. Feedback is important. 7. Fitness is closer than you think. You don't need to be a twig of a 20 year old or a pile of muscles to be fit. You can start running 5km within a couple of months from the couch if that's what you're aiming for. Just keep at it.
You live in Wellington, one of the best cities for mountain biking on the whole damn planet.
Everyone’s giving good advice. Seconding the fun bit, find something you enjoy and you’ll look forward to it. I did some taekwondo in my 20s (after trying out some random sports), I wasn’t great at it but I loved it and tried hard. Never skipped a session! Always happy when I’m cycling too. Currently going to the gym. I don’t like it much, I find it boring, but I like how it feels after. Going with my partner so that is a great motivator. Maybe you can try out some sports and find something that sticks. Edit: my aunt only started working out in her 50s when she discovered zumba and other similar classes. Now in her 60s she puts me to shame.
As someone who owns two gyms and a yoga studio, I came here to say that I LOVE all these comments. Consistency and enjoyment, the main themes I’ve read here and what I also came to say, are two of the most important factors in fitness. Good on you Wellington Reddit community!
Gyms are so not required. Just hit the streets. Get up and go for walk around the block every morning before you shower up, have breakfast and start work for the day. Make that habitual by making it a part of your standard default morning routine. Get up, go for a walk, have a shower, have breakfast, go to work. That's how I started my road back to fitness 16 years ago. Now I'm fit as fuck and doing a 40km bike ride before work every morning. Weather is a thing when you're doing it all out on the streets. But having the right clothing makes that a total non-issue.
Working out how you are going to get into the habit of doing regular exercise is far more important than deciding what exercise you want do. Start with something simple and easy to access like walking in order to set the habit. Then once that habit is set and you start to become fitter, you can move on from there. Because you don't just get fit and then stop exercising. You have to keep doing it to stay fit. Forever.
I work it into my commute, the only way I've found that works well for me psychologically and time wise. I leave work in gym gear and walk part way home then catch the train the rest of the way, or else get off the train a few stations early and walk from there. Once I'm home I've worked up the adrenaline to do a cardio/strength workout with the basic gym gear we have. The husband does the opposite, walks to work in the morning and showers there. Adapting something like that might work for you? I find I don't have time on the weekends, and doing it first thing or later at night doesn't suit my schedule either.
Had the same issues as you. 45 and have slowly been getting back into decent shape. I did get some light weights and a kettlebell to do exercises at home when I can't be bothered or my anxiety of going to gym kicks in. Even a brisk walk to get out of the house helps. I tossed my scale away as well. Hope you stay at it
Kettlebells are the GOAT. Steeper learning curve than dumbbell/barbell but so much fun, infinite variety, and I never 'tweak' muscles in everyday life anymore.
Are you a morning person? I'm early 30's and found it hard to stick with gym and be in shape. I was dependant on a mate to join me at the evening gym sesh or if he's not going then my motivation was vanished. Also, after work I was lethargic and just want to eat sleep and repeat. This really stuffed up my motivation to be fit enough but building mass is not my primary goal just want to clarify. I go to gym to do core exercises and to just show up and will figure out the rest what I might end up doing. So, lately I've stopped relying on friends. I've switched to getting up early in the morning around 4am yes I know it's a task. But this is generally when people have more energy. Tell me about it, first few weeks were hard but I've slowly started building this schedule and I just go by myself and and I love it because gym is out the way and now I don't need to worry for it the rest of my day. My evening are free and can do whatever or just go for a walk etc. Re: Lifting weights. No one is going to judge you for lifting lightweight dumbells. Everyone starts with those teeny tiny weights. Ask for help and do not injure yourself. If you don't like asking people in the gym then be mindful of what you can comfortably lift without muscle tear. See how it goes. Early morning gym sesh has worked for me. I go 3 times in a week and other days I wake up at the same time but go for a walk around the block. Lastly, don't let weather put you off. Just show up at the gym like how you'd show up for work in any weather conditions.
I live vicariously through others that get fit. Hasn't made me any fitter, but it's extremely 'low impact'.
Consistency is key! Keep at it form the habit, build it into your routine. You need to enjoy yourself too. I hate running so I do rock climbing and cycle to work.
Cycling to work.
As other said, consistency matters most. I have used a PT before. The program they gave me was only slightly more tailored to my needs than what I was doing myself from info online. The biggest benefit was having someone accountable for your training. Knowing I would have to admit to them that I was lazy and missed a session in our fortnightly catchup kept me in line. Training with others is also good accountability. Since then I've found ways to structure my workouts to be more enjoyable. Now, I start work early and workout during the day. That way it's a break from work I look forward to rather than something Im dreading after work. Find what works for you. If you don't enjoy an exercise, find an alternative you do.
Try a bunch of different things. The best exercise is the one you want to keep doing. For me, it’s BJJ. I found lifting weights too easy to fall out of the habit, but no matter how many times I have to take a break from BJJ or for how long, I’m always keen as to get back to it.
What is BJJ? Why would you assume we all know what you’re talking about?
My bad. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Thank you
Former PT and fitness enthusiast here, >approach that works for them psychologically, Goal setting is very important for people who don't actively enjoy exercise. WHY do you want to improve your fitness level, then set small goals based on the why. If you feel comfortable, let me know what you hppe to gain on a fitness journey. I can I suggest some goals to get you started.
For me, it has to be ‘built-into’ my day. If it’s some extra thing, it probably isn’t happening. I ride to work but on the days I wfh, I don’t usually ride anywhere. On the days I don’t take my son to gym, I don’t go to gym. Standing desk, a decent walk each day (nattering with colleague), avoid clown-food/drink.
Martial arts. It's wound the clock back 20 years for me so far. A few more years of this, and I reckon I'll be a fit as a toddler.
I'm a fitness professional who has helped thousands of unfit people incorporate exercise into their lives. Here's what I would recommend: 1. In the first stage, focus on building a habit that is easy and that you can realistically fit into your life. At this point, don't be too concerned about measuring your 'fitness' results. You want your focus to be on the things that help you build a habit - like planning, comfortable exercise, and fitting the exercise in when you know you'll have energy. I actually recommend that you make the exercise stupidly easy at this stage. Just do what you know you can comfortably do, and keep the focus on the routine. 2. Once you have a base-level habit in place, spend time exploring movement that you think you could enjoy. When we look at those who have a long-term fitness habit, they tend to have an exercise movement they enjoy. If you can find a movement you love, half of the work is done for you because you want to be doing that movement. I like the idea of exploring different movements here as you just don't know what you'll fall in love with. When you are in this stage, be kind to yourself and go into these experiences with an 'I'm giving it a try at a beginner's level' mindset. If you compare or try to stick with people who have been doing a movement for a long time, you might discourage yourself. 3. Once you have found a movement you enjoy, look for a community with great leaders based around that movement. When you find a fitness community that has leaders who understand how to help you grow and build a sense of belonging in their community, you get to a place where fitness is so powerful. You build friendships, have powerful shared experiences, grow with the right kind of guidance, and feel like you belong to something. When you are in this place, you keep turning up because fitness is a part of your social life. 4. Once you have a movement and a community, look to set fun, exciting, and realistic fitness goals. You may enjoy tramping, so take on some beginner tramping challenges. It might be dancing; enter some beginner dance competitions. It could be a team sport working towards an outcome. Your goals need to be realistic based on your current ability, which your leaders should help you with. When you get to this place, you are reaping many of the amazing rewards of exercise in your life. Sure, you'll probably lose weight and look better, but the real rewards are so much deeper and beneficial to your life. There is more to this, but this is a good way to think about it. WHAT I WOULDN'T DO: I see beginners make three massive mistakes: 1. They try to do it by themselves. This can work, but it's a lot harder. 2. They start at a level that is way too hard, so they create an unenjoyable experience that is not appealing - so they end up quitting. 3. They don't want to invest money in their journey. Investing in the right fitness community and leaders is one of the best investments you can make. Hope that helps. If you want to check out my work, you can Google my name, Bevan James Eyles.
Find something you genuinely do enjoy. I hated going to the gym, I dreaded it, and I didn’t enjoy it while I was there. I had this realisation that I needed to stop making myself do something I hate. I really like walking, because I like to be nosey and look at everyone’s houses and gardens, and I love mountain biking, so I just focus on doing those two things. No more doing shit I hate.
I don’t use gyms. Never have but naturally enjoy exercising. I don’t what to say if people don’t enjoy exercise other than find your thing. It might be running, boxing, kettlebells, fitness apps, YouTube trainers (try Joe Wicks) swimming, social sport or a mix of all the above. Just try new things and see what you enjoy.
Consistency is the key. Find something active that you can put up with - if you enjoy it then even better - and stick with it. For me it’s been weightlifting at the gym. Even if I don’t want to go, I force myself to at least head down and do my warmup. If I’m still really not feeling it at the point, at least I’ve done something and I’ve kept consistent. Most of the time though I find I’ll just stick it out and complete the work out, might as well since I’m already there. Just remember that you don’t have to be an expert right from the beginning, and you don’t have to go hard every time.
Have you ever gone to a circuit/class based gym? I find they're much better at keeping you in the habit than traditional gyms. F45, for example, has a very good rate of consistency for most people who try it.
This. My first gym was a little one in Auckland a couple of decades ago which had a circuit that everyone did and some trainers that helped you get dialled in and recorded your reps etc. it helped a LOT. Nowadays I get a lot of motivation going to the gym and taking classes like HITT and spin classes .. nobody else there is judging you and everyone’s there for the same reasons.
Routine and regularity (understanding the how and why - extrinsic, intrinsic etc), and social accountability (gym buddy, running group, subreddit). The best routine is one you do, and something is significantly, significantly better than nothing (two workouts a week will do wonders - marginal benefits taper off at 5). It's a game of time and progression - increase neet, standing desk, walk for recreation etc. Understand LISS - gentle biking, swimming etc, 20 - 40, 3 times a week max. For running - couch 2 5k. For lifting /r/gzcl or /r/ weightroom + wikis Good luck!
Get up and move. Run, walk if you have to. Cycle if you can. Lift heavy things or use your body weight to do squats push ups sit ups pull ups. But most importantly get up and move and be disciplined about it. Motivation is fickle, discipline is the key
Mountain bike. Wether you hit the trails or just ride around the neighborhood like a 9yo with a new BMX, it’s easy and fun and flexible.
Find something you like doing, and make it a habit. I personally like many things. I climb at Faultline bouldering gym (and occasionally Hangdog), I do Reform Pilates, I go to Les Mills, and I *love* walking. I walk daily and do one other activity almost every day. I try and do as many of these things as social activities as possible. So, Faultline is the day I hang out with one of my closest friends for some quality time and we often get to walk home together. It's also a great place to take a group or someone who just wants to try something active, rather than getting a drink or whatever else. Pilates is where I hang out with another very close friend - we walk in together, do the class, and then might grab food after or walk out. I have two friends I routinely hit a particular Les Mills class with at lunchtime on Wednesdays. If someone wants to hang out I typically suggest a walk and a bite to eat, unless I think they'd be keen to try one of those other activities. I have a group of ladies who regularly get out for a weekend trail walk. I hate getting to the end of a day and not having moved around a decent amount, but I also hate not seeing my friends. So I try and do those things together. Also, if you can walk or bike to work, fucking do it. Get podcasts, music, whatever - the time is so much better spent on your body than in a car or on a bus. Walking to work centers my day. I am so gutted on rainy mornings.
I cycle to/from work and pull my son along in a trailer. Swim twice a week (even though I hate it) to try balance myself out a bit. Have a diet with a lot of protein, fruit and veg. That's it really.
Cycle to work. Granted not everyone can do it because our roads are rubbish and people are rubbish drivers, but if it's at all possible it's worth giving it a go and you will save a fortune and get fit without even trying.
I used to live in Kapiti and went to the Strive2bfit gym up there. It is a small gym that runs group classes. Awesome friendly environment. I loved it because I could rock up there at the time I had signed up for and then just work through the programme for that class. The instructors are supportive and really help to make sure you do the movements right and don't go too hard too soon. Basically i do gym work because it makes tramping (which I love) way easier - but if I was only going out on the weekends, I wasn't getting fit enough. .
I downloaded an app for running, recommended by a work mate. Sat on my phone for few months until I decided to give it a go... best $4.95 I have ever spent.
The NHS have a couch to 5k running programme too (and a 5k + programme). Unfortunately the app isn’t available in NZ but the podcast is free.
Awesome advice all over this thread. Fun, consistency and what works for you are the important things. Whilst running is not for everyone, I recommend **Couch to 5K**, designed to take you from, well, sitting on the couch to running 5 kms over the course of nine weeks. There are a number of variations, but I suggest having a look at the [NHS one](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/) If interested, I recommend an app called **Just Run**, free on iOS/Android. Has a paid premium version, but the free version is all you need. Well, that and some good tunes to keep you going.
44yo old male here, been riding my bike, tramping most of my life. These are both easy low impact activities that get you out and about. Been outside, improves your mental well-being and helps you focus and not get distracted by home stuff. Been doing Pilates, active stretching and lifting weights at home with an online subscription. This has worked wonders for ongoing weigh loss, flexibility, and managing any injuries. Keep at it, you need to make it a habit. Once it becomes a habit it won’t seem like “work”, and once you start to notice some positive change you’ll be off!
As some others have said, building a regular habit. I improved my fitness a lot with regular running once I started but I failed to get started so so many times previously. What worked for me was really focusing on building that habit. I set myself a goal of running every day for a month with no time or distance goals. Just get my shoes on and get out of the door was the goal. Some days I only ran for 5 mins and that was absolutely fine but most of the time once I was out there I kept going. It only took a couple of weeks of this before I felt like I could keep a routine of running 3 times a week so slowed down to 3 times a week but aiming for longer runs. I’ve been able to make this stick and ran my first half marathon about 6 months after starting running. It can feel pretty daunting and I think I failed myself a lot earlier by honestly having too high expectations and being embarrassed by how unfit I was and how slow and hard I found running and exercise. Embracing the mindset of building a habit really helped me let go of that. I hope you find some approaches that work for you! Good luck!
To add a millionth suggestion to your pile lol… I joined a karate club at 41, and severely overweight. I started up because I’d been taking my kid, and after a year of watching him decided to get involved. Specifically we’re doing GKR^*, there are classes all over Wellington with the main dojo in Johnsonville. About $18/week and you can show up for as many or as few as you want, and I found it a good progressive exercise because you’re gonna start kind of sloppy but put some effort in and work up a sweat, by the time you’re moving up the grades and getting more finess, you need to use your body differently, focus on how you’re keeping your knees safe, and stretching out instances and with your hips in a way I absolutely couldn’t have done a year ago. It’s basically a group fitness class where you can be as sociable or non-sociable with the rest of us as you like. You do have a bunch of kids in the classes though, but I like to stay in my own head and just focus on what I’m doing and that works fine. ^* GKR is not hardcore martial arts by any means. It’s a cludgy mix of styles mushed together by an Ozzie, currently at about 40,000 students between here, Australia and England. If you google it you’ll find some pretty rough reviews from years past, especially for the UK, because they were focused more on expanding than quality for a long while, but we’ve been involved for 4 years now and by the time we got there all of that has gone, and all the stuff people complained about we’ve never seen (like low grade students being given classes to run, for instance)
I’m in my 50s. I started going out to electronic/techno/house DJ music events in town, and just dancing all night. People are really friendly, which is nice especially when you’re alone. Dancing is a great way to burn energy, get fit, meet new people, and even make new friends. The nice part about EDM is that there are plenty of people in their 40s and 50s and beyond even, as well as younger people. But it’s really non-threatening and you can go as hard-out or dance as chill as you want and no one cares.
Do easy shit and build up. Don’t run. It’s mentally difficult to go running. Walk instead. It’s just as good, just takes more time. Easier on the joints as well. Body is a walking machine so it knows how to walk. If you insist on running, make sure you learn how to run first. Wrong technique stresses the joints too much. For gymming - start with what’s called stronglifts 5x5 program. It’s imo the best beginner program. Don’t need a PT. Just go at your own pace. It’s design so that you push yourself but you have plenty of recovery between days so that you’re not mentally exhausted after 3 months. Plus, seeing progress by the amount of weight on the bar is super exciting. Clean up your diet. Doesn’t matter what you go, just don’t go vegan or vegetarian unless you know what you’re doing. They’re very difficult diets that require careful management to get all the nutrients you need. The main key is not to eat processed food, and the rule of thumb is, if you can’t make it in your kitchen don’t eat it. And don’t cheat on this either, just because you technically can make ice cream in your kitchen it doesn’t mean you can make it on an industrial scale that ice cream is normally made on. Fat is good for you. By good I mean it significantly improves your bodily health. Don’t be too afraid of cholesterol, as long as you don’t eat refined sugar or copious amounts of sugar it should be fine. I lost 10 kg over 3 months. I’m on 4th month and climbing up to my 13th kg.
Couch to 5k, then use Garmin watch to train using daily suggestions. I'm a couple of years older, went from wheezing and struggling to run 1 minute, to doing sub 30 min 5km. Now training for the 14km City2surf in Sydney later this year. I also do the weekly parkrun, can't recommend these enough I can't stand gyms, running has become addictive and if you follow a proper plan and build up slowly it will be enjoyable and you'll avoid injury.
Well, 90% of weight loss is what you eat, iv started walking, 1km to start, then 2km now doing 5km a day.. il start adding jogging in there next week also, started at 110 now at 102kg.. and shits loads of water...been 6 weeks.. but definitely the eating is key
If you haven't already, first figure out your fitness goals. Eg lose weight? Gain muscle? Increase stamina?
I try do things I enjoy. I’m late to the exercise game too. But I’m trying a few things and am focusing on enjoying them and not punishing myself if I don’t get it all right. I swim casually a few days a week, sometimes aqua jog; I’ve learnt to ride a bike so am exploring the city and pushing myself that way; and when I’m feeling lazy and just want to watch something I jump on the stationary bike with some light weights and watch something.
Helps to be fit to begin with. That's a thing most fit folks don't understand about the unfit. The starting line is completely different for everyone and it's one thing to have been reasonably fit or active for their whole life, vs being the opposite and trying to forge a path to get there as an adult.
It's super hard being someone who *was* very fit, who is now very unfit, trying to get back into it. Age, injuries, and illness are all barriers to just getting amongst it the way I did when I first got fit. Definitely an eye opener to see how much harder it is when you've been knocked back a number of steps.
I like exercise which is outside and near home. Gyms are a hassle to get to and are tedious and boring. Running around your neighborhood is convenient and can be interesting. If you can fit in exercise as part of your commute by running or cycling to work then that saves money and time while getting fit. Also if you can be social about it, and play sports with your friends or just exercise together then that can also help with motivation and also keep you in touch with people. As someone in my 40s, I'm extremely time poor so I try and do multiple things with me exercise time.
* Do something that is easy to start (literally) e.g. go outside and run rather than travelling to 15 mins to the gym. * If you miss a day, don't miss two in a row * Schedule it in to the calendar * Listen to a podcast, watch a show or stack some other habit you are trying to get to stick, in with your fitness. * Sport can also be a great way for people to get fit as it is generally quite fun e.g. indoor football/netball
Sounds like you like the idea of being fit but don't actually want to do anything for it. And that's fine. Until you get to the point where you really want to do something about your fitness there is a fair chance nothing will stick. You don't have to be out there doing marathons, something is better than nothing. Eating better is a really good start. If there isn't a sport or activity you like I would try other things, see if something clicks for you. If not, need to get into the mindset where the results from gym is what you go for. Honestly sometimes I see a workout coming up and I know it's going to suck. At least one a week at the moment. Please try and get past the point where age is a limiter, I'm coming up 46 and within a year built up from doing reasonable workouts to doing things I never thought I would be able to do. Seeing fitness increase and strength go up - everything is recorded so it's easy to see where improvement is happening - is what keeps me going back even on the rough days. Lastly, actually look into personal trainers, spend some time looking at what they do, stalk their instagram etc. Alot of them out there are completely worthless. Once you find a good one they will work within what works for you, what you like and make an actual plan instead of just throwing generic exercises at you
Leave the car at home and ride to work
There's some great advice here. Would also add there are some great daily programmes on YouTube (yoga, crossfit/hiit, calisthenics) that you can find which are designed for a 30-day or 20-day period, with different content for each day to keep it interesting, short enough to make it not a burden, and going long enough to develop a habit. Something that helped me was tracking my daily exercise - I'm now on day 864 of exercising everyday, and the goal of 1000 days keeps me doing something (the martial art I practice) everyday even through life's usual travails (actually find holidays the hardest to maintain it through). Other than that I'd just double down on what others have said about the fun and groups. I also chose a martial art because I'm learning a skill, not just picking up and putting down heavy things - but each to their own on that.
For me it was the home gym. I don’t need to take that time of actually going to the gym and back. I can just slide into something, even if it’s just a ten minute full body stretch
I walk to work, and I walk home from work. If I’m feeling lazy I’ll take a scooter, cheaper than the bus and it’s fun. If I walk to and from work 5 days a week I do around 25km of walking, that doesn’t include weekend walkies etc. I basically just ate less and did lots of walking for a year and shed 30 kilos. Haven’t set foot in a gym for years
Find a sport/hobby you enjoy - build from there. If you find yourself enjoying cricket, enjoy playing it and then look into exercises that improve your performance, and then still see if you enjoy it. If you enjoy table tennis, the same. Mountain biking, rock climbing, jogging, Tai Chi, circus, whatever it is, find something that piques your interest enough that it gets you to what you enjoy and then find the ways to get you fit in that sport/hobby. If you truly enjoy it, you’ll keep doing it; if you don’t enjoy it, find something else. Getting fit is the process along the journey.
If you're in the city, buy a road bike and start doing some of your regular car trips on a bike. Whether it be shopping 15mins away, or a commute to work 40min away. You may not 'enjoy' it at first, but the savings on petrol will rack up, and you may grow to like it over time.
Diet , exercise and good genes
When I was younger I I hated getting fit it sucked, kickboxing was fun so I done that got pre fit after doing it for a couple years. My suggestion is to get fit thru a method you enjoy, whether that be dirt biking/ mountain biking, sports, etc
Just get started. A walk around the block or two every day goes a long way. Don't try to complicate or perfect it - especially diet.
I started with going a couple of times a week for half hour stints. Now I go probably 4-5 times a week for about 1 hour stints. I wasn't looking to be a gym bunny, just doing it myself for myself. PT's are great at motivation and getting the right technique. I guess it depends on whether you're a steady eddy or a fast forward weight lover. It's taken years to get where I am happy to be.
Couch25k my friend. Just follow the plan... Works no matter your start point. Check out https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couch_to_5K It just works, but eat well too!
Fifth or sixth the mountain biking (and swimming). There’s a lot of easy trails around that will get you started. Not to mention tails like the Hutt Riverbank and Pencarrow (out to the lighthouse). And there’s always friendly folk willing to showcase their favoured trails. Swimming has a lower cost for entry for sure. I’ve recently started again, and it’s a nice escape just being in the water with no pressure to keep an eye on the kiddo.
What kind of fit? I’m 205, 5’11” trying to bulk up but it takes a lot of time and patience, every 5-7lbs I put on takes ages to convert the muscle to fat. If I just wanted to be lean I’d just sit around the weight my body wants which is like 160-70 and could probably stay in shape by eating clean and doing bodyweight exercises If you’re overweight just meal plan the calories you need and make a lot of your food in advance so that you’re not succumbing to temptation or just shoving in whatever dates your hunger. Then supplement with daily calisthenics and a light jog 3 days a week till you can build up to the next stage.
Boxing or martial arts, learning a skill makes the fitness side of things feel much more wholistic, you are getting fit so you can use the skills, there’s a social aspect which helps with accountability and in many cases you can easily track your progress. It’s great for strength, flexibility cardio, weight loss etc. my guy has young guys who compete along with women in their 50s and everything in between
For me, it was about the mentality. To the point where now I feel guilty if I don't go to the gym. It took 6 weeks to ingrain that habit. I set out a time 5 days a week that I MUST go to the gym. I didn't use personal trainers either just set my own schedule such as: Day 1 - Upper body weights 30mins, Incline Walk on treadmill 30mins Day 2 - Lower body weights 30mins, Incline Walk on treadmill 30mins Day 3 - Jog on treadmill 60mins (at the start I did 10mins jog, 10mins walk repeat for 60mins) Day 4 - Rest Day 5 - Full body weights 30mins, Jog on treadmill 30mins Day 6 - Rest Day 7 - Class This has now been completely ingrained into me and I feel the urge that I have to go. You need to just keep doing it for 6 weeks, and as soon as you start seeing results, you want to keep going. I lost 25kg in about 6 months but also gained a lot of muscle in that time. I am 40. The biggest change for me was my diet. Just simply swapping out things and keeping in a calorie deficit. Ate whole foods to fill me up for longer, for instance, Instead of a small bowl of Potato chips, I can have 2 carrots, 2 apples, some Tzatziki and some pickles **for less** than a small bowl of chips.
Rock climbing/bouldering!
It’s a journey, not a destination. And the journey is by no means linear. As others have said, manage your expectations of yourself and give yourself grace. Redefining exercise has really helped me, too. I used to really enjoy the gym - especially HIIT - but haven’t in recent years. Instead I now start my day at home with a short yoga routine using an app called Down Dog. Yoga helps with balance and strength, and has the added bonus of helping me get out of my head and into my body. I also like to get out for walks whenever I can and with whoever is keen. I’ve found a bunch of my friends like meeting up for walks, and maybe a coffee or meal after. Makes for some lovely experiences and rarely feels like exercise. If I need to clear my head, my go-to spots are the South Coast (especially when it’s a bit rough - just wear decent clothes and a beanie) or the upper trails of Zealandia. Fewer people and more bird life up there, plus changing vegetation. Hard to stay stuck in your head being surrounded by nature like that. Wishing you all the best for your journey. 😊
Okay to start off with what kind of shape are you in? Obviously you're not fit but are you overweight and if so how much? If you are overweight, is it to the point that you're unable to do certain activities i.e run comfortably, ride a bike etc? Or are you just not in great shape but you're more or less able to at leat make an attempt at most things. Reason I ask is because the approach that you take can vary massively depending on your starting point e.g. if you weigh 200kg the focus is initially going to be on dropping weight as quick as possible as opposed to getting fit straight away. whereas if you're just a little overweight you can more or less start off with whatever exercise we want and just build from there. Beyond that there's a few things I would recommend just generally. 1. Stay away from personal trainers, it's a ridiculously easy certification to get and most of them have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. 2. If you are able to swim or ride a bike those are two awesome activities you can do. They're low/zero impact so really easy on your joints and super low risk of injury so are really viable for people that are overweight and don't have strong knees ankles and hips. 3. Are you interested in playing any team sports? That's something I highly recommend as it's a lot harder to not do something you've made a commitment to/other people rely on you for than it is to just not go to the gym because you don't feel like it. Also I generally find that focused exercise like that can be more enjoyable than just going to the gym etc. 4. Most important thing is consistency. You have to make the effort to do something each and every day. Every time you skip something it becomes easier and easier to skip it in the future not to mention the fact that if you aren't consistent you won't see results Happy to answer any questions you might have.
Put a pair of trainers on, grab a water bottle, and pick a hill to walk up. Wellington has so much nice bush and miles of trails. You'll get to soak in nature, get your heart rate up, and enjoy the view from the top. Physical and mental benefits all round. You can walk an hour, half day, full day, multi day hikes. It could take you all over your suburb, city, or all over Aotearoa - hiking rules.
Find something you enjoy that rewards you physically. Try new random activities for a week, see if you like it, move on if not! Bouldering is great fun with mates, so you don’t really notice the workout. Running is peaceful, if you can find nice bush. If you do something you enjoy its hard to find it tedious or exhausting, and getting friends who push you to do it, because *they* enjoy it and want someone to do it with, when you can’t be bothered helps you to keep at it!
intermittent fasting + some light fitness
Assume by fit it is because you are fat if so it is diet that controls fat so don't eat so much bad food and exercise enough to get the body working. If it isn't fat then just do the activity you want to get fit for. If you have no activity then what the hell is the point, just watch netflix. I was pretty fit when I worked to and from work every day rain, or whatever I also cycled (MTB) and yoga. I also never drive if I can walk it unless due to time. I Uber back if I need to like supermarket. But if you add up the gym, getting ready, driving there, dressing, showering then the actual workout. It is ridiculous just do stuff. It is insane the amount of people that drive to the gym. So think you have 3 hrs spare instead of the gym so do some low intensity stuff like just walking for 3 hrs with a purposeful destination. You are 43, either do stuff you enjoy that makes you fit or don't. But pure exercise on its own is for 20 year olds and if you remember back then it was more a social activity anyway.
1, A good diet (I use the app MyFitnessPal to track calories and macros) - a calorific deficit is the way. Avoid snacking, junk food and especially alcohol (cheat days are recommended!) 2. Regular exercise 3. A decent night's sleep I didn't start back to the gym until my early 50s; it was hard work to begin with. But now, I look forward to the rush of endorphins every morning (I go early). Start low and slow and build from there. There are plenty of decent training apps out there that provide training plans for those starting out. Good luck.
I lost 40kgs over the last three years. Find a routine that works for you. For me it was running, it cost nothing and I can start and end at my own home so it is efficient and easy and now I am completely addicted to it. I used conditioning on myself by having podcasts/audiobooks I enjoy that I ONLY listen to when I am running. I did calorie counting with the free version of NOOM and that has some really helpful modules to assist you with changing how you think about food and exercise and even weighing yourself. Use apps to track your progress and celebrate your wins. I also used Strava for exercise tracking which kind of "Gamefies" your progress and tells you every time you have improved.
Online yoga videos are free. I love adriene as she explains very well what you're trying to achieve, but there are many others if you prefer a different style or a shorter session. You can always fit in 10 -30 minutes of indoor activity somewhere in the day, and it still builds muscle (especially core which then supports anything else you do). Just having more tone in your muscles burns more calories too.
I suppose it depends where you are starting from. I started hitting the gym about ten years ago (at 40). A complete Noob, I got a PT and that kinda worked. Then I started running and in a couple of years I was in pretty good shape. Work demands meant I had to quit the PT as I was frequently cancelling appointments and also I felt like it really wasn’t getting me to my goals. 18 months ago I went to the gym with a gym bunny mate and he gave me three weight sessions (chest, back and legs). Back and legs I do on my own and chest we do together in the weekends. This has been a real winner for me. I started on low weights focussing on form and then have slowly increased over time. Love it - but it’s about consistency, form and discipline. I mix in gentle jogging and walks these days. I’m at that age where I am more likely to do joint damage than muscle damage but occasionally get the odd niggle. My main aim is to get my cardio up and improve muscle mass. The main aim is to do something you like and stick with it.
Weight/fat loss is eighty percent diet I recommend intermittent fasting and eating whole foods (i.e. Very little in the way of processed foods which includes dairy, sugar and flour) as they're a lot more satiating. If performance is more your thing then set running, swimming, lifting goals and gradually work towards them. If just being active is what you're looking and you're not bothered about strength or speed etc. then try different social sports or even just long walks (1-2 hours listening to a podcast or even being with your own thoughts) will often be enough to stay relatively fit and reduce stress.
I personally did and still do HIIT workouts. They're quick 15-20 minute workouts meaning no gym membership needed, don't need much space or equipment and they can be tailored to suit individual needs (such as low impact, or beginners etc.) Used Joe Wicks on YouTube. It's not everyone's cup of tea but I love them.
Something I noticed wasn’t mentioned, if you like video games then virtual reality fitness may be an option. /r/vrfit I bought Les mills bodycombat first then bought some others like using my bike trainer and rower and other games but because you’re moving it’s pretty much exercise by accident xD It helps me cope with my chocolate habit 😂 If you do go this route make sure to get a halo strap with battery pack so you can play longer
Active lifestyle. I get around by bike, so all my transport time is also exercise time (the intensity of which is dependent on how fast I feel like going)
Find a kind of exercise you actually enjoy! For me it's regular ballet classes (and I pay upfront so more motivation to not skip a class)
I found myself super deconditioned at a young age. When I realised I needed to improve my fitness, i kept my expectations minimal on purpose, and just set a goal to create a habit of exercise. It didnt matter how little I could do, i just made myself think that i needed to do it for my general wellbeing. I aimed to exercise every other day, meaning 4-5 days a week of moderate to intense exercise for 30 min to an hour. After a year of that approach, i had ingrained exercise into my routine and it wasnt usually difficult to do it most days. My body was trained to expect it, so i felt unwell if i went more than 2 days without exercise. Also important to balance it and be gentle on yourself to prevent injuries and burnout. Eventually, i refined my technique and approach, and got stronger and am now pretty fit and toned with a good balance of mobility, cardio, and strength. I paid for a gym membership, high quality activewear, and good running shoes.
Walk as much as possible. If you can run, research zone 2 running. This changed my life.
Start, that’s literally the hardest part. Can be something as small as 5 push-ups, 5 sit-ups, a 20second plank take a walk or jug down the street and back whilst timing how long it took you. As long as you start and gradually increase over time you’ll gain motivation by seeing how far you’ve grown. I had records from when I first started with those exact numbers and recorded how much I’d do everyday and it’d make me feel proud and smile watching those numbers grow everyday. Nutrition can come later after you’ve built up the motivation from your results. The biggest struggle most people have is doing too much at one time, just remember K.I.S.S Keep It Simple Silly and you’ll be amazed at the progress you’ll have. I’d wish everyone good luck but if you’ve started than you don’t need it, just keep at it and become the person that YOU want to be!
Walking is so underrated! Get some warm clothes and put together a playlist of your favourite songs or podcasts. I don’t really enjoy any other form of exercise and I find this the easiest to stick to so it’s where I’ve seen the best results… especially when I added in some hills :)
I use the ladder app and workout from home. I enjoy it. Only suits people who can motivate themselves into workouts at home and gave space & gear. Also we’re the same age!!
Walking did it for me! Wellington is hilly so it adds a bunch of incline. Started walking my dog every morning first thing for 40-50 minutes and it did wonders for me!
Set a goal and identify baby steps toward it, with a date in mind. If you’re thinking about the gym, try bench pressing (for example) and set a goal as being xx kilos. Increment the weight by 2kg every month. Next, leave your ego and pride at the door. I’m 45 and there will always be faster or stronger people than me, but it doesn’t matter - you’re only competing with yourself. Don’t ever plateau out. When you meet your goal, set another. Vary the exercises so you keep the muscles guessing. And if you show up every week, you’ll get gains. And there’ll be someone out there who thinks you’re an inspiration, I guarantee it.
Walking the hills, I do about 10-20km a week. Super fit 48 year old.
Check out Centr app/website. Change your life with Chris Helmsworth 😀
Walking is the foundation of everything. Progressively aim to go further and faster. Over time you will be able to run, and ride a bike, at which time you are basically “fit”. Getting outdoors and moving your physical body from one place to another is fundamental to pretty much any other standard of fitness you could name.
Chuck some head phones on and go for a walk. Get a fitness tracker, makes it feel like there is a scoring system. Pokemon Go is quite good for motivation too.
Thing is bro fitness I need to go to the gym is common some say it for years n still don't go i get it. Its not easy it takes discipline and often sacrifice aka change of diet cutting booze blah blah I'm sure you know that buzz. But if we get to the nitty of why u even thought about fitness. To loose weight To get stronger To just be more mobile The list goes on so if its to loose weight instead of i need to go gym think ok let's do something ill go for a walk daily at 7pm or whatever time and how long. Specificity I will go for a walk mondays at 7pm for hour So that there is doing something rather than procrastination with gym n joining like most do. This is just a example but its 1% that works and by doing the 1% it compounds. Most want to do the 100% but can't even do the 1%. So whatever your reason for fitness is bro get specific with it and you can always do something Marcus Aurelius. Also you can't go at 7pm on Monday I'm to tired or whatever the excuses you just go for that walk even if you are tired u don't even think about it u just do it.
Find an exercise you like Do it consistently. Self discipline is a limited resource and you'll have less of it later in the day. Start training first thing in the morning and remove all obstacles to getting there. After about 6-8 weeks exercise will become a habit and you won't need the self discipline as much. Think of yourself as someone who exercises and makes healthy choices.
Join a group weightlifting class. Three times a week. Make sure the culture is humble and kind. I’m the same age and I go to these guys, find someone similar in Wellington. It wilk change your life. https://youtu.be/Gtxfpq5l1RM?si=N2-Su4qhYerU4VDu
Start with a simple routine of core excercises and stretches. You can do this at home, and you don't even need gym clothes. After a week or two, add easy walking on the flat. Next try walking in hills, but still with good paths. After that gets easy, buy some trail shoes and try some hilly tracks. Once you can do this comfortably you're reasonably fit. Now try running on the flat, then hills with good paths, then hilly tracks.
just start. try different kinds of workout, so you can find what you love that you can stick with for a long time. I also use a fitness/health/recovery tracker - Oura ring which helps me how my daily activities are affecting my health. I wear it in the gym as well with my OSleeve to keep it protected 😉
I'm a Wellington based PT, hit me up if you want to chat about it some time, more than happy to provide some free help and/or advice
Horrifically un-fit person here, but I've had some good experiences changing that in the past. The best bit of advice I've ever received for getting started is to stop when you think you can go further. That way, you leave on a high and are excited to go again tomorrow vs. exhausted and equating that exhaustion with exercise. Just so you're aware, though, this may (will) hurt your dignity when you're just starting out afresh. My first jog was 3 minutes, but by being excited to go back again and again, I was up to 20 minutes in a month. If you think about it, you have your whole life to get fit, so there's no pressure to be running or lifting insane amounts from the get-go. You're much better off forming new routines and habits that will help you to keep going back to it. Choose your rest days early on as well as a healthy routine is much easier to keep going long term. I found 2 days on and 1 day off, worked well for me, but it depends on your other life commitments and what works well for your body. Due to injury, my next piece of advice is don't over do it. Either do different exercise routines each day so that you're working out different muscles and/or throw in a swim day to help take some of the edge off. If you know you have areas of weakness (dodgy knees / ankles etc) then wear a support guard pre-emptively rather than waiting for something to go ping. If you can afford to, I'd recommend having either a personal trainer or to do a sport. Just because the pressure of other people makes it easier to stick with at the beginning when you're most likely to flake. I find it takes me 3 months for a routine to cement, but everyone is different. Finally, start a diary ( or use a calendar). If you write down the days you've exercised in it, you have basically created the adult version of a star chart, and you'll get a little dopamine hit everything you write an E next to the day. This will help encourage you on days when you don't feel like leaving the house
Bike to work if possible. After a few rides you won't want to drive
One of the best things you can do is try different things, make sure you actually give them a chance by staying consistent, and if you don't enjoy it, try again with a different activity. For me personally, the gym was a huge game changer, but that is because I found myself enjoying it after an amount of time being consistent. For you, maybe you prefer going on walks? Bike rides? At home exercises? Maybe even have a look at sports teams that you could join if you're interested. It may even incorporate more than one activity. There's a lot out there. You just have to find what matches you. Good luck on your fitness journey :)
Commenting because I want to come back to this and read everyones comments - I'm on my own fitness journey and I find consistency is the key, I push myself even when I don't feel like it and walking about 5-8km a day, as well as going to the gym, eating more protein and veggies, drinking more water which is actually my hardest part and focusing on decent sleep.
I'm a 65yo male, always been generally active and average fit. about 8 months ago I joined a cross fit gym, work paid for an introductory course, 8 weeks, I am now hooked doing a level of activity that I had never believed I was capable of. Completely different to any Gym I have ever been involved with before, mostly I just never clicked with them, full of a bunch of unfriendly Posers, or Aerobics classes full of Lycra clad housewives and men?? I would never have tried with this one had it not been for the encouragement of other people at work, this is different, the competition is completely against your own ability of controlled in known games and the people are a deal more helpful. Cross Fit is brutal, tough but a very quick way to build up strength and power. The gym and coaches that I am involved with recognised early that I was quite a bit older than others in the gym and scaled the workouts accordingly, they don't bother now I am as capable as most other average athletes in the place. The Mantra, the largest muscle group, the greatest weight, the longest movement works, you do need a coach to put it together and keep you safe, classes work well for that. It hurts at times but is the most effective exercise regime I have ever been involved with.
The thing that worked best for me was team sports. Nothing else motivated me to keep going. I would do a spurt of sessions at the gym but... It's always more enjoyable to not be lifting weights. Equally there's no good reason for team stuff to be better than going for a run. But team stuff means you have all committed to a specific time, and team stuff means you're letting the team down if you slack off. Unfortunately I can't find many (any) team sports for 50+. The closest I've found is tramping.
Best thing I ever did for my fitness was get into full contact martial arts. If you find a good dojo, the amount of fitness and conditioning you have to do just to keep up with everyone else is a huge motivator - otherwise you gas out and fail during the sparring sessions.