Getting fit after 50

Everyone should have healthy habits throughout life, but after the age of 50 it is even more necessary to avoid muscle and bone degeneration, which can damage your health and quality of life.

Ideally, you should start working on your muscles around the age of 30, or even earlier, so that you reach your 50s with ahealthy body fat percentage and strong muscles. But if not, you still have time to get in shape.

What can you do to get fit after you turn 50?

The important thing is to keep active, stick with it, do not rush yourself and enjoy the process. With this in mind, in order to get fit after you turn 50, you should:

• Medical check-up. If you have not exercised before, you should not start without first seeing your doctor. They will tell you what tests are needed to make sure that your health is in good shape for risk-free exercise. You should also use a personal trainer, who has the necessary knowledge to tailor training plans to each individual and situation.

• Set yourself goals: weight and/or fat loss, improving your balance, increasing your stamina, strengthening your muscles, etc. and establish your routine based on these goals.

• Find an activity that is suitable for your age, stamina, flexibility, experience, etc.; the important thing is to find an activity that you enjoy and that motivates you, so that you never feel like skipping it.

• Plan your schedule, i.e. set the days of the week on which you are going to exercise and for how long. We recommend that you build it up gradually, especially if you have not exercised before, to get your body used to it, so that it feels rewarding rather than wearisome.

• Treat it as a pleasure, not a chore. You will often not feel like exercising because you are tired, sick or have too many things to do; do not worry about it. It is no big deal if you break your routine for a day, just make sure you do not go back to your sedentary lifestyle. Let this rest day give you a boost to keep going with renewed energy.

• Change your diet. As you get older, your metabolism changes and slows down, so you need to control your calorie intake if you want to stay at a healthy weight. We recommend following a balanced and healthy diet suited to your age and needs, so it is often advisable to see a doctor or nutritionist.

What exercises are recommended for the over 50s?

If you have never exercised before, we recommend starting with low-impact cardio exercises, which will help you to increase your stamina and boost your metabolism.

This type of exercise includes:

• Walking. Start with 30 minutes a day and work your way up to one hour, which is the amount recommended for your health. You can do it outdoors, on a treadmill at the gym or with family and friends. Remember to wear comfortable footwear and go at your own pace.

• Dancing has a number of health benefits because, besides helping to keep you active, it improves your coordination and self-confidence and oxygenates your blood.

• Yoga. This is a very complete and relaxing sport, helping to keep your metabolism active, tone your muscles, increase your flexibility and improve your balance. It is also great if you suffer from stress or anxiety, as it can be used as emotional therapy.

• Swimming or aqua aerobics. Aquatic exercises help you to tone your muscles and increase your stamina without exerting too much effort thanks to the action of the water.

Once you find your rhythm and your body gets used to exercising, you can combine cardio exercises with strength and balance training, either with weights or in classes such as BodyPump, LBT (legs, bums and tums) or HIIT (high-intensity interval training).

The important thing is to keep active and strengthen your muscles and bones for good health and a good quality of life.