ROME, Ga., Jan. 8, 2025 – Daily exercise is a key ingredient to staying healthy, but knowing where to start and how to stay consistent can be difficult. Many people who made a New Year's resolution to stay active are starting to realize just how hard being consistently active can be.
The thing to remember is you don't have to go overboard to help prevent obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Most health experts agree that adults should aim for 2.5 hours of moderate to intense aerobic exercise every week or an hour and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.
It is also important to use both aerobic exercise and strength training in your workouts. Those who stay with even easy strength training routines find that it can help them burn more fat than just aerobic exercise alone.
For those in their 20s and 30s:
This is an ideal time in your life to try as many exercises and classes as you can. It's important to find something you like to do.
Options can include aerobic dance exercises, running, kickboxing, biking and various strength training exercises.
Many people see both bone density and muscle mass decrease in your 30s. That is why strength training is so important.
For those in their 40s and 50s:
“As we age, our metabolism naturally slows down, making it more challenging to shed excess fat. Along with these physical changes, you may also start noticing new aches and pains that weren't an issue before," said Physical Therapist David Snider, Outpatient Physical Therapy program leader in Rome for Atrium Health Floyd.
“Research shows that many changes commonly attributed to aging are actually the result of inactivity. In fact, a significant portion of age-related physical decline is due to disuse, not aging itself," said Hunter Todd, a sports physical therapist and orthopedic clinical specialist for Atrium Health Floyd.
Walking is always an option and swimming offers a great low-impact way to burn calories. For some people, the steady pounding of running can cause knee and leg injuries at this age. Biking is a good alternative.
60 and beyond
At this age it is even more important to stretch, warm up and cool down to prevent injuries. Strength training and activities that help focus on your balance can help you stay active. Chair exercises, swimming, water aerobics and dancing are great options.