Holding back the years’ piece in Fitness for life supplement.

If you were in any doubt about the health benefits of staying active later in life,
just look at Mick Jagger. He’s still up there as a gyrating inspiration to the over
60s thanks to a fitness regime which has included regular running and ballet
classes. While you can’t control some factors which dictate how you age – genes, for instance – there isn’t much that diet and exercise can’t improve.

It’s just the getting started, and then of course the sticking with it. For some,
particularly women over 50, the last time they exercised regularly was decades ago at school.

Fitness executive Maureen Hudson, herself over 50, is encouraging. “It
really is never too late to start – I’ve had people in my classes in their 90s.”

Pondering the benefits of exercise is motivation enough, especially when you
consider we begin to age at around 25. Further down the line, muscles begin to waste and keeping them strong is crucial – they literally hold us up. Stronger muscles mean we stay more mobile and are less likely to fall, and heart and lungs are healthier.

People well into their later years can still put on muscle mass from
exercise, experts say. As well as controlling weight, you’re likely to experience a
greater sense of well-being, be less prone to illness and less at risk of heart
disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. Latest research suggests moderate exercise mayimprove memory and delay the onset of dementia. Even a few tweaks to day to day life can bring about differences, the NHS advises. “We bought my (82-year-old) mother a dog,” says one daughter.

“She’s just so much happier if she goes for a daily walk
with him. When the dog was ill and couldn’t go out, the difference in her mood was dramatic.” Part of the problem with embarking upon a fitter lifestyle is confusion about what and how much to do, says Andree Deane, CEO of the Fitness Industry Association. While the government advises three lots of 30 minute sessions of moderate exercise a week, people can find this a little vague, she says. It would be disastrous, for instance, to kick off with aerobics three times a week after years of inactivity -if you don’t get injured, you’d almost certainly become demotivated. It’s fine to split up your half hour throughout the day when you begin.

But you should aim eventually to increase your heart rate through vigorous exercise to gain all the benefits of regular activity. “It’s a problem of lack of knowledge of how to embed a regime into everyday life,” says Deane. “People have perceived barriers, such as a lack of time.”

It’s a shame, says Deane, that many older people who’ve never set foot inside a gym or club still view them as the eighties cliché – all lycra and bodies beautiful. Women who are menopausal might feel frumpy and unwilling to expose themselves to humiliation. In fact, older people are often the most loyal customers, and by and large, gyms are trying to cater to them, with the likes of ballroom dancing, yoga and a host of classes targeting older keep fitters. “Find a club that’s appropriate,” advises Hudson. Look for a single sex gym or ask for a trainer closer to your age.

She also recommends teaming up to exercise with a friend who’s going to
keep you keen when your resolve flags. If you really don’t fancy a gym, there are exercise websites dedicated to older would-be keep fitters with nutrition and fitness advice. Holidays devoted to older clients are good way of kick starting a habit and making exercise a social experience.

Even DIY and housework or playing with children count as light exercise. From these you could progress to more active pursuits – jogging, football or weights for example. Golden rules are: consult your doctor before you begin, stop if something hurts a lot, or you have chest pains or nausea or other warning signs. “Give yourself time to get over the initial discomfort,” says Hudson. “After four to six weeks you will notice a change in your body. You’ll have more energy, will sleep better and begin to enjoy it.”

The Guardian

Helena Pozniak

pozniak@gmail.com