Beginning a Workout After 50

If you have never worked out before there is no time to start like now. And if it’s been a while since you have, what are you waiting for? If you are reading this, I know you want to.

So let’s discuss the why. Improved health, more energy, and increased mobility. If you’re like me, your doctor probably prescribed it for you.

I never thought of a doctor giving a prescription to start a workout. The doctors expect me to lose weight, decrease my blood pressure, lower my cholesterol and triglycerides, and improve my heart health. Exercise and losing weight is the prescribed method to accomplish all of this.

Plus they keep checking my blood sugar. Guess they are worried about diabetes for me. Not that I’m worried about it too much.

My blood tests keep coming back normal for blood sugar. Lately, my A1C has been sitting at 5.6. For some reason they keep mentioning pre-diabetic. Not me. Keep that label for someone else.

I did spend some time in a hospital last year. I am all good now. But still have to work to get my strength and mobility back. I know I will get it done. And who knows, I might keep kicking it until I get bulked up a little. Not looking to get very bulky though, just healthy.

So to start, walking is the go to. Everybody wanted me to walk. But I got them on that one. I like to walk. How about you?

Are you ready to start. Start walking. Hopefully walking is not an issue for you. If it is, there are other options. But like anything else in life, if you are making a large change in your life, check with your physician.

Generally speaking, for the over 50 crowd, it is recommended that we get 30 minutes of exercise 2 or 3 times a week. But you do want to start slow if you are not used to walking much, especially if you have had some health issues. Do 3 to 5 minutes and work your way up to it. Every hour or two if you can will help you improve quicker.

However you start, keep with it and slowly increase the length of your walks until you get to where you want to be. My recommendation, and please make sure your doctor is good with this, is to walk 5 days a week for 30 minutes. The 30 minutes can be split into two 15 minute sessions if you like.

And do not worry about missing a day here and there. As long as you are getting your 2 to 3 times a week, you are doing good. Don't give up living your life.

Just think, a good 20 minute walk can be a mile and with 10 minutes of stretching you will have your 30 minutes. You don’t have to have a gym membership or even leave the house to get your workout accomplished. There are plenty of activities around the house that can make up your workout.

For me, I still use a push mower simply because it gives me a good workout. Depending on the amount of rain and how long it has been since the last mowing can take me 40 minutes to an hour and a half. Yard work and other housework can burn some calories. Playing with grandkids definitely burns some calories and mine love to have Papa dance with them.

That covers getting started. I will cover some different workouts in other posts. Hope this finds you well and you have gotten some good from it. God bless you until next time.