As we age it is very important to look at our bodies slightly differently and so have to look at starting or maintaining fitness training over 50 differently than we did in our 20s, 30s, or 40s.
For some people achieving or simply maintaining a reasonable level of fitness can be quite a challenging task and with the sheer amount of what can seem like conflicting information in the media and online it can be a bit of an up-hill struggle.
So what can we do to keep ourselves fit and healthy over 50? Read on and hopefully we may give you a few ideas.
Increase Your Activity
Let’s face it life can be busy and making time to fit in a workout can be tricky. However physical exercise is essential to increase fitness and weight management. It doesn’t matter when the last time you attended an exercise class or visited the local park, there is never a better time to start than right now. It is never too late and finding time to increase your activity levels is the best thing you can do no matter if you are a complete beginner or a little more experienced on the fitness scale.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, as we become older adults we should be aiming for 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 times a week and strength training 2 twice a week.
Any form of exercise is great but a varied program in a structured, well organized and professionally run fitness class would be what we recommended and if it is in the great outdoors so much the better, this would really help manage age-related hormonal changes that affect muscle mass, weight and metabolism as we age.
Physical Activities to Try
Lift Weights
Lifting weights or resistance training may be the best way for older adults to maintain or increase overall fitness and stop weight gain.
We are not talking about lifting very heavy weights like you see in gyms we don’t want to cause ourselves an injury, we are talking a weight that is manageable however there is a degree of effort involved in moving the object that is lifted, which could be a dumbbell, medicine ball or resistance band.
Walk Regularly

Walking has constantly shown that it is a great activity to improve cardiovascular(heart and lung) fitness, is very beneficial to a weight management program, and improves mood in those who maintain a regular walking routine.
Walking has some specific benefits for those over 50:
- There is very little risk of injury.
- Walking is great for bone and joint health.
- It can be done on your own or in groups which can combine socializing with exercise to reduce time in todays busy lifestyle.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
OK then so high intensity interval training is a fast and effective way to boost your fitness in your 50s however it does come with a word of warning. Start slow and stop if you need to.
An example of how you could combine walking and HIIT would be
Walk for 5 minutes increase the pace for 30 seconds and repeat 5 times
As you repeat the above and get a bit fitter you could increase the number of fast paced 30 seconds in the 5-minute walk or maybe even jog instead of walk. The beauty of this type of training is you can control the effort put in and also the number of reps you do.
Just be careful when starting intervals and pay attention to any warning signs you are overdoing it.
Perform Core Exercises
As we become less active with age, core strength is one of the first things to suffer.

Poor core strength can lead to a knock on effect that can cause poor body mechanics and alignment lead to aches and pains in other areas of the body.
Pain in the lower back, knees, hips and neck can often be traced back to a weak core and its effects.
The muscles of the core are extremely important and a balanced core strengthening workout is highly recommended, performed 3 to 4 times a week to maintain core strength and stability.
You can also try:
- Aerobic activity: Regular aerobic exercise like walking, biking, or swimming benefits your overall health and makes it easier for you to manage your weight.
- Strength training: reduces muscle loss, boosts bone health, and improves functional movement (your body’s bio mechanics).
- Stretching exercises: lengthen your muscles, improves muscle flexibility.
- Balance exercises: keeps your body strong, improve stability, and reduce your risk of falls.
You can expect to see a lot of changes to your body when you reach your 50s and beyond, including your weight and your ability to stay at your goal weight, your bone and muscle strength and your energy levels.
The great thing is you don’t have to sit back and let the effects of aging affect you, you can can take a proactive approach to your health now and in the years to come. Don’t just focus on one aspect like your weight, focus on your overall health by making more nutritious food choices, adding more physical exercise to your lifestyle and make it a habit, and find health pastimes to relieve stress that benefit your physical and mental well-being.
So to sum up we would recommend a varied health and exercise plan that includes, aerobic activities such as walking, swimming or cycling, strength work with body weight exercises, HIIT training such as alternating steady walking with fast paced walking, core exercises such as Pilates and strength work with dumbbell, medicine balls or resistance bands.
An alternative is to find a local professionally run exercise class that incorporates all the above and have some fun while you get a fit and healthy in your 50s.
Be careful though, always seek medical advice if there is any doubt and don’t over do it.
Team Thomas