Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Although it may take a lot to get into the habit of exercise, planning to workout at a set time or place can be advantageous for your health.

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Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune system and helps prevent the “diseases of affluence” such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Exercise helps the body function, and that includes managing other chronic health problems. working from home tips can help decrease pain, improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, promote mobility, improve heart health, lower the risk of other chronic diseases, and play a role in good mental health. Many older adults hesitate to get moving because they’re unfamiliar with the types of exercise and fitness that are effective and safe, and aren’t sure how much exercise they need to do. The good news is that any kind of movement is better than being sedentary, so there’s nothing wrong with starting small and working your way up to longer workouts.

Tips for Getting Started and Staying Motivated to Exercise

However, if you find fast food is your only option, pull up the restaurant’s nutrition facts online. You can make an informed decision ahead of time about what to order. “Nearly every quick-service restaurant has a relatively healthful option or two,” said Newgent. You’ll want to choose the right type of sports bra based on the exercise you’ll be doing.

You should expect a little muscle soreness after workouts, especially in the beginning. But if you find that your body is simply not recovering between workouts, you may be overtraining. Remember that seniors need more recovery time than younger people. With the exception of “welcome” muscle soreness, an exercise program should make you feel good. Although most aerobic exercises require you to move your whole body, the main focus is on your heart and lungs (Aerobic exercise is often called “cardio” because it challenges and benefits your cardiovascular system).

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Dr. Sallis generally recommends doing some activity every day, such as a 10-minute walk outdoors. Having a high level of overall fitness is linked with a lower risk of chronic disease, as well as a better ability to manage health issues that do come up. Better fitness also promotes more functionality and mobility throughout one’s life span. If you play team sports, you’re probably getting at least 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity on practice days. Some team sports that give you a great aerobic workout are basketball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, and rowing. Aerobic exercise is any type of exercise that gets the heart pumping and gets you breathing harder.

“In our lab, we have almost 100 percent compliance with interval training. HIIT is really easy to buy into and stick with,” Smith-Ryan says. HIIT calls for a shorter duration of exercise than traditional workouts , resulting in less time commitment and fewer injuries overall, she explains. Recruiting a personal trainer to help you structure a HIIT workout can be a great help. When and how you fit these minutes into your regular routine is entirely up to you.