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The pressures of home and family life can also mean it feels as if there's little time left to fit in exercise. It's certainly tough to get started.
So, it's worth thinking about what you gain from regular exercise and making even a partial improvement to your fitness.
* Physical inactivity is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease - in other words, if you don't exercise you dramatically increase your risk of dying from a heart attack
* Conversely, exercise means a healthier heart because it reduces several cardiovascular risks, including high blood pressure
* Being physically active can bolster good mental health and help you to manage stress, anxiety and even depression
* Regular exercise as you age keeps you strong, mobile and less dependent on others
* Regular exercise can help you achieve and maintain an ideal weight, which can be important in managing many health conditions, or may just make you feel happier about your appearance
* All exercise helps strengthen bones and muscles to some degree, but weight-bearing exercise, such as running, is especially good in promoting bone density and protecting against osteoporosis, which affects men as well as women
* Different exercises help with all sorts of health niggles, such as digestion, poor posture and sleeplessness, and physical activity can be beneficial for a range of medical conditions, from diabetes to lower back pain
Don't be a statistic
There are lots of positive reasons for getting fitter, including meeting new people, discovering new interests and generally feeling better
Keep moving.
Some of the health benefits you'll get are:
* More energy - exercise makes you feel more energetic, while sitting around not doing much makes you feel sluggish and unable to do anything
* Improved sleep - your body and mind feel as though they've done something and are ready for rest at night
* Stable weight - regular exercise helps to keep you at a healthy weight
* Improved circulation and lower blood pressure
* Delayed ageing - keeping active strengthens your muscles, joints and bones as well as helping with mobility and balance, important as it helps to prevent falls, which are the leading cause of injury and death for the over-75s
On top of the health benefits, exercise can be an excellent way to meet new people, whether it's at a gym, a rambling or running club, or just people you meet while walking the dog. |
