People are living longer. By 2050, three times as many people are expected to live to 80 than in 2015, according to the World Health Organization.
While it’s never too late to make positive changes, staying fit and healthy in those extra years requires setting up healthy habits when we’re younger.
Lauren Hurst, a personal trainer who has worked with people of all ages, from kids to nonagenarians, told Business Insider that her oldest clients stayed fit and active by exercising consistently from a young age.
“Your health is a priority. If you don’t have health, you don’t have anything,” she said.
Hurst, the author of “North of Forty,” a book of interviews with inspirational older athletes, shared some of the best habits to adopt in your young years to help you stay fit for as long as possible.
Prioritize your health
Do what you need to do to build fitness into your life — whether that’s working out with someone or doing shorter workouts that fit into your schedule. Doing 20-minute workouts three times a week is better than nothing, Hurst said.
A 2023 study that suggested that just 20 minutes of walking, household chores, and climbing the stairs each day appeared to offset the negative effects of sitting down for 10 or more hours a day.
Find an activity you enjoy
“If it’s a drag, you’re never gonna do it,” Hurst said. “If you say you want to be a marathon runner, but you hate it, find something else. Go biking or swimming, or play tennis or dance. Liking your activity is crucial.”
You can even combine physical activity with something else you enjoy, such as watching Instagram reels while walking, Hurst said, as long as it gets you active.
And it’s never too late to try new sports if you haven’t found an activity you love yet. BI previously reported on a lawyer who got fit in his 70s and discovered a love for under-ice swimming at 84.
Nick Cinea/ Lauren Hurst
Be consistent
Don’t stress about trying to work out every day. Instead, decide on an achievable amount of exercise and stick with that, Hurst said.
“If you say you’re going to train three days a week, train three days a week,” she said.
A 2021 study suggested that exercising consistently could help create a sense of purpose in people’s lives, which in turn can help motivate them to exercise more in an “upward spiral.”
Nail your technique
To avoid injury, it’s important to develop a good knowledge of how to perform exercises correctly, Hurst said.
So, if you can, get some training or instruction on how to do your chosen exercises — you don’t have to do it forever, but the expense is probably worth it to stop you from getting hurt, she said
BI previously reported on how to lift weights correctly.
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