Growing With Your Fitness Routine.

When I was younger, I loved cardio. You might say I was the archetypal ‘cardio queen’. Anything to get the heart racing. I walked, ran, cycled, did floor aerobics, stepper, kick-boxing etc. Weight training didn’t feature and I did yoga because I had learnt it as a child and wanted to keep up the rhythm. Not because I enjoyed it.

With age (and hopefully wisdom!), the body yearns for something else. Yes, the cardio is still definitely a part of my routine. But, I don’t spend as much time on it now. Instead, weight training and yoga have become essential.

You feel stronger, more in tune with your physical self , more limber. You also feel calmer More in control. More accepting. Your changing body requires it. Weight training for strength and muscle mass and Yoga for flexibility, increased body awareness and calmness seem somehow right to focus on. This is not as if to say one should not train with weights or do Yoga while younger, its great if one does. It’s just that, t becomes more urgent with age.

Yes, weight gain is a dreaded side-effect of ageing! I was never slim as a teenager, (in fact, I was told I was ‘pleasantly plump’), but I was athletic, loved sport and running. Staying physically active later and then growing to imbibe fitness as part of my medical profession has made it easier for me to stay fit. Making time, or having the motivation for fitness is not an issue for me. Not everyone is so fortunate. They struggle with time and motivation. To them I say, there’s nothing as important as ‘feeling good’ about yourself. Exercise, with it’s discipline, sacrifices, the growth, empowerment and energy is the best thing you can invest it. One hour in twenty-four is not asking for much. It is one of the most satisfying hours one will experience. I find those who have grown up being physically active, and/or come from a physically active family, usually find it easier to incorporate it into their lives even after a hiatus. However, even if you don’t have these advantages, it’s never too late to start exercising at any age. Celebrate our body! It’s the only place you have to live in!