Launching yourself into an intense exercise program at any age can be challenging but exercise over 40 will take some time to adjust to if you are new to the game. Years of a sedentary lifestyle cannot be undone in a day, a week or a month. You need to be realistic. Set out with small goals and work your way up.
When you use weights or resistance train, your muscles actually break down and then go through a cycle to repair them. The more your workout the easier and less painful this process gets over time. However to launch into an intense workout routine after a long absence or none at all, your muscles will not be ready for what you throw their way. You will experience severe stiffness and soreness and it will take a while for this damage to repair itself. The best way to get back into it is will small steady steps. Like the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady will win this race too. Taking on too much can be very painful and consequently very discouraging.
Our bodies change over time and to start an exercise routine over 40 is a great thing, you should be proud; however keep the slow and steady thought in your head. Brisk walks, using the stairs instead of the elevator, stretching your major muscle groups every morning to become more flexible, and even intermittent exercising while you watch Television. Try a minute of push ups, or sit ups, or have a resistance band by your chair to engage in any number of exercises but keep it easy to start with. You’ve made the decision to change your lifestyle so don’t sabotage it with going crazy the first week out.
