You know you should develop a regular exercise routine, but you lack motivation. Promises to yourself are quickly broken, and you never establish enough of the workout habit to experience any rewards.
Exercising as you age is important. It’s not only good for physical health to help prevent falls or enable you to do basic tasks — exercise is also superb for the mind.
“If you want to be cognitively active, it is so important to be physically active,” explained Dr. Amy Eyler, a professor of public health at Washington University in St. Louis. “There is a such a strong connection between these two behaviors.”
First, regular exercise helps maintain bone density and muscle strength. It also lowers the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
For older people, regular exercise helps maintain strength and balance and allows them to live independently. Research also suggests the immune system may get a bump from physical activity.
There is also a psychological component. Successfully completing a daily exercise can improve one’s mood and sense of self-satisfaction.
Dr. Grover Smith, left, works out with exercise scientist Dr. Irv Rubenstein, right, at STEPS Fitness, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.
Getting into the habit of doing regular physical activity can be difficult for some. The motivation to get moving is different for everyone.
Initially you’ll need external motivation — I want to be able to play with my grandkids or keep driving the car — until you see results and the motivation shifts to internal, Eyler said.
“When you set a goal, you should ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 100, how confident am I that I can do this?” Eyler explained. “It has to be over the 90% level of confidence or you’re not going to do it. Lots of people set these goal too high and then fail.”
Build to your goals.
“Just walk whenever you can,” Eyler said. “You can walk for 10 minutes pretty much anywhere — indoors, at work, at home.”
And, if you’re trying to encourage others, look for positive reasons rather than nagging.
“Telling someone they will be more independent if they take their blood pressure medicine is better than — take your blood pressure medicine,” she said.
Here are some tips about how to start — and how to stay with it — from three gym rats between the ages of 77 and 86. All got started late and have stayed with it. All three work out with Dr. Irv Rubenstein, an exercise scientist who runs STEPS Fitness in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Grover Smith lifts a dumbbell at STEPS Fitness, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Kathryn Dettwiller, 77, got pushed into exercising 34 years ago by her husband.
“I always hated gym class,” she said. “I always hated getting down on the floor.”
She works out in a gym twice a week with a trainer, which she said gives her added discipline and motivation.
“The external has become internal because I realize I need it,” she said. She cautioned beginners to expect some setbacks — minor injuries — and not to be discouraged.
“Try it as soon as your body starts playing out on you,” she said. “It’s like a game of Whack-A-Mole. One time your leg hurts, the next time it’s your back.”
Dr. Grover Smith, left, works out with exercise scientist Dr. Irv Rubenstein, right, at STEPS Fitness, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Rick Bolsom, 82, enjoys the structure of having a trainer. In his case, his wife got him started almost two decades ago and he’s into a three-times-a-week routine.
“I kept doing it because I had a sense of feeling better,” he said. “The key to me was probably doing it with a trainer. The structure really helped me to continue with it. Now it’s just become part of my life.”
“I couldn’t imagine quitting it,” he added. “I work out as vigorously as I did 15, 18 years ago. It turned out to be the smart thing to do.”
Bolsom also added in the social aspect to training in a gym or studio.
“I retired a few years ago. You do miss the connectivity with people.”
Dr. Grover Smith, a retired radiologist, is 86 and still going strong. He attributes this partly to training regularly in a gym three times a week, a habit he didn’t start until he was 74 and well into retirement. He was coaxed to go after several visits to his cardiologist.
He said he went after the fourth time his cardiologist suggested it, although he was not having any specific heart problems. His plan was to go once to appease the cardiologist and that would be it. That was more than a decade ago.
Dr. Grover Smith works out at STEPS Fitness, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
“Medicine was basically my life and it was very time consuming,” Smith said. “It was sometimes seven days a week and I didn’t have time for a lot of other things.”
He’s not only fit, but now he also gets flattered.
He tells the story about a recent visit to a doctor who, after looking at his charts, told him: “Dr. Smith, you look 15 years younger than your age.”
Smith laughed as he added the punchline.
“I would have told her to get her eyes examined — except she’s an ophthalmologist,” he quipped.
Up your protein. Add collagen. Walk 10,000 steps. Get more sleep. The list of tips for living longer is endless, and much of the advice comes from people with more social media followers than qualifications.
At Tom’s Guide, the fitness team works hard to cut through the noise. In our latest search for evidence-backed insights, we found a fascinating study that suggests strength training could be a key piece of the longevity puzzle.
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Most people are familiar with national guidelines that recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly. But they may not be aware that the guidelines also call for at least two sessions per week of muscle-strengthening resistance training.
Resistance training (also known as strength training) consists of upper- and lower-body exercises using free weights (like dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells), weight machines, resistance bands, or one’s own body weight.
“Resistance training helps increase overall strength and mobility and improve joint health, all of which can reduce the risk of injuries and keep you active,” says Vijay A. Daryanani, a certified personal trainer with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Outpatient Center Marblehead. “And sessions only need to last 30 to 60 minutes for people to gain benefits.”
Resistance training is vital for older men, as it’s the best way to slow and even reverse age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia. “It challenges muscles, slightly damaging its fibers, which the body then repairs, increasing the muscle’s size,” says Daryanani. But resistance training offers a variety of other health benefits. For example:
Longer lives. A 2022 analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that people who did resistance training had a 10% to 20% lower risk of dying, specifically from cancer and heart disease, compared with those who did no strength training.
Healthier hearts. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published Jan. 16, 2024, in the journal Circulation, detailed the heart-related benefits of resistance training, such as improved blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and body composition. Resistance training was especially beneficial for older adults and people with an elevated risk for heart problems. Resistance training can also improve other factors tied to cardiovascular health. For example, it enhances blood vessel function, in part by keeping arteries flexible. It also appears to curb inflammation, the damaging body-wide process that contributes to clogged arteries.
Stronger bones. Research has shown that resistance training can both slow bone loss and build new bone. Activities that put stress on bones nudge bone-forming cells into action. That stress comes from the tugging and pushing on the bone during resistance training. The result is stronger, denser bones. What’s more, resistance workouts — particularly those that include moves emphasizing power and balance — enhance stability, which can reduce the risk of fractures from falls.
Improved mental health. An analysis published in the March 2024 issue of Psychiatry Research found that older adults with depression and anxiety reported that their symptoms improved after resistance training sessions. Researchers believe that resistance training helps by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood elevators.
Greater brain function. Research has shown that resistance training is associated with maintaining brain functions like memory, attention, and concentration. A 2020 study found that six months of training in older adults with mild cognitive impairment led to less shrinkage of the hippocampus (a brain region crucial to learning and memory) compared with similar adults who didn’t do training.
Less insomnia. A review of 24 studies published online March 3, 2025, by Family Medicine and Community Health compared the effect of different exercises on treating insomnia among older adults and ranked resistance training as the best.
If you are new to resistance training or returning after a long layoff, Daryanani suggests beginning with body-weight exercises or resistance bands. “They require less physical demand, and exercises can be modified to meet people’s fitness level,” says Daryanani.
As you progress, you can move to weight machines and, eventually, free weights. “Free weights provide the most benefit, as there is greater demand on muscle fibers,” says Daryanani.
He also recommends seeing a certified trainer before starting a resistance training program. “It’s worth the time and investment, as they can create a routine unique to your needs, advise you on the best choice of equipment, and, most importantly, teach you proper form and speed,” says Daryanani.
Even if you can’t afford regular training sessions, sign up for a consultation and a few workouts. This allows you to learn the basics so you eventually can work out on your own.
Check with your local gyms for referrals and seek out trainers who have experience working with people your age. Also, look for trainers accredited by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
Image: © Westend61/Getty Images
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