“It does take a while to get started back in and it can be scary that first week. I would say either work with a trainer, or in a group so you are a little bit accountable, and the motivating and praising keeps you coming back. For women especially, that social aspect is really motivating, because we have a catch-up afterwards, and men often focus on a goal, or practical use for the fitness.”
Exercise later in lifeReasons for exercise change with age also.
“Later in life is an interesting time to get into the health and fitness industry, but around this time you start thinking about your health more, and your kids’ futures and what you’re feeding them and teaching them. We go through stages in life. You get lost and slack off and you do need a bit of a push to get back into it. For women, losing the baby weight is often a factor.
“For men, they often drink with friends and eat fast food then at around 40 they begin wanting to get back to how they were when they were younger, or keep up with their wife.”
A key to maintaining a new healthy lifestyle is to try different things until you find something that you enjoy, but give it more than one try, says Tash who has tried competitive bodybuilding and also competed in the Fight For Life.
“People are looking for a longer more fulfilled life. It’s not just about losing weight but what exercise does to our bodies and state of mind, and with group exercise there’s a great social connection as well. It is a bit like children with food, you need to continue to try it for a while before you really know whether you like it or not. As an adult you don’t often get told you’re doing a really good job, which is why the group fitness is great; people are high-fiving each other and everyone is so pumped. It’s such a great atmosphere to be in.”
Small steps on road back to fitnessPlenty of people have a vested interest in getting you to believe that getting fitter and healthier is more complicated than it is, says YMCA’s fitness manager Janene Dixon Smith.
“There are all these pills, potions and diets being sold by people with a vested interest in making people believe certain things. All they actually need to understand is what sort of exercise they need to do for themselves and, if they’re eating healthy foods, what sort of portion sizes they need.”
It’s widely known that it’s impossible to out-train a bad diet especially as we age, but what is a good diet? Janene’s advice is to keep things simple and avoid excluding whole food groups.
“It’s sticking to foods as close to their natural state as possible. Grow your own food if you can and avoid sugar — sugar is the big one in Gisborne with our high rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes. Sugar is hidden in many of our foods. Protein helps keep your blood sugar stable for longer, and protein with every meal helps control sugar cravings. You certainly don’t need to exclude whole food groups as people have advocated in the past.”
Fitness appsJanene says fitness apps are a great way for people to educate themselves on their food.
“We encourage people to use free fitness apps like myfitnesspal. It gives them a sense of accountability and also teaches the tools to manage their health and fitness. I think a lot of the time that is the problem — people just don’t know how to start or what to do.
“They’re so comprehensive, so easy to use and that digital feedback is very rewarding for people. It gives them the skill to manage their diet long-term, and they’re not reliant on a diet, a pill or protein shake that they need to afford to keep progressing. For me that’s important; teaching people skills to empower them to keep doing this long-term. When we show people how they can manage their diet on myfitnesspal they are surprised how easy it is. You don’t have to be a nutritionist to know what to eat these days. If it’s natural, a vegetable, a fruit, protein, whole grains . . . you’re probably on the right track.”
When it comes to re-starting training, Janene says it is important to set realistic goals and start slowly — three times per week is about right if you have been sedentary.
“It’s important to do a body composition test so you can set realistic goal weights that take into account the amount of muscle mass a lot of people have in this region. If you were losing 250g of body fat a week you would be doing really well, but even 100g is great, and it all adds up.
“You have to get to the point where you humbly accept the work to be done. You have to realise that if you are not in the shape you want to be in that something has to change. There’s no quick fix, there’s no easy solution, you just have to get fitter, stronger and be more careful about what you eat.”
