Sustainable Workouts

So, you have decided to work out!

•  If you are new to this, it is not easy!
• If you’re serious, you need to make it a habit!

 Start as if you intend to keep it up. Pick exercises or movements you like, do them regularly and not too hard!

My ego has often told me I can do it, and I can do it harder, so I do it harder.

 But, then after several days, I just don’t feel like exercising, so I skip it, maybe even for several days, and at the time, I am not sure why. But whatever the reason, I have lost a few workouts.

 This is an example of overtraining! I have been guilty of this, many times over the years. It slows down your progress and often stops the whole program of improving fitness.

 When I do a workout or an exercise that is fun and feels good, I now concentrate on remembering that feeling. I try hard not to overdo it. I like feeling the muscles all over my body, it makes me feel alive.

 Start slow and easy. It takes time build your cardio and add muscle strength. If you overtrain, it will not feel good, and you will not want to repeat that feeling. And you will lose a few days or a week.

 If you are new to fitness and have not had a regular exercise program, your fitness has deteriorated considerably. It will not recover overnight. Recognize that, and you have a great chance to do extremely well.

 Sustainable workouts are those you can repeat each day, each week and each month. But, considering all that, there will be days when you just don’t feel like it, your mood might be off, you will get sick, or life brings other stress for whatever reason, and you don’t work out. It’s not a big deal to miss the odd workout, but don’t miss because of overtraining.

 Since I turned 73, I have found that my energy window is shrinking. This means the time each day when I have the energy to exercise.

 Over the years I have worked out early in the morning, afternoon, evening, and late at night. I enjoyed each approach, sometimes doing 2 workouts a day. But at 76, I not only can’t do it twice a day, but I also don’t want to. There are other things on which I want to spend time.

 Fitness to me today, means maintaining my present fitness level, including body composition, while saving enough of my energy window for the other areas of my life.

In 3 months, I will turn 77. I am increasingly aware of the passage of time. It's like my energy and my ability to concentrate or pay attention. These are not unlimited resources.

They run out each day, and with advancing age, that point arrives increasingly early!

When they're gone...they're gone forever!