Some clients who come to my clinic are uneasy about exercise. They feel like they’re too tired, fatigued, busy, or exhausted. As a result, they don’t have the motivation to exercise.

I understand that exercise can be daunting if you are not used to it. When I was younger, I remember hating the thought of going to a gym to work out. I have only been to a gym once with my sister. The idea of a gym was a hot, sweaty place filled with the aroma of sweat and body odour and a boring workout. Now I know that my perception was not entirely correct, and gyms have come a long way since then.

The great news is that gyms have changed, but more than that – exercise does not have to be boring or tied to a gym. It can be any activity that you enjoy. (More about the types of activity you can select soon)

I must say that I am not a personal trainer or exercise physiologist, but as a Naturopath/Biochemist, I look at how exercise benefits the body at a cellular level, and I’m all about decreasing disease.

When I look at society, I see an aging population that is sedentary in their older years. They sit at home or in a nursing home and exist. I find this concerning. It may be that their health prevents them from being active, or they may not have the strength and ability to be active anymore. In addition, I have seen family members decline and become sedentary in their older age. Therefore, I am on a mission to help prevent a sedentary ageing population that exists in the last decade or so of their life.

But my point for this is the more we can be active during our life, the more we can prevent disease conditions later on and not have to live a sedentary life in our senior years.

My biggest aim is when I get to my eighties and nineties (and whatever other age I live to), I want to remain active. I want to be playing golf. I want to be walking along the beach. I want to age, enjoying life to its fullest.

And I do have some beautiful clients that I take as inspiration.

In particular, there are 3 clients that I take inspiration from. They are still active in their 80s and 90s. One lovely lady in her 90s still walks along the beach esplanade, walking down to the café instead of getting a lift. Another lovely client in her 80s still plays competitive tennis. And the lovely third lady is in her eighties and volunteers to work in the office of a busy government office as well as going to the gym daily to stay fit and flexible. All of these ladies are mentally alert and physically active.

And these three women are such an inspiration to me as far as showing you what can be possible later in life. But let’s talk about exercise and the real health benefits of regular activity.

Benefits of Exercise

1. Increases Bone Mass

Osteoporosis can be debilitating, and hip fractures can lead to complications in older age. One of the preventative keys to osteoporosis is to be active.

After 40 years of age, we start to lose bone density. Loss of significant bone mass is diagnosed as osteoporosis. However, staying active and exercising can reverse bone loss and even strengthen and build bone mass.

Activity that strengthens the bones needs to incorporate strength exercises such as weights but can include resistance exercises such as resistance bands, pilates, and yoga.

So if you are in your perimenopausal or menopausal years, integrating some form of resistance exercise or strength exercise is beneficial for your bones.

2. Increases And Maintains Muscle Mass

There is a close link between bone mass and muscle mass. Therefore, muscle mass is as important to health and is used as a predictor of ageing mortality, especially in disease.

Research shows that the progression of chronic disease can be reduced or slowed by maintaining or building muscle mass. This is especially true in cancer, sarcopenia (muscle loss) is a predictor of mortality.

Good muscle mass helps contribute to stability and reduces the risk of falls and injuries. Exercise and activity of any form, especially resistance and strength training, aids muscle development and retention. You are never too old to build muscle!!

3. Increases Mental Clarity and Reduces Stress

Regular exercise has been linked with better mental clarity and less stress response.

When we exercise, we increase our endorphins, serotonin and our dopamine levels, and all of those help with the quality of mental health and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression.

Research shows that the risk of depression can be reduced by up to 30% by undertaking regular exercise or activity.

4. Decrease the risk of Blood Pressure

Exercise helps to support heart variability and reduce blood pressure. The heart is a muscle, and exercise helps to strengthen the heart, so it pumps blood more efficiently.

5. Reduce Fatigue

You probably think, “But I am too tired to exercise!”. Well, studies have shown that a minimum of 6 weeks of exercise increases overall energy and vitality and reduces fatigue.

This may be due to the increase in serotonin and dopamine levels, but the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cells) also work more efficiently with regular exercise.

Suppose you feel like you’re struggling with energy, being fatigued all the time, and feeling overwhelmed. In that case, exercise might be an excellent addition to your everyday processes so that you can keep supporting your energy levels.

6. Good quality sleep

Studies revealed that those who exercised, particularly in the afternoons, were more inclined to sleep better, fall asleep faster, and get deeper sleep during the night.

If you struggle with sleep, maybe add moderate-intensity exercise or activity to your afternoon routine.

7. Supports Brain Health

Exercise assists the body in creating new neurons. This is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is linked with better cognition, mental clarity, and reduced risk of Dementia and Parkinson’s.

What better way to keep your mind sharp through your years? Remember the three lovely ladies I spoke about above? They are all ‘sharp as a tack’.

8. Supports appropriate weight

Exercise and weight loss go hand in hand. Exercise does help to burn off calories and help control weight. However, there is more to it than burning off excess calories.

Higher muscle mass means your metabolism is more elevated and burns calories faster than if you don’t have good muscle mass.

During perimenopause and menopause, women can gain weight due to hormonal imbalances. Exercise and activity can help reduce the hormonal weight gain.

9. Decrease the risk of disease

This is maybe my favourite benefit of all!!

I came across a study of American women in their 50s who had not exercised before. They started walking 3-4 times weekly for approximately 20 minutes and at a moderate pace. These women reduced their risk OF ALL DISEASE BY 50%!

There’s no medication, supplement, or other activity or habit that I know of that can decrease disease by 50%.

So simply taking up a form of activity is a fabulous way to reduce your risk of all diseases. And that’s one way that we can turn around our future. We can make sure that we enjoy our life into our golden years. And be truly active and be with it mentally, physically, and emotionally. So that’s my reason for incorporating exercise regularly.

How can you start?

• If you have not exercised before, getting a health check from your practitioner is best.

• Start slow and build up in exercise. Starting with an intense hour workout in a gym is not advisable if you are new to exercise or unfit. Instead, start slowly and build up your fitness. Maybe starting with 10 minutes and building up to half an hour or an hour is a better option.

• The important thing is to find an activity that you enjoy. The activity will depend upon you and what you enjoy. Some options can include playing with the kids actively. For instance, go to a park and walk around while they play in the playground or kick a ball with them. Other options can include finding a sport you enjoy, dancing in your own house with the music up high 😊. Want a gentler activity – try TaiChi or yoga.

• Struggle to find time to get active. Try walking in your lunch break with a workmate. Several clients do this and find they are more productive in the afternoon and less tired. Another option is to park further away from work or the shops so that you need to walk a distance to work.

• Use a chart to record how often you exercise or participate in an activity. Make a habit chart. If you would like one sent to you, contact me here CREATE LINK HERE FOR EMAIL. At the end of the month, reward yourself for great commitment – maybe a massage, a lovely dinner, or a new outfit

What can stop you from regular exercise?

• If you are struggling to find motivation because you are too tired or struggling with any health conditions, it is best to seek advice from a health professional to look at your health.
• Health conditions or diseases may require a person to start exercising slower or with specific exercises.

• If you are feeling tired and unmotivated, it could be due to a nutritional deficiency. For example, iron or protein deficiency can increase fatigue and lack of motivation.

• Another aspect that may contribute to a lack of motivation is poor gut health. An imbalance of gut flora, otherwise known as dysbiosis, can reduce the dopamine effect of exercise and contribute to lower motivation. A naturopath can help uncover dysbiosis and support optimal gut health.

• Need more motivation – try an exercise partner or buddy. They can help when you don’t feel motivated or you can help them when they don’t feel motivated! Also, health practitioners, such as Naturopaths, can support you and keep you accountable.

And once you get into the habit of regular exercise, your body will crave it and keep wanting to do it, and then you’ll also see the positive changes to your body and your life!!

If you would like support and help with exercise and your health, I would love to be able to help. CLICK HERE to Contact Me.