How can I feel fit and healthy?

The Five Pillars Of Life, Part Two: Exercise

Four years ago, I hardly recognised myself.

I weighed around 85 kg, was frequently tired, drank too much alcohol, ate out far too often and spent far too much time sitting down. I was taking Ramipril every day and my blood pressure averaged around 100/90. I had quietly accepted that this was simply what getting older looked like.

Today, I weigh around 70 kg.

I eat far more healthily, I've given up alcohol completely, I exercise almost every day, and I wake up looking forward to life instead of merely getting through it.

Most importantly, I feel grateful.

I was already in my sixties when I decided to change my habits. There is nothing remarkable about me, and I'm certainly not naturally athletic. I hated sports lessons at school, and yes, I was that boy who got chosen last for every team sport. What changed wasn't my genes or my luck. It was my daily routine.

If I can do it, many other people can too.

It isn't always easy, especially at the beginning. The Germans have a great expression for this: "Du musst deinen innene Schweinehund überwinden!" You need to overcome your inner pig-dog. But every week it becomes a little more normal, until eventually your healthier life no longer feels like hard work. It simply becomes who you are.

Why Exercise Matters

Our bodies were designed to move.

Yet modern life encourages us to sit at desks, drive everywhere, watch television and scroll endlessly through our phones.

Regular exercise helps to:

• strengthen the heart
• lower blood pressure
• improve balance and flexibility
• maintain muscle and bone strength
• reduce the risk of diabetes
• improve mood
• reduce anxiety
• improve sleep
• maintain independence as we grow older

Perhaps most importantly, exercise gives us energy rather than taking it away.

That still surprises many people.

You Don't Need to Become a Marathon Runner

One of the biggest mistakes people make is believing that exercise only counts if it's difficult.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Walking counts.

Gardening counts.

Cycling to the shops counts.

Playing with your grandchildren counts.

Taking the stairs counts.

Every movement is better than no movement.

The secret isn't intensity.

The secret is consistency.

A Practical Routine for Every Decade

In Your 30s and 40s

These are often the busiest years of life, juggling careers and families.

Aim for:

• 150–300 minutes of moderate exercise each week
• two or three strength-training sessions
• one session focusing on flexibility or mobility
• regular walking whenever possible

Build muscle now. You'll thank yourself twenty years later.

In Your 50s

Strength becomes even more important.

Focus on:

• brisk walking
• resistance exercises using weights or resistance bands
• balance exercises
• stretching after exercise
• keeping excess body weight under control

Many people are surprised how quickly fitness returns after only a few months of regular exercise.

In Your 60s and Beyond

Growing older is not a reason to stop moving.

It is the reason to keep moving.

Aim for:

• a daily walk, even if only twenty or thirty minutes
• light strength training two or three times each week
• simple balance exercises
• regular stretching

If getting down onto the floor becomes difficult, chair-based exercises are an excellent alternative.

Every movement protects your independence.

You Don't Need an Expensive Gym

I enjoy going to the gym because it motivates me, gives structure to my week and puts me among people who are trying to improve themselves.

But a gym isn't essential.

You can achieve excellent results with:

• your own body weight
• a pair of dumbbells
• resistance bands
• a yoga mat
• outdoor fitness equipment in local parks

The best exercise programme is always the one you will actually continue.

Don't Forget Flexibility

Strength and fitness are only part of the picture.

As we age, flexibility and balance become increasingly valuable.

Activities such as:

• yoga
• Pilates
• Tai Chi
• simple daily stretching
• chair exercises

can dramatically improve posture, mobility and confidence while reducing the risk of falls.

You don't have to become an expert.

Just becoming a little more flexible than you were yesterday is progress.

Be Patient With Yourself

Our society loves dramatic "before and after" stories.

Real life is usually much quieter than that.

Some weeks you'll make excellent progress.

Some weeks you'll go backwards.

That's perfectly normal.

The important thing is never to let one bad day become one bad month.

Having said that, if you are really determined, you might want to record your progress. I use a simple spreadhseet to lof the most imprtant details. Now I wishe I had made some videos and taken more photos.

Your Future Self Is Watching

Every walk you take today, every staircase you climb, every healthy habit you repeat is a gift to the person you'll be ten or twenty years from now.

Exercise isn't really about looking younger.

It's about living better.

It's about having enough strength to carry your shopping, enough fitness to play with your grandchildren, enough balance to avoid a fall, and enough energy to enjoy the precious years ahead.

SIMPLY. BETTER. LIVING.

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."
— Jim Rohn