How to maintain an exercise routine as you age

Summary

Life Kit Podcast Summary: "How to Maintain an Exercise Routine as You Age"

Release Date: March 20, 2025
Host: Marielle Segarra
Episode Title: How to Maintain an Exercise Routine as You Age

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Introduction: Embracing Change

Marielle Segarra opens the episode by reflecting on the inevitability of physical changes as we age. She emphasizes the importance of accepting these transformations and adapting our lifestyles accordingly. "Our bodies really are going to change regularly. That's normal," she states at [00:15]. This sets the stage for a discussion on maintaining an active lifestyle despite the natural aging process.

The Science Behind Staying Active

Expert Insight with Becca Jordry

Becca Jordry, a professor of physical therapy at the University of South Dakota, shares her research on active older adults, particularly those participating in the National Senior Games. She underscores the body's persistent ability to respond to exercise, regardless of age. “We can do these studies in young adults, we can do these studies in 80 and 90 year olds, and still we see changes every time. If we tell our bodies what we want, they will respond,” Jordry explains at [01:36].

Jordry advises starting slowly when reintroducing fitness routines to prevent injury. “Bits and gradually increasing that activity that signal to our body, just lifting a little bit more weight than nothing, right?" she advises at [01:58]. Patience is highlighted as a crucial element in building fitness.

Guidance from Allison Aubrey

Allison Aubrey, an expert on healthy aging, provides practical exercise recommendations. She states, “The official recommendation is to aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity,” at [06:14]. Aubrey clarifies that activities like walking, running, biking, swimming, and weight training all contribute to this goal, emphasizing that the best exercise is one that individuals are more likely to stick with.

Building a Sustainable Exercise Routine

Juana Summers' Personal Journey

Juana Summers, co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered, shares her personal evolution with fitness. Initially struggling to find a suitable exercise routine, she eventually discovered joy in activities that fit her lifestyle. “It took a while, but in my 30s, I started figuring out what kind of movement worked for my life and brought me joy,” Summers reflects at [02:47].

Takeaway 1: Choose an Exercise You Enjoy

Summers and Aubrey both highlight the importance of selecting activities that are enjoyable and manageable. Aubrey reiterates, “It’s got to be fun. If you don't enjoy it, you probably won't do it,” at [07:37].

The Social Aspect of Exercise

Community Building through Activity

Nick Gandy, Sports Information Manager for the Florida Senior Games, discusses the camaraderie among older athletes. “The stories that I like to hear are the athletes who competed in their younger days... and they decided to come back and they play pickleball or they bowl or they swim,” he shares at [08:27].

Mona Noyes, an 86-year-old active participant, exemplifies how exercise fosters community. “I have two very bad knees... but it's just a matter of getting out and doing it and trying to stay active,” Noyes states at [09:28]. Her wife’s continued participation in pickleball serves as an inspiration, demonstrating the motivational power of social connections.

Takeaway 2: Exercise Can Be Social

Summers emphasizes that finding a community can significantly enhance one’s commitment to staying active. “Finding the people that make you want to keep showing up,” she notes at [09:54].

Achieving Independence Through Fitness

Maintaining Autonomy with Strength Training

Mona Noyes shares her transformative experience with strength training. Before starting, daily tasks like getting off the toilet were challenging. “Now that is so basic, but it’s so important,” she remarks at [12:48]. Strength training not only improved her physical capabilities but also bolstered her confidence and independence.

Takeaway 3: Exercise Promotes Independence

Maintaining muscle strength through exercise ensures that older adults can continue performing daily activities with ease. This independence contributes to a higher quality of life, allowing individuals to engage in hobbies and maintain their autonomy.

Overcoming Barriers to Starting Exercise

Encouragement from Diet Sauer

Diet Sauer, an 83-year-old competitive swimmer, shares her journey of overcoming fear and self-doubt to embrace swimming. “You can't let fear stop you from achieving anything. You have to use the fear as almost like something to energize you,” Sauer advises at [16:34]. Her story illustrates that the initial intimidation of starting something new can be surmounted with determination and support.

Takeaway 4: Just Start

The recurring theme throughout the episode is the importance of taking the first step. Whether it’s lifting weights, running, or simply walking, initiating movement is crucial. “Just start,” echoes across the narratives of those interviewed, reinforcing that beginning is often the hardest yet most essential part of maintaining an exercise routine.

Key Takeaways

1. Choose Enjoyable Exercise: Select activities that fit your lifestyle and that you genuinely enjoy to ensure consistency.

2. Foster Community: Engaging in group activities or finding exercise partners can enhance motivation and commitment.

3. Promote Independence: Regular physical activity, especially strength training, helps maintain autonomy and the ability to perform daily tasks.

4. Take the First Step: Overcoming the initial fear or hesitation to start an exercise routine is essential for long-term benefits.

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Conclusion

Marielle Segarra and Juana Summers successfully highlight the multifaceted benefits of maintaining an exercise routine as we age. Through expert insights and personal stories, the episode underscores that staying active is not only beneficial for physical health but also for building community, ensuring independence, and enhancing overall quality of life. The four key takeaways provide practical guidance for listeners looking to integrate fitness into their aging journey.

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For more insights and episodes on maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, visit NPR Life Kit.

Transcript

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[Marielle Segarra]

You're listening to Life Kit from NPR. Hey, everybody, it's Marielle. I've had a realization lately that my body and our bodies really are going to change regularly. That's normal. This starts on day one of the human experience, even for the traits that people think of as fixed. Have you ever seen a baby born with one eye color that morphs into something else? Our hair, our skin, our weight, our muscle mass, the way our voices sound, all of these things and more will change over our lifetimes. And that's okay. You, you're gonna look and feel different at 20 than you did at 10, different at 50 than you did at 40, different at 80 than you did at 70. And there's acceptance required here. As we age, we need to do what our bodies are capable of in the given moment without shaming ourselves. That, oh, I can't lift as heavy or run as fast as I used to. And something remarkable and beautiful is that it's never too late to see the benefits of movement. Becca Jordry is a professor of physical therapy at the University of South Dakota. She studies active older adults, specifically adults who participate in the National Senior Games. So they'd be 50 or older. And she says our bodies never lose the ability to respond to the signals we send when we get moving.

[Becca Jordry]

We can do these studies in young adults, we can do these studies in 80 and 90 year olds, and still we see changes every time. If we tell our bodies what we want, they will respond.

[Marielle Segarra]

She says if you're getting back into fitness and movement after a long time, you do want to take it slowly to avoid getting hurt, but just little.

[Becca Jordry]

Bits and gradually increasing that activity that signal to our body, just lifting a little bit more weight than nothing, right? And then adding a little bit more to that once you adjust. And that doesn't seem odd, before you know it, you will. You'll find yourself with. With greater fitness. And I think you know that that takes patience. And that's probably the hardest part, is just to be patient.

[Marielle Segarra]

On this episode of Life Kit, we're going to talk about exercising as we age. All Things Considered co host Juana Summers did an entire series about this topic, and she's also been thinking about how our bodies change over time and what it means to stay active as we get older. She will be your guide.

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[Marielle Segarra]

Rest of the show, I just wanted to check have you followed us on Instagram? Yeah, we have an Instagram now. It's NPR Life Kit. There you'll find exclusive videos, comics and more. Again, that's NPR Life Kit. See you there.

[Juana Summers]

A couple of years ago, my mom got sick. She had to have surgery and was out of work for a while with a pretty challenging recovery. She lives halfway across the country and something started coming up. In our phone calls, she'd tell me that she'd started going out with a longtime friend and taking walks in a park. She was working to get her body moving again. Thankfully, she's doing a lot better now, but that experience got me thinking a lot about how our bodies change over time and what it looks like to get or stay active as we age. And it also got me started thinking about how my own body and my own relationship to fitness have changed over the years. Spoiler alert. They look way different at almost 40 than they did a decade or so ago. For a long time, I thought fitness had to look a certain kind of way to be valid. I cycled through so many different gyms and workout classes trying to find my fit. It took a while, but in my 30s, I started figuring out what kind of movement worked for my life and brought me joy. And I wanted to dig into all of that a little bit more. My first call was to our NPR colleague Allison Aubrey. She's kind of an expert on healthy aging and has spent years covering the topic. I wanted to know more about what the science actually tells us. If you're a person who is 50 or older, what does research say about how much and what kind of exercise you need?

[Allison Aubrey]

You know, what the research really shows, Juana, is that our bodies are meant to move. And the official recommendation is to aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity. So about, you know, half hour, five times a week.

[Juana Summers]

Okay, let's break that down a little bit. What does that actually mean? Would something like walking count?

[Allison Aubrey]

Absolutely, walking counts. I mean, to get to moderate intensity, you really want to get that pace up. You want to sound a little winded when you speak. Higher intensity exercises, running, biking can lead to higher levels of aerobic fitness or swimming. That's an option that's easy on the joints. And of course, weight training is important, too. So the best exercise is the one you'll actually do.

[Juana Summers]

Alison Aubrey gives us takeaway 1. The best type of exercise is the exercise that you'll actually do. Now, this is one you've probably heard a lot if you're a loyal life kit listener. But stick with me for a minute. Let's be honest. Staying active can be a challenge. As we age, we're juggling all kinds of priorities. Many of us are working in intense jobs or we have caretaking responsibilities. There's a time crunch. Plus, as people age, the risk for falling or getting injured increases. But getting older doesn't have to mean moving less. Fitness can be a lifelong habit. From the functional to the fun, here's Alison Aubrey again.

[Allison Aubrey]

You know, I think a big part of exercise comes down to building a habit. People who schedule workouts tend to do better. But of course, there are obstacles. I mean, life gets in the way, lack of time, transportation issues, work and caregiving responsibilities. So I'd really encourage folks to check out online programs. Many communities offer low cost or even free programs. But it's got to be fun. If you don't enjoy it, you probably won't do it.

[Juana Summers]

Speaking of Fun. At the Florida Senior Games outside of Tampa, nearly 600 players registered to compete in pickleball. And for a chance to advance to the National Senior Games this summer, I took a trip there to check it out. Last year I met Nick Gandy. He's sports information manager for the Florida Senior Games and he's been involved with the competition for 25 years.

[Nick Gandy]

It's really an interesting community of 50 and over people. The stories that I like to hear are the athletes who competed in their younger days and they went on, had a career, raised families, the kids grew up, they retired from their successful careers, their kids are gone and they decided to come back and they play pickleball or they bowl or they swim and it's like they're going back to their younger days when they did this with their friends when they were growing up.

[Juana Summers]

Now, let's be clear. Getting or staying active as you age does not have to mean you're a competitive athlete. Any kind of movement can benefit your body. Ruth Weil started playing pickleball 15 years ago after she and her wife moved to Villages, Florida. You might know it. It is this huge retirement community. And spending time with her, it's clear how much joy she takes from being able to play at her age.

[Mona Noyes]

I have two very bad knees that I just keep plugging along cortisone shots, but it's just a matter of getting out and doing it and trying to stay active. My wife, who's 85 years old in January, is still competing in pickleball and she is here today. And she to me is an inspiration for everybody because how many 85 year olds do you see out playing? So as long as she competes, I will compete.

[Juana Summers]

Which leads me to takeaway 2. Exercise can be social and deepen your community. Now, I mentioned earlier that my relationship to exercise and fitness has changed a lot. This is one of the biggest reasons why. It wasn't just about finding a type of exercise that stuck with me. It was about meeting people who made me want to keep showing up. I joined a local running group about a year ago. I didn't really know anyone doing it, but I pretty quickly made some friends who run at my pace. And even when I don't really want to lace up my running shoes, knowing that I've got a built in gossip session usually helps get me up and out the door. To see a different type of fitness community, our team headed to a mall in Annapolis, Maryland where we met a woman named Anita Snyder who's been coming to the same mall to walk for 20 years.

[Nick Gandy]

You know, knowing that we have people here waiting for us gets us here. I don't always want to get off and walk, but I got these two ladies waiting for me, so gets me here.

[Juana Summers]

Do you guys have like a big text thread or are you just texting one on one or is it a text?

[Nick Gandy]

Just a group text. A group of three.

[Juana Summers]

Part of what keeps Anita Snyder coming back is the fact that she's got friends waiting for her when she gets to the mall at 8am that's how Snyder met Evelyn Bach, one of the other mall walkers. Bach told me that even though she lives 30 minutes away from the Annapolis Mall, she still drives over before her job at a local gun shop. You get up and you get ready and you go.

[Mona Noyes]

If it's bad weather or something's going on that you can't make it, it.

[Juana Summers]

Feels like something's missing in your day.

[Mona Noyes]

Sometime just because you're always here.

[Juana Summers]

Routine matters. So does community. And the benefits can go far beyond physical health and well being. Here's a third takeaway. Exercise can people more independence. When I think about what I want my future to look like, I know I want to live the best life I can for as long as I can. I want to be able to take hikes and walks in the woods, to keep running races, to live independently, to travel the world. I want my body to be there for me. That's what 86 year old Mona Noyes wants to soft knees, long arms.

[Mona Noyes]

There we go, right?

[Marielle Segarra]

See?

[Mona Noyes]

But it's not smooth, Emily.

[Juana Summers]

Well, we're going to make it smooth.

[Mona Noyes]

Okay, there we go.

[Nick Gandy]

Good.

[Juana Summers]

I met Mona at a strength training gym not far from where I live in Baltimore. She worked at a big school district until her 70s. After she retired, she said she just became less active, she got less confident. And then her daughter suggested she try to work with a trainer.

[Mona Noyes]

I thought, well, you know what, I'll try it. And then I can say, okay, I tried it, that's it, we're done. But I never went away. And then I started to train twice a week. In the beginning it was kind of. I knew my daughter was very pleased. But then I began to really value it for its own sake and now I would do it regardless.

[Juana Summers]

What kind of benefits has this training brought to your life? What kind of differences have you seen?

[Mona Noyes]

One of the things was getting off the toilet because most toilets are low. So at the point when I started training, I had to pry or like lever myself up because my legs weren't strong enough. Now that is so basic, but it's so important. Who wants to go to a strange place and you can't get off the John Denon. Things like that. Walking stairs. I would creep up the stairs holding both hands. Oh my God. Carrying things, even a regular grocery bag. It was a struggle for me. Now one time I carried four quarts of milk. And now that is miraculous what it was to me.

[Juana Summers]

Miraculous. Those are the kind of things I want to keep doing too. There's a lot of research about why strength training is so important. As we age, muscle mass peaks in our 20s or 30s. And weight training can help fend off age related muscle loss. The CDC recommends strength training at least two days a week on top of the 150, 50 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity. But that science, it translates into what your whole life can look like. Here's noise trainer Emily Sokolinski. Being able to still do the things that you enjoy doing.

[Mona Noyes]

Maybe it's going to the movies, maybe you like to go to lunch with.

[Juana Summers]

Friends, going to the library, Whatever it is. Being able to continue to do the activities that you've always enjoyed doing. And thanks to her training routine, that is exactly, exactly what Mona Noise is doing now. But getting your hands around a barbell or starting to run or going out for walks, whatever the thing you want to do may be, it can feel intimidating. I'm staring at my calendar right now. Where do I find the time? How do I get over being the new kid in class? What if I'm just not good at an exercise I want to try? Well, here is takeaway four. The last one. Just start. This idea, or some form of it was something we heard over and over again from people we interviewed, including Diet Sauer, who's 83 years old. Her life has seen all kinds of changes, including getting sober. But when she was 58, an encounter at the gym changed her life.

[Nick Gandy]

Then they put up a poster that they were starting a new swim team at our club. And I just showed up. All I knew how to do was kind of dog paddle and I just kind of fluttered around in the water. But what was fortunate was there was a young woman on deck that day. That was the coach. And when I got about halfway across the pool, I turned around to her and I said, I can't do this. I'm embarrassing myself. And I'm sorry, I should not have shown up. And she said, you can do this. I will teach you.

[Juana Summers]

Sour kept showing up. And she went from having only the slightest skill to becoming a decorated competitive swimmer. I wanted to know what she loves about competing.

[Nick Gandy]

I like the rush. I like the thrill. I like the challenge. I swim every morning. I get up at 4:15 and I'm in the pool by 5:15, and I'm with a group of incredible people that are so much fun.

[Juana Summers]

Those connections kept Sauer coming back to the pool over and over again. Now, not everyone can be a competitive swimmer like Dietz Sour, but she gave me a piece of advice that resonates for all of us. Starting something new can be intimidating at any age. So I want to ask, what is your advice to someone who might hear the conversation that you and I are having? Who? Maybe they want to swim. Maybe they want to start lifting weights. Maybe they want to start walking. They want to start a new exercise program or try something new. But they. They're scared to start. What would you tell them?

[Nick Gandy]

Scared of what? First of all, you can't let fear stop you from achieving anything. You have to use the fear as almost like something to energize you and to invigorate you in order to take the risk. I do the 200 butterfly. I'm scared of it, but I'm not going to let it stop me. It took me a long time to get where I am today, but the whole process has been one of sheer bliss. I mean, it's just been incredible.

[Juana Summers]

Okay, let's recap all of these. Takeaway 1. The best type of exercise is the kind that you'll do. So experiment a bit. Find what works for you and your lifestyle. And if it doesn't feel fun or manageable, you don't have to do it. Take away two. Exercise can create or help strengthen community. Find the people that make you want to keep showing up. Takeaway 3 Exercise and strength can help create independence. It isn't just about fitness. It's about living your best, fullest life. And takeaway 4 just start. Thanks to Marielle and the team at Life Kit for letting me drop in.

[Marielle Segarra]

That was All Things Considered co host Juana Summers. For more Life Kit, check out our other episodes. There's one about how to get into weightlifting and another on how to get moving more in general. You can find [e-mail] LifeKit and if you love Life Kit and want even more, subscribe to our [e-mail] lifekitnewsletter. Also, we love hearing from you, so if you have episode ideas or feedback you want to share, email [e-mail] this episode of Life Kit was produced by Matt Ozug and Mark Rivers. It was edited by Sarah Handel. Our Visuals Editor at LifeKit is Beck Harlan, and our digital editor is Malika Garib. Megan Kane is our supervising editor and Beth Donovan is our executive producer. Our production team also includes Andy Taegle, Claire Marie Schneider, Margaret Serino, Sam Yellow Horse Kessler and Sylvie Douglas. Engineering support comes from Patrick Murray and Jimmy Keeley. I'm Mariel Segarra. Thanks for listening.

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