How Do I Start Exercising Again After Break?
Jodie teaching a lunge with resistance band rows. Great for strength, balance and confidence!
Ready to Start Exercising Again After a Break?
Maybe it’s been six months since you exercised regularly.
Maybe it’s been five years.
Life changes. Work gets busy, family comes first, motivation disappears, or we simply get out of the habit.
And when you finally decide “I really need to start moving again”, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
One of the most important things I tell people is this:
You don’t need to start where you used to be. Start where you are today.
1. Start Smaller Than You Think
It’s tempting to feel motivated and suddenly decide you’re going to exercise five days a week.
But after a long break, starting gently can make it much easier to build a routine that lasts.
A short walk, a beginner Pilates class, gentle Yoga or some simple mobility exercises are all worthwhile.
You don’t need to exhaust yourself for exercise to count.
2. Don’t Compare Yourself to Your Younger Self
This becomes particularly important after 50.
Your body may feel different from the way it did 10 or 20 years ago — and that’s okay.
Rather than focusing on what you used to be able to do, notice what you’re capable of today and build from there.
Strength, balance, flexibility and fitness can all improve with regular practice.
3. Include Different Types of Movement
A good exercise routine doesn’t have to consist of one type of workout.
I like to encourage a mixture of:
Strength – Pilates, resistance bands, hand weights or body-weight exercises
Cardio – walking, swimming, cycling, dancing or low-impact aerobics
Mobility & flexibility – Yoga, stretching and gentle movement
Balance – simple balance exercises incorporated regularly
You certainly don’t need to do all of these every day.
Think about creating variety across your week.
4. Expect Your Body to Need Time
When you haven’t exercised for a while, even a relatively gentle class can feel challenging at first.
Give yourself time to adjust.
You might notice muscles you haven’t felt for a while! But exercise shouldn’t be about pushing through significant pain or ignoring what your body is telling you.
Learning to listen to your body is part of returning to movement successfully.
5. Choose Exercise You Actually Enjoy
This is one of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt through more than 20 years of teaching.
If you absolutely hate what you’re doing, it’s very difficult to stay consistent.
Exercise doesn’t have to mean going to a gym.
It could be Pilates, Yoga, walking, gardening, swimming, dancing or putting on your favourite music and moving around the house.
Movement you enjoy is movement you’re more likely to keep doing.
6. Don’t Worry About Being the Beginner
Everyone starts somewhere.
You don’t need to get fit before joining an exercise class.
A good beginner-friendly class should allow you to work at your own pace, take breaks when needed and choose options that suit your body.
I would much rather see someone start gently and gradually build confidence than feel they have to keep up with everybody else.
7. Focus on Consistency, Not Perfection
Missing a day doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
Having an easier week doesn’t mean you’re back at the beginning.
Think of movement as something you’re gradually bringing back into your life rather than another thing you have to do perfectly.
Even small amounts of regular movement can help you rebuild the habit.
Starting Again After 50
If you’re returning to exercise in your 50s, 60s or beyond, your goal doesn’t have to be getting your younger body back.
For me, the much more exciting goal is looking forward.
How do you want to feel five, ten or twenty years from now?
Strong enough to stay independent.
Mobile enough to enjoy everyday life.
Confident in your balance.
And still able to do the things you love.
That’s what healthy ageing means to me.
Ready to Start Moving Again?
Kevala Health offers beginner-friendly Yoga, Pilates and fitness classes designed to help you build strength, mobility, balance and confidence at your own pace.
Join me live online anywhere in Australia or in person on Russell Island.
New online members can try 7 days FREE, and new Russell Island students can try their first class FREE.
Continue with your healthy ageing journey
