Improving your fitness is one of the best things you can do for your overall health and wellness, and while it may feel daunting to get started, it’s never too late. 

If you are over 40 years old and are just beginning your fitness journey, it is important to remember that you don’t have the same body you did when you were a teenager. Starting slow and building over time is even more important the older we get. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t pursue your fitness goals wholeheartedly either. 

When planning your exercise regimen, keep in mind that you should choose a variety of activities that can support both cardiovascular health and strength to promote a healthy lifestyle. Our workout ideas for fitness beginners over 40 will put you on the right track to get started with your personal fitness journey. 

Walking 

Walking is such an underrated workout, mostly because it doesn’t actually feel like working out. But, for many fitness beginners, getting in the habit of a daily walk kickstarts their journeys. 

At first, you may want to start small by walking for 30 minutes a few days a week. This will allow your body to build endurance, while promoting a healthy lifestyle. Remember, that anywhere is fair game for walking! Many people like to take neighborhood walks, but walking may also be a good opportunity to explore new areas where you live or listen to an audiobook. 

Just 30 minutes of exercise a day makes a big difference! 

Strength Training 

Strength training, whether with bodyweight exercises or using weights, is an accessible step in your fitness journey. By building muscle in the body, we improve our bone density and can reduce body fat percentage. 

If you have never done strength or weight training before, start with bodyweight exercises. All you need is a mat and yourself. Try lunges and squats for your lower body, traditional planks and dead bugs for your abdominal muscles, and push ups and tricep dips for your upper body. 

As you build strength, add weights to increase the difficulty of the workouts. 

Yoga 

Yoga is one of the most accessible workouts because it is easily customized and there are many different types of classes you can attend. Since yoga combines stretching and strength, it’s a great way to build muscle while staying loose. 

Yoga newbies might want to check out gentle flow or slow flow classes, which are often paced slower and don’t use more advanced postures. If you’re interested in something more fast-paced that will allow you to improve your cardiovascular health, power yoga and hot yoga classes will get you sweating it all out on the mat. 

Group Fitness Classes

Many fitness beginners express that getting started with workouts and exercise can feel overwhelming and they don’t know where to start. A group fitness class takes the guesswork out of fitness and lets you show up and get to work. 

Many gyms and community centers offer a wide range of fitness classes for people at every level. Whether you want to get your groove on with Zumba, try your hand at Spin, or drop into a HIIT class, the options are there! Additionally, working with a fitness instructor or coach ensures that you are doing each of the moves correctly and being surrounded by others on their fitness journey will help form a sense of community. 

Cycling

Cycling, like walking, is an underrated exercise, but it is incredibly effective at building your cardiovascular capacity. Adding cycling to your workout routine can look like going a couple short bike rides per week or even one long ride. While many cycling enthusiasts love cycling outdoors, a fitness beginner over 40 might prefer an indoor environment on a stationary bike. 

A recumbent bike, found at most gyms, is even more low-impact and one of the best ways to start with cycling. Just like with any workout, start small and increase intensity as you gain strength and cardiovascular fitness.

Jumpstart Fitness Over 40: Know Your Why

Beginning a fitness journey is not just a commitment to your current self, but also your future self. And journeys aren’t always easy. Knowing your “why,” the reason you are starting your fitness journey over 40, will help you stay motivated as you show up for yourself at each workout or fitness class. 

Everyone’s reason is different. Whether you want to run your first 5K or be healthy as you age, keep your “why” in mind as your continue bettering yourself through fitness.  

One of the best ways to track your fitness progress as you embark on this new journey is by using the ZOZOFIT app. You can scan your body in less than 2 minutes and monitor changes to your body composition, set goals to keep you motivated and more through the app.