In Austria, one in two adults does not get enough physical exercise. “This is a big problem because there are few things in medicine that we are as certain about maintaining health and quality of life as regular physical activity,” sports medicine specialist Anne Hecksteden, from the University of Innsbruck, tells science.
Sports New Year's resolutions are never a bad idea – especially if you can actively implement them for a long time. “It's important to think in advance about what form of exercise suits me,” says Hecksteden. The sports doctor knows some clues to facilitate the selection.
Personal goals
Before you start your New Year's resolutions, you should definitely ask yourself what you really want to achieve with exercise. If your main goal is to lose weight, resistance training or longer walks are the right choice – if you want to build muscle, it's worth strength training and maybe signing up to the gym.
“For previously healthy people, there is a lot of freedom here and you should take advantage of that,” says Hecksteden. Therefore, it is often worth trying different sports to ultimately find a form of exercise that can be implemented long-term and that is motivating.
Start Slow
People who haven't exercised in years shouldn't overdo it at first. “It's definitely recommended to start with moderate forms of exercise,” says Hecksteden.
A good starting point is walking, but you shouldn't move too fast or too slow. The “speaking test” serves as a guide. “Especially at this early stage, you should walk so fast that you feel exhausted, but still be able to talk fluently and in complete sentences,” says the sports doctor. You can gradually increase the pace or switch to more demanding sports.
Compatible with everyday life
An important factor is compatibility with your schedule. “We have to find a form of exercise that we can actually integrate into our everyday lives for the long term,” says Hecksteden.
The general rule is: “We should get at least two and a half hours of moderately intensive exercise per week.” The greatest health benefit is provided by several short training sessions per week. Dragging yourself to the gym after long days of work is the wrong approach for some people. “If the weather gets rough, you too can become a weekend warrior,” says Hecksteden. Longer individual weekend sports sessions also promote health and are generally easier to implement.
If there is more time, the sports doctor advises using it. “We are now certain that by doubling the minimum weekly training time, the positive effects on health will also increase.”
Enjoy the movement
To stay motivated in the long term, it is essential not to force yourself to do every sports session. “It’s very important that we enjoy the sport at least a little,” says Hecksteden. Group sports are also a good opportunity for some people to practice physical activity several times a week and stay motivated in the long term. “So, for someone who, for example, enjoyed playing football in their youth, it would be a good idea to return to the sport and use that effect of group dynamics and fun.”
More monotonous sports could also benefit from technical aids – long walks or runs are more bearable for some people if they listen to music or podcasts. Sport quickly becomes a minor issue without losing its health benefits.
Realistic expectations
It's also important not to set expectations too high. In many cases, motivation is lost when the numbers on the scale barely change, even after several weeks. “If we start a typical health exercise program with two and a half hours of exercise per week, we should not assume that weight will drop dramatically immediately – at least not without a concomitant change in diet.”
Clarify restrictions
If you have previous illnesses or other restrictions that affect your fitness, you should definitely discuss your New Year's sports resolutions with experts in advance. “It is certainly a good idea to talk to doctors and clarify whether the activity is really safe”, says the sports doctor.
In any case, this is recommended from a certain age. “At retirement age, and especially if you haven’t exercised for years despite being older, it’s a really good idea to talk to your GP first.”
Can be trained until old age
However, age is no excuse. “We now know that training capacity remains well into old age – relative to initial performance,” says Hecksteden. An untrained person at age 70 is naturally less productive than an untrained person at age 30. “The percentage by which you can improve through healthy sporting activities is the same for both people.”
In old age, good physical fitness is even more important. “This can be the difference between maintaining independence at home and needing care,” says Hecksteden.