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Motivating Seniors to Exercise

What does it take to motivate seniors to exercise?

seniorsWhat driving force, deeply embedded in our senior brains causes some of us to put on our gym shoes and go for a brisk walk at 6 am? Or to get in the car and drive for 15 or 20 minutes to a gym just to spin around on a bike and lift a few weights? Or to put our bodies through a series of contortions at a yoga class?

Through the years, I have been a devotee of most of these exercise options—and added a few extras for good measure: qi gong, dancercise, zumba, walking clubs, and group gym workouts.

Looking back, I can’t remember what motivated me. Sometimes it was the the urging of a friend, sometimes it was the fallout from holiday indulgence, and sometimes it was as simple as wanting to feel the rush of good health and fitness. It may even have been one of the following approaches:

The hell fire and brimstone approach. Once research about the dangers of sedentary living emerged, the media, through newspapers, magazines, and television, hammered these ideas relentlessly. We are now fully informed about the risks of not exercising, and the concomitant results; the circulatory problems, the weight gain, diabetes, joint and bone fragility and depression. These are only a few of the conditions that await us if we don’t get off the couch and exercise. Grim statistics about couch potato seniors are everywhere:

  • A recent study reported that for every 2 hours that a person watched TV, the risk of type 2 diabetes increased 14%
  • People who are sedentary have the highest rate of heart attack.
  • People who don’t perform regular physical activity are more likely to become depressed.
  • People who are physically inactive have an increased risk of colon and breast cancer.
  • After age 40, people typically lose 8 percent or more of their muscle mass every ten years.

With years of “scare tactics” resulting in no measurable change in behaviour, researchers and the medical community took another tack:

The carrot and stick approach. Reams and reams of research about the benefits of exercising began to emerge. Evidence about these benefits was added to the publicity mix about the pitfalls of not exercising.

  • With good exercise and strength training, competitive cyclists and swimmers in their 70s and 80s are about as strong as they were in their 60s.
  • For people over age 60, moderate-to-vigorous exercise (150-minutes per week) is linked to a 28 percent lower risk of dying over about 10 years, compared to being completely sedentary.
  • Older women show an even greater benefit from exercise than men, with their mortality risk decreasing by 32 percent compared to mens’ 14 percent.

The drop-out rate. How disheartening, then, to hear that 50% of people starting an exercise program drop out within the first 6 months (Wilson & Brookfield 2009).

This led researcher Len Kravitz, Ph.D, to admit:

“Although the list of exercise benefits is impressive, it is apparent that just hearing about them does not assure consistent exercise compliance in most individuals. Regular exercise is a complex, multifactorial behaviour that fitness professionals and scientists need to understand better in order to help clients stay active and healthy.”

So if putting the fear of retribution into us over the dangers of being sedentary doesn’t motivate us, and bribing us with statistics about the benefits of exercise brings no results, what, if anything, does work? After all, something must work—50% of our population in western countries exercise on a regular basis! How do these people keep going—some of them reaching measurable heights of fitness?

Researchers (Whaley & Schrider) assert that the following recommendations consistently work:

  1. Positive feedback from exercise professionals
  2. Reinforcement that exercise is worthy and beneficial
  3. Social support from significant others to improve self-perception

But it’s unlikely that all of these motivational factors can be present at the time they are needed in the gym and on the walking path. I suspect that something else is at play, and it resides within every one of us.

The magic of endorphins. I suspect that success at maintaining a long term exercise program happens quite by accident. We start slow—we join a gym, and straggle in for the first few sessions, or we join a walking group, and bring up the rear for the first few walks.
Everything hurts. We hate it. The couch and fireside entice us with comfort and goodies. But we keep going. Something keeps us hooked in. If it’s a social walking group, it could be the camaraderie. If it’s the gym, it could be the encouragement of a workout partner or coach. Everything depends on our resolve during these early stages of our program. As we keep at it, a few days, a few weeks, a couple of months—something else begins to happen. We start looking forward to the exercise. In time, we realize that we feel good when exercising—euphoric in fact. Yes, you guessed it, the endorphins have kicked in. Your brain will record this feeling in a most powerful way. You will reach for it again and again. And, if you pay attention, you may never have to struggle to motivate yourself to exercise again.

23 thoughts on “Motivating Seniors to Exercise”

  1. I heard a program once upon a time on public radio wherein the medical authority being interviewed said fear doesn’t motivate people after the initial period–even fear of death isn’t sufficient to continue to provide motivation. What does is the prospect of a reward. In my case, I’m sporadic re exercise, but I always move around a lot, every day. I try not to sit for very long, and I look at housecleaning and yardwork as a nice workout. If I can’t do them, I’ll go to the gym and simply walk, listening to music or a podcast. What makes me do it? What’s the reward? Sometimes I just want to feel better physically. For ex., sitting for long periods, esp. right after a meal, makes my body unhappy in ways too gross to mention. Sometimes, the treadmill option is like a pleasant walk like you’d take in nature, and I get a sense of being virtuous afterward. Lastly, I want to be creative, to think well. I know movement will help that. If a person can think of what reward might motivate them, it could help. Best wishes.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Thanks, Lynne. Good ideas! I’m on my way this morning to buy a fitbit, in the hopes that it will give me motivation to get up from the computer and at least walk around the house, do a few jumping jacks (lol) and generally get moving.
      Since you write so much, you are prone to too much sitting, so good on you for trying to step up your routines.

      1. I have a fitbit, the one that only records steps and the elliptical machine. Recently they gave me a “Japan badge” — meaning that since I’ve had it, I’d walked the length of that country, 1600+ miles! (Proof that babysitting grandkids is a workout). I use the app on my android phone to get updates during the day. Today I took it off, thinking it’s Sunday and they don’t measure bike rides with spouse anyway.

        1. I don’t really understand why bike rides with your spouse wouldn’t be measured…unless it was a bicycle built for two! This is a very interesting exploration…so glad I’m learning more before I go out willy nilly and spend a lot of money! Thanks, Lynne!

  2. I recently read that one of the primary motivators is not wanting to take medicines for health conditions. That’s me. I have had no trouble keeping active and eating a healthy diet to avoid statins, and I was using the weight machines at the local Y (but only about 15 minutes a time, every other day) to avoid osteoporosis medicines. My latest DEXA scan suggests I start taking medication, but that made things worse years ago when I was talked into trying a couple, so I’m upping my weight-bearing exercises and and learning Tai Chi and using my WiFit Plus for balance exercises. Avoiding falls and fraility seems the right direction to go. The Tai Chi is soothing, and the WiFit is fun.

    I wear a pedometer and try to get at least 14000 steps a day (it’s not very accurate), and I seldom sit. I stand on a jogging trampoline when I use the computer, so it’s easy to bounce when I’m reading.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      …a jogging trampoline! Now that’s one for the books! I’ll have to learn more about that. Seems you have all of the bases covered. Years ago I was told I was headed for osteoporosis if I didn’t change my ways. I am still doing well with no medication, just walking and gym. I’m so grateful it is working so far! As you can tell, I’d do just about anything to avoid medication..I’ve never tried Tai Chi, and may take it up someday!

      1. I forgot to mention that Netflix is my exercise buddy — I never watch TV or movies if I’m not exercising. But I’ve recently joined the Senior Sneakers class at the Y. That class plus a visit to a physical therapist to make sure I wouldn’t hurt my knees doing some exercises, made me realize I wasn’t doing enough stretching.

        This post shows my computer setup. I haven’t been using the stair stepper because it bothers my knees, but I love the trampoline. http://cheerfulmonk.com/2012/09/02/new-playground/

  3. This is a very interesting topic!

    First I want to share a little story about my visit to the physiotherapist after a knee injury. She was a competent young woman, twenty something. She recommended exercises, and they were just the thing to get my knee working again. However, she urged me to repeat those exercises three times each, three times a day. Had I attempted that, I would have lasted two, maybe three days, before giving up. I know myself. I told her that it wasn’t going to happen. She was surprised. I did not repeat the exercises, and did them once per day. It might have taken a lot longer, but I experienced no pain, no guilt, just a slow steady recovery. A little bit of consistent exercise is far superior to an attempt at intense exercise that is abandoned quickly.

    Do what you can, when you can. This saying works for so many different things in my life.

    In my case, finding what I like to do is crucial to being active.

    I don’t like exercise machines, bicycles, jogging, gyms, exercise classes, swimming pools, or any of the “value added” ways of moving my body around to keep healthy.

    I like walking, so I walk every day. I like cooking, so I cook every day. I like puttering around the house, so I putter every day. I lift, I stretch, I bend, I reach, and when I sit down after all that, the dishes are done, dinner is in the oven, the beds are made, the garden has been weeded, the trash has been taken to the curb… the list goes on, and it is different every day.

    When I have needed to use an exercise routine recommended by a physiotherapist, such as after my serious back injury in the 90s, and the torn meniscus in my knee last winter, I do the exercise routines until my strength returns, and the pain is under control, and then I slowly wean myself off the boring routines, that I know I will soon begin to set aside, by incorporating the exercises into my daily activities.

    I exercise to be healthy. I pay no attention to my weight beyond eating sensibly and being active. I don’t set specific exercise goals, my body lets me know when I need to move around more, and when I have been moving around more than I should. It is my most intimate relationship, my body and me.

    When I begin a new activity, I need to start slow, take baby steps, enjoy “success” every single time I participate. For me, the desire to do just a little bit more always creeps up on me as soon as my body acclimatizes to the activity, and I need to nurture the pleasure of the experience to reach that point.

    My Grandmother lived this way, and her Grandmother before her, and so on… I think they were onto something.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      They were certainly unto something, Maggie! I believe that the body has its own rhythm and wisdom. We (and the medical community) too often intervene in the natural way of doing things. It looks you have found the perfect combination of exercise and care that will keep you going for a very long time. So different from my routine, and that of the cheerful monk and Lynne, but it works so well for you. Thanks for the long and wonderful “share”!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      And sit around we do, since we spend a good deal of time in front of the computer. Unlike one of my readers, who uses a trampoline while writing, I need to sit down in order to get those thoughts down. Tried standing, and that didn’t work. Staying fit requires so much vigilance! But we must keep at it…

  4. Thanks for dropping by at my blog. I like what I see here and being a Senior myself at 72 can related to the topics that you cover. I have subscribed to your posts and look forward to more.

    I am a highly self motivated individual and am now addicted to my exercise routine of a combination of yogabhyas, stretch with elastic band and aerobics with wrist weights that takes me about an hour to complete every day. I also walk 2 Kms at a leisurely pace with four rests in between. Both my hips have been replaced and revised and I have to be careful with the kinds of exercises that I can indulge in.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Well, I’m impressed with your routine. It’s a good kind of addiction, rest assured! Thank you for subscribing to my blog. Much appreciated. I will look forward to receiving your posts as well.

  5. Although I no longer run competitively, or as often as I used to, I try to work out at the gym for an hour and a half at least 4 days a week. I’m addicted to exercise and I attribute oddly enough to a eating disorder I had in my late teens and early 20s. Exercise was my only way out of it. A great benefit is it takes years off one’s appearance!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      If you are going to have an addiction, that’s the one to have! It sounds like you have it under control, and use it to your benefit. It also is a great benefit to your health!

  6. Many years ago, a fnew riend convinced me to exercise and did it with me until the endorphins kicked in and I began to exercise for the enjoyment of exercising. The real miracle is that lo, these many years later I’m still at it. It’s now as habitual with me as brushing my teeth and cussing.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Congratulations for developing the wonderful habit of exercising! Being healthy until the end of our days is what we seniors are all trying to do. Thanks for your comment!

  7. I confess I’ve been completely unmotivated in recent years and am still trying to figure out what used to motivate me before I retired. Lots of the usual motivations are useless because I’m an introvert and have always preferred exercising alone. I have to find some inner motivation. Maybe a recent significant weight loss due to illness will motivate me to both keep the weight off and help ensure the illness doesn’t reoccur.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Must confess that I’m in the doldrums at the moment, and not very motivated to exercise. I think it’s due to our shortened day. Here, in the north west, the sun sets at 4:30 in the afternoon. More conducive to hibernating than anything! We are approaching the shortest day, Dec. 21st. So after that, I should be a bundle of energy..(not!).On days like this, when it’s too miserable to walk outside, and I just can’t get going to the gym, I try to at least get my yoga mat out and do some stretches. That helps, somehow. Gives me a bit of incentive to take the next step and do some sit-ups, and some fast walking in the hallway. Any little bit helps!

  8. I’m less motivated this time of year too. I still run and swim, but I miss group cycling. I invested in a nice indoor bike five years ago and watch television while spinning. I know that if I don’t maintain a decent level of fitness, rounding into better shape and keeping up with my training partners is going to be more difficult come spring.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      I know people who do group cycling, and I can appreciate how motivating that can be. It seems to have everything: friendship, getting your heart rate going, and building strength. Yeah, you have to be driven toward some goal to keep exercising in winter!

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