5 Ways to Start Exercising

Quick Win

There are a million excuses to avoid exercise. Flip the script to get moving.

Try This Today

• Think about a time in your life when you were more active than you are now — perhaps when you were a child or young adult. What activities did you enjoy? Biking? Swimming? Dancing around the house to your favorite music? Walking around the block after family dinners? Start with one of those activities. Finding something fun for YOU is a huge motivator.
• Start small. Getting 30 minutes of daily aerobic activity — the kind that gets your heart rate up — most days of the week is recommended for good health. But you don’t have to start there. Start with a five-minute walk, ride or dance session every day, and add time the next week.
• Increase your everyday activity. Walk to do errands when it’s practical, wash your car instead of taking it to a car wash, take your dog for an extra stroll, walk through your house or yard while you’re on the phone, park on the far side of the parking lot … you get the idea. All movement is good for you! 
• Track your steps on your smartphone for a week. Then challenge yourself to increase your steps by 10 percent the next week. 
• Get a workout buddy — or join a group. When you agree to meet a friend for a walk, swim or bike ride, you’re committed. You and your workout buddy can hold each other accountable — and push each other further. If you don’t know someone you can enlist, join a walking group or another exercise group or class.

Why

Getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week is important for overall health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But any and all exercise is good for you! Starting with a manageable walking routine and tacking on a bit more every so often can help you reach this goal. Even modest increases in your steps may lead to greater health benefits. Among almost 80,000 older ​adults ​​followed​ for close to seven years, those who walked 3,800 steps a day had a 25 percent lower risk of developing dementia than those who walked less. Getting up to 9,800 steps a day offered the optimal risk reduction, according to a 2022 report in JAMA Neurology.