You should exercise with as much vigor as you are comfortable with, at least a little bit every day. Don’t worry if you’ve been a couch potato prior to today-what’s behind you doesn’t matter!
Some people are afraid that exercise will be too strenuous or that physical activity will harm them, especially people who have illnesses or have never been very fit. Yet, studies show that exercise is safe for people of all age groups and that older adults hurt their health far more by not exercising than by exercising.
An inactive lifestyle can cause older people to lose ground in four areas that are important for staying healthy and independent: strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. But research suggests that exercise and physical activity can help older people maintain or partly restore these four areas.
