Chapter 3: How to Keep Going

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When you need extra motivation, try the following:

Ask someone to be your exercise buddy. Many older adults agree that having someone to exercise with helps keep them going.
Follow Georgia Burnette’s advice: Listen to recorded books or music while you do endurance activities.
Set a goal, and decide on a reward you will get when you reach it.
Give yourself physical activity homework assignments for the next day or the next week.
Think of your exercise sessions as appointments, and mark them on your calendar.
Keep a record of what you do and of your progress. Understand that there will be times that you don’t show rapid progress and that you are still benefiting from your activities during those times.
Plan ahead for travel, bad weather, and house guests. For example, an exercise video can help you exercise indoors when the weather is bad.

Let Us Acknowledge Your Efforts
When it comes to motivation, the first month is crucial. If you can increase your physical activity for a month and keep going after that, you will have passed a critical landmark. It’s a good sign that you are on your way to making exercise and physical activity regular, life-long habits.

Sticking With It: What Works
According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s report, you are more likely to keep doing physical activities if you:

think that, overall, you will benefit from them
include activities you enjoy
feel you can do the activities correctly and safely
have regular access to the activities
can fit the activities into your daily schedule
feel that the activities don’t impose financial or social costs you aren’t willing to take on
have few negative consequences from doing your activities (such as injury, lost time, or negative peer pressure)

In other words, set yourself up to succeed right from the start. Choose realistic goals, learn to do the exercises correctly and safely, and chart your progress to see your improvement.

We want to give you credit for that. If you increase your physical activity for more than a month, send us the form at the end of this book. We will send you a National Institute on Aging certificate acknowledging your commitment.