[RaceWon]

Imo you need to become awesomely fit and maintain that level for at least a year before your late 30's. I believe this gives your body an ability that it simply never develops otherwise.

I was a serious athlete (and I smoked too) into my early 30's. In fact my fitness level at age 29 was on par with elite Olympic athletes proven by laboratory testing. Fast forward to my early 50's--I had some injuries and truth be told I hadn't worked out for about 10 years.

Two things changed that: a dream in which I couldn't do even 1 pushup, and a bad reaction to an antibiotic which caused nerve damage in my dominant arm. So five years ago, at 55, I started working out again (I also had quit smoking the year before). Today I'm 60 years old, and I can plank for 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I recently did 70 consecutive pushps, and I can do over 60 consecutive situps. I recently (about 6 weeks ago) started running stairs where I work and I can run up over 6 stories at a time--this has increased my core strength by leaps and bounds in a really short time: again a 4:30 second plank time.

As a side note; in the past 5 years I have lost about 33 pounds and I now weigh what I did at 18. I continue to make gains fitness-wise and I feel in some areas I am the strongest I have ever been in my life. I credit this largely to the fact that I was so fit 30 years ago.. and genes I'm assuming play a part in this.

[BigF00t]

You do not need to be "awesomely fit" to be physically fit in your 70s. You will be fine with _simple_ resistance and cardiovascular training along with a proper diet. The irony is that most people cause irreparable damage to their body in the pursuit of 'health'.

I hope nobody reads this and feels like it's too late. It is not. You do not need to be awesomely fit to be healthy. This is the most internet-of-all-internet advice I've read in the past month.

Ridiculous.

[runjake]

I think there is a lot of truth in this but this shouldn’t stop anybody else from seeking fitness.

I know quite a few people who started their fitness awareness journey “too late” in life and now they are studs/studettes.

That said, definitely start off easy. It should seem too easy yet moderately effective. Don’t start by joining up at the local CrossFit box. That sort of activity is not sustainable by normal people.

Gentle calisthenics are fine, as well as walking and stretching. Add more as it feels comfortable and most importantly SUSTAINABLE.

[a_alakkad]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

Being fit is a big word and somehow not easy to achieve especially for people sitting in front of the monitor most of the day.

Do you have any advice on how to be fit in the 30s? maybe any specific exercise(s) that you'd recommend?