Blog article

How to get fit in your 50s

By HBF
4 minutes
25 August 2021
Man lifting dumbells
If you’re in your fifties and you’ve fallen out of the fitness habit – or even if you’ve never exercised regularly before – it’s not too late to start.

Focusing on fitness in your fifties can help impact your health for the rest of your life.

Regular exercise can help you maintain or manage your weight, blood pressure and bone and joint problems.1 It helps reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.2

It can also be helpful for improving sleep, stress levels, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and mental health in general.2

How much exercise should I do in my 50s?

The Department of Health guidelines recommend people in their fifties find time to be active every single day.3

Moderate intensity physical activity

They suggest 2.5 to five hours of moderate-intensity physical activity a week.3

Activity that gets your heart rate up and may get you sweating, but doesn’t leave you breathless, qualifies as moderate intensity. That could be a brisk walk, a game of golf (bet that made you smile), or even mowing the lawn (where’d that smile go?).

Vigorous intensity physical activity

Instead of moderate intensity exercise you can opt for 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week. That’s exercise like jogging or a hilly bike ride, which makes it too hard to talk.

Like to mix it up? You can also do an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activity.

Muscle strengthening

Muscle-strengthening activities – like push ups (and other bodyweight exercises), weightlifting or a Pilates class – are also recommended a couple of times a week.

How should I get my exercise in my 50s?

When starting a new fitness plan, it can sometimes be challenging to get motivated and stay committed. Here are a few tricks to make that easier:

What specific sorts of exercise should I do in my 50s?

In our fifties our bodies can start changing on us. There are certain conditions that become more common among us in our fifties including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer.5

Learn more about HBF’s support programs for:

 

Aiming for a mix of aerobic exercise (like running, cycling, swimming, aerobics) and resistance training (such as, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, weightlifting and Pilates) can help to reduce risk or help manage some of these conditions.

Nutrition tips for your 50s

Eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy weight are important at any age. When you are in your fifties you may be aiming to maintain those healthy habits you’ve always had, or you may be looking for some advice to help improve your diet.

A final word on fitness in your 50s

Improving your fitness in your fifties can help get your body strong and healthy for the decades of your life to come. If you have fitness goals to achieve, don’t forget HBF can help.

If you are managing a chronic health condition, we also have health support programs for our members (eligibility criteria applies).

Good luck with your fitness goals.


1 Australian Government Department of Health – About physical activity and exercise (2021)

2 healthdirect – Exercise and mental health (2019)

3 Australian Government Department of Health – For adults (18 to 64 years) (2021)

4 Better Health Channel – Physical activity – how to get started  

5 healthdirect – Manage your health in your 50s (2020)

6 The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating – (2017)

7 LiveLighter – Healthy cooking at home



This article contains general information only and does not take into account the health, personal situation or needs of any person. In conjunction with your GP or treating health care professional, please consider whether the information is suitable for you and your personal circumstances.

Related topics