Why Fitness Should Ramp Up Through Life

How not to fade into sedentary habits by your 30s and 40s

My feeling since childhood has been that too many teens and 20-somethings go nuts with exercise, but then settle into unhealthy sedentary habits and lifestyles by their early 30s. Think of Al Bundy recalling his football glory days in the sitcom ‘Married with Children’ as he farts and eats potato chips on the couch.

It was clear to me even from age 5 that health consciousness and exercise need to ramp up over time, a kind of living in reverse. Thus, my cycling for over a decade in my 20s and 30s, and more jogging and upper-body workouts now, which feels great! As usual, consistency is key. Just to maintain, you need to look for energizing activities every day, and practice intentional workouts at least 3 days a week for an hour or more at a time.

Of course, I realize that if I really want to start building muscle mass and get ripped, 3 days a week won’t cut it. I'll have to start doing intensive workouts for more than an hour 5 or 6 days a week. At this point, I'm not into it yet. But that could change!