Being fit and healthy is an achievable goal at every stage of life if you want to look and feel your best.

When you are conscious of where you are on your health and fitness journey and by making smart adjustments to your routine accordingly, you can have a tremendous impact on your health span and life span.

With some simple planning and a consistent approach to exercise, you can build and maintain strength, improve your flexibility, mobility, cardiovascular health and your overall body composition.  Not only does this effect how you look and feel, it also goes along way to protecting you from sickness and disease.

Of course, natural changes to muscle mass, bone density, metabolism and hormones are all normal processes that happen with age, but this does not mean you should stop taking care of your physical body!

Here, we offer some quick general guidelines that can help you optimise your approach to health and fitness based on your current stage of life. 

In Your 20s and 30s: Build a Strong Foundation

Your 20s and 30s are a prime time to build strength, endurance, and flexibility. It's easier to build muscle at this stage, so you can focus on a mix of cardio and resistance training.

• Goal: Build strength, increase cardiovascular health, and develop flexibility.

• Key Workouts:

  • Strength Training: Focus on full-body strength training at least 2-3 times a week. Incorporate compound movements like squats, deadlifts, lunges, and push-ups. These exercises target multiple muscle groups, helping you build muscle and strength more efficiently.
  • Cardio: Include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity steady-state cardio (like jogging or cycling) 2-3 times a week to improve heart health and endurance.
  • Flexibility & Mobility: Incorporate dynamic stretching or yoga once or twice a week to maintain flexibility and avoid injury.

Pro Tip: Since you’re likely still working with a lot of energy and a high metabolism, don’t forget to focus on recovery. Incorporate rest days and pay attention to sleep quality to ensure you’re giving your body time to repair and build muscle.

In Your 40s and 50s: Strengthen, Maintain, and Protect

By the time you reach your 40s and 50s, you may notice some physical changes, like a slower metabolism or a decrease in muscle mass. But don’t worry—this is the perfect time to focus on maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and functional movements.

• Goal: Focus on preserving muscle mass, improving joint health, and staying injury-free.

• Key Workouts:

  • Strength Training: Continue lifting weights, but prioritize proper form and focus on movements that improve joint health, like squats, lunges, rows, and shoulder presses. Aim for 2-3 strength training sessions a week.
  • Cardio: You may not be able to perform intense cardio every day, but moderate walking, cycling, swimming, or using an elliptical machine can help improve heart health without putting excessive strain on your joints.
  • Flexibility & Mobility: Stretching and yoga should become an integral part of your routine. Aim for 2-3 sessions a week to improve flexibility, balance, and joint mobility.
  • Balance Work: Including exercises that focus on balance is key at this stage to prevent falls and injuries. Try standing on one leg, walking heel-to-toe, or incorporating stability ball exercises.

Pro Tip: Make recovery a priority! Consider incorporating active recovery days (e.g. walking or yoga) and make sure to get enough sleep to support muscle repair.

In Your 60s and Beyond: Focus on Functional Fitness

In your 60s and beyond, maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and flexibility becomes even more important. At this stage, your focus should shift to exercises that support functional movement—this means working on mobility, balance, and strength in a way that allows you to move through life comfortably and safely.

• Goal: Maintain strength, improve balance, and support mobility.

• Key Workouts:

  • Strength Training: Focus on strength exercises that support daily activities and improve muscle mass. Bodyweight exercises (like squats, lunges, and push-ups) or resistance band exercises are excellent options. Aim for 2-3 strength sessions per week.
  • Low-Impact Cardio: Low-impact exercises, such as swimming, cycling, or walking, are ideal for maintaining cardiovascular health while being gentle on the joints. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week (e.g. 5 x 30 minute sessions) for health, vitality and longevity.
  • Balance & Stability: Incorporating balance exercises is critical at this stage to reduce the risk of falls. Try standing and bending over on one leg, yoga posses that focus on balance, or use hover boards or bosu balls for 5-10 minutes a few times per week to maintain and optimise your balance and stability as you age.
  • Flexibility & Mobility: Yoga or gentle stretching is key to maintaining flexibility and reducing stiffness. Practice daily or at least 3-4 times a week to support joint health.

Pro Tip: Focus on staying consistent with low-impact activities that allow you to enjoy a long and active life. Always listen to your body, and if needed, work with a physical therapist or fitness coach to ensure exercises are safe and effective.

Tips for Tailoring Your Workout Plan for 2025

No matter your age, here are some key tips to ensure your fitness plan is effective and sustainable:

1. Start Slow and Gradually Build: If you're just starting or getting back into exercise, anything you do is going to be of value as opposed to no exercise.  However, this does not mean you need to over exert yourself at first.  Start with a 20-30 minute brisk walk in the morning and some light stretching and deep breathing.  Once you're consistent with that, add some basic body weight movements such as squats, lunges and bent-knee push ups to get your body used to the idea of functional movement before slowly increasing the intensity and duration over time.

2. Set Realistic Goals: Setting clear, achievable goals is essential to maintaining motivation. Focus on both short-term goals (e.g. complete a daily 30-minute walk, two pilates classes or a resistance training sessions per week), something that requires you to show up and be consistent to get you into the habit of daily movement as quickly possible.  From there, it is easier to set longer term goals to improve your strength, stamina and endurance. .

3. Incorporate Rest and Recovery: Rest is just as important as exercise for recovery. Make sure to take rest days, stretch regularly, and prioritise sleep to allow your body to repair and rebuild.  Also, consider the odd massage, sauna, ice bath and/or session with an osteopath or chiropractor to assist recovery and all round body maintentance.

4. Listen to Your Body: No matter your age, it’s important to listen to how your body feels. If something hurts or doesn’t feel right, adjust your routine. Consider working with a personal trainer or physical therapist to ensure your exercises are safe and effective.

5. Mix It Up: Keep your workout routine interesting by trying new activities. Yoga, pilates, functional group fitness, swimming, hiking etc. can add variety to your plan and prevent you from becoming bored with your workout routine. 

The Main Take Away

Fitness is not about age—it’s about adopting a mindset that embraces health and movement at every stage of life as part of your lifestyle.

In 2025, take the opportunity to create a workout plan tailored to your unique needs and goals.  Whether you’re in your 30s, 50s, or 70's, the keys to staying healthy and strong are being smart with your training, staying consistent and listening to your body.

Focus on small steps, set achievable targets and keep showing up even if you don't feel like it some days.  When you do this, you'll feel great in your mind and body and you'll be paying it forward when it comes to your health, wellbeing and longevity.

Tolman Self Care.