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Episode 3

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Published on:

29th Apr 2025

S02E03 - Starting Makes Half the Win

In this inspiring episode, we explore the journey of restarting a cardio routine after a long break, especially when you're over 50. Think of it like tuning up a classic instrument: the memory is there, but finding the rhythm again takes time, care, and patience.

Host Marko shares a personal and relatable story of how walking became the unexpected yet perfect path back to physical activity. With honesty, humor, and insight, this episode explores six practical steps for anyone looking to ease back into an active lifestyle:

  1. Consult Your Doctor – Why a quick health check is a smart start
  2. Progress Gradually – Start low, go slow, and don’t underestimate the power of walking
  3. Listen to Your Body – Know the difference between healthy soreness and signs of overdoing it
  4. Joint & Muscle Care – Warm-ups, cool-downs, and cross-training tips for long-term success
  5. Hydration & Nutrition – Fuel your body before, during, and after your workouts
  6. Consistency Over Intensity – Why doing “just enough” regularly beats going all-in sporadically

We also explore how to prevent and manage DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), the power of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals, and why finding joy in the process is your best fitness companion.

Whether you're returning to movement after years or simply looking for a motivational nudge, this episode is for you. Your body will thank you, and your future self will, too.

Additional resources on physical activity are available in the links below.

Check these out for more

Please send us feedback by email to feedback@scaledto.fit 

Go to podchaser.com/scaledtofit and give us a rating. 

#scaledtofit #fitness #grownupfitness #scaling

Transcript
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This is scaled to fit in your 50s. Restarting exercising and feeling like a rookie at the age of over 50, with Marko Lindgren.

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Getting back in the saddle, or in my case restarting

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my cardio journey after a long long pause, resembles tuning up a classical instrument.

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You remember how it's done, but you will likely hit a few off notes at first. However, with

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time, care and patience, you'll create harmony again and make your instrument sing almost

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like it used to do. At over 50, reigniting your relationship with exercise can be inspiring,

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rewarding and transformative. So, how can you make the most of this new chapter of life,

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while keeping well being front and center? I ended up walking practically by accident.

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I had been trying different physical exercises, but none had stuck. But now I sort of slipped

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into one. So, had I done it more deliberately, what should or would I have been paying attention

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to? I have six points to consider when easing into the physically active life after hiatus.

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And now, after the fact, I can say that I sort of instinctively follow these points myself,

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keeping in mind what I like to say, don't do nothing, do something and scale it back.

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1. Consult your doctor. Regular health checkups with your doctor are always a good idea, especially

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when you are planning to give your body more movement than it has gotten used to. This

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is just to make sure there are no underlying conditions that would affect your exercise

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choices, or in the worst case, block your new active lifestyle before it has even started.

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It's crucial to consider if you have a pre-existing condition such as heart disease, high blood

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pressure or joint issues. Additionally, a healthcare professional can offer personalized

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recommendations tailored to your medical history and current fitness level. I must admit that

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I didn't fully follow this advice. However, since I don't have any special conditions

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and I had previously done some challenging hikes in the mountains, I sort of assumed that

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walking on a flat surface wouldn't be too difficult or demanding.

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2. Progress gradually. The hardest part of starting any exercise routine is putting on

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your training shoes and stepping out of the door. Once you have managed that, it's beneficial

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to begin with low intensity activities like walking, swimming, or gentle cycling. These

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exercises are also gentle to your joints. In my experience, walking is a real low impact

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exercise, and it is not easy to try to walk vigorously without ending up running. On the

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other hand, cycling allows you to pedal almost unintentionally faster and faster and faster,

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increasing the heart rate significantly. So, start low and go slow. Start slow and gradually

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increase your intensity and duration as your fitness improves. The most crucial step is

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simply the one getting you out through the door. Begin with a walk or run lasting 10-15

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minutes, then increase the time and distance each week. I like to take a longer and slower

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walk once or twice a week, and then keep the other walks brisk and shorter. An easy way

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to monitor the intensity of the walk is the so-called talk test. If your walk is on a

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low to moderate level, you can still hold a conversation and speak a longer sentence

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without taking a breath in between. Another way for more technically oriented individuals

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is to use a heart rate monitor, either a watch on the wrist or a proper HR belt. A range

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for moderate activity is typically 50-70% of the maximum heart rate, usually marked as

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the blue or green zone in the watch or the app. Warm up and cool down happen automatically

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with low-intensity walks, but they are also important to remember when the intensity of

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your exercise increases. A solid warm up is essential to preparing your body, muscles

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and joints for the exercise. For me, a proper leisurely warm up was the key to making the

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whole exercise enjoyable. Ending the exercise with a cool down will help your body recover

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and prepare for the next straw. 3. Listen to the body. At first when I got to the excitement

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and enjoyment of the exercise, I totally ignored what my body was saying. I didn't listen to

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it. And I have done that again since. The drive to go for yet another walk or a quick

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bodyweight exercise was stronger than any weak signal my body was whispering to me.

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Until I got those hangovers or flu-ish feelings. Unfortunately, it got even worse. During summer

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I added biking to my routine. I allowed it and I did it too much and too fast. Too often

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and too long rides. And I ended up with a runner's knee. Well, that really did make

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me take a proper rest. As those small signs are too easy to ignore, if you end up feeling

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persistent pain or discomfort, it is time to change the exercise routine and preferably

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seek professional guidance. Pain, dizziness, chest pain, excessive fatigue or shortness

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of breath should not occur during exercise. Those might be signs of overexertion and belong

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to a healthcare professional. At the same time, not all pain or discomfort

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is bad. They are just the body's way of communicating. There is a clear difference between normal

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muscle soreness and persistent sharp pain. Important viewpoint. Sufficient rest and recovery

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days not only help you avoid burnout and injury, but they also allow your body to heal and

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adapt. And do you know what the body does while adapting? It becomes stronger and more

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resilient to meet the new challenges of future exercises.

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The good to know corner. Delayed onset muscle soreness, also known with

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abbreviation DOMS, is muscle pain and stiffness that typically develops a day, so 12 to 24

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hours, after intense or unfamiliar exercise, peaking the second day around 24 to 72 hours

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after the exercise. It occurs due to microscopic damage to muscle

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fibers, leading to inflammation and pain. DOMS is common after activities that involve eccentric

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muscle constructions, which means lengthening the muscle under tension. This can happen

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in sports like downhill running, weightlifting or plyometrics, also known as jump training.

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So, how do you treat and recover from DOMS? Active recovery is the best way to recover.

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Light exercise, such as walking or low intensity cycling, will increase blood flow and help

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reduce soreness. Some studies suggest that post exercise massage may reduce the severity

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of DOMS by improving circulation and reducing muscle tightness.

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Another way to achieve this is to use ice packs. These may help reduce inflammation, while

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heat, such as warm baths, can improve blood flow and relax muscles. The best of both worlds

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is contrast baths, meaning alternating hot and cold. They may also be beneficial, but

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at least they feel nice. It is also possible to ease muscle tightness

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and improve flexibility through self myofascial release, also known as self massage, using

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a foam roller. Additionally, gentle stretching can help alleviate muscle tightness, and wearing

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compression clothing may reduce swelling and enhance recovery. Of course, hydration, like

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drinking water, is essential. In addition, protein and anti-inflammatory foods, like

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omega 3 fatty acids, can support muscle repair. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen,

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may temporarily alleviate pain, but they should be used sparingly, as they may interfere with

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muscle adaptation and growth. In this regard, they are counterproductive.

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So how do we avoid all this unpleasantry? First, increase workout intensity gradually

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to allow muscles to adapt. Don't do like me and jump into high intensity exercise too quickly.

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Warm up properly before exercise and also cool down afterwards. I did this when walking,

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but sort of forgot it when biking and ended up with a condition much worse than Dom's.

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Delayed onset muscle soreness is not a sign of a serious injury. However, if excessive

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soreness or pain persists for more than a week, there may be an underlying issue that requires

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medical attention. To conclude, a combination of active recovery,

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massage, heat therapy, and proper nutrition can effectively manage Dom's.

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The good to no corner. 4. Joint and muscle care.

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We all know that proper warm-ups and cooldowns are always important, and we all have ignored

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their importance at times. But as a grown-up returning to exercise, warm-ups and cooldowns

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are essential, if not critical. From my own experience, I can say that without the proper

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warm-up I sort of semi-accidentally learned to do with walking. I wouldn't have enjoyed

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the exercise as much, and thus I probably wouldn't have continued consistently doing it as I now

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have. I don't like running because it just doesn't feel good on my knees, even though

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I don't have any real joint flexibility issues. So far, knock on wood, which are not uncommon

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among grown-ups. So if you happen to have some unpleasantness

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in your joints, good choices to replace running are swimming, elliptical training, and yeah,

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walking with proper shoes. 5. Variety.

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After the initial steps and rounds, adding some variety to your program is a good idea.

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Not only does it make the exercise more interesting, but the body likes variety and different levels

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of challenges for different muscle groups. On the aerobic cardio side, good additions

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are, for example, dancing, water aerobics, or even gardening, when the weather allows.

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Some nice flexibility exercises complement the regime in a great way. I had an Astanga

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yoga earlier in my life. From there I sometimes take the sun salutation routine to have a nice

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full body stretch and warm-up. It takes only about 15 minutes, and not only does it make

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me feel good, but it also improves mobility and balance and reduces the risk of injury.

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Arboretum, cardio, and flexibility are fundamental parts of exercise, of course, but you should

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not forget strength training either. Once or twice a week, some light movements with

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resistance bands or weights, or just bodyweight training will help maintain muscle mass, balance,

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and bone density. More strength training means fewer falls and broken bones.

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While I have been keeping my walking schedule quite consistent, I must admit that I have

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been less regular with my bodyweight workouts. One reason could be that I track my exercises

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with a sports watch, and it gives me more activity points from a walk than from a resistance

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exercise. I will talk about measuring more in a later episode, but for now I just say

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it's a viewpoint to consider. You get what you measure.

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Hydration and nutrition. I took my first walk without water. After the walk I felt thirsty,

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but that was okay. Later I took a sports bottle with me for a longer walk. It was a good idea,

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but carrying a bottle with water slopping around was uncomfortable. I had no proper

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place to keep it. Carrying it in hand didn't work. It was too big for any pocket, and letting

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it hang on the waist made it wobble back and forth even more.

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So I ended up acquiring a water bladder and a small backpack for it. Now I always have

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enough water with me for walking, hiking or biking. With proper hydration I feel much

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better during and after the exercise, especially when the weather is more agreeable. In fact,

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drinking water has become a habit for me. I sip water throughout the day and drink about

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1-1.5 litres as a baseline. On top of that I also drink during workouts.

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Nutrition is another aspect to consider. There's a lot that could be said and discussed about

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the proper diets and timing, and I will touch on that a bit more in a later episode about

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weight control, but for now I think it's enough to keep a couple of things in mind.

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From the exercise perspective, the body needs good quality protein and fats. Fruits, vegetables

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and whole grains are excellent sources of carbohydrates, which are the fuel that keeps your machine

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going. I usually start my day with a cup of coffee

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and a smoothie, which has some fruits, seeds, oatmeal and a whey protein in it. I try to

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schedule it so that I drink it about an hour before the exercise. It would also work as

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a sort of recovery drink if I feel my energy levels are low after the workout. Most of

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the time however I just drink another cup of coffee with some dark chocolate.

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And then last but not least, consistency over intensity. As I've told you, I've never been

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an actual sports person. I've been more of a sports averse person. The idea that regular

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and moderate exercise is more beneficial than occasional high intensity workouts resonates

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with me strongly. It sort of makes the whole exercise more fun. It is more forgiving and

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encouraging. The idea is that it is enough to do exactly the amount that feels good and

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not a bit more. An appropriate quote for this and also for many other aspects of life is,

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"Not as much as possible, but as little as necessary. A little too little is much, much

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more than even a little too much." Unfortunately, I couldn't find a person to attribute this

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to. Of course, "regular" means something that happens pretty often. To start it is important

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just to get out and do something, but after that, to get the best outcome of the workout,

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you should aim for a consistent 150 minutes or about 3 hours a week of moderate intensity

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cardio. It is not much. Think about the nice weekend stroll which could take an hour, maybe

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hour and a half and two times three to five kilometers walk and then the week's target

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is in the back. If this kind of target setting feels a bit too fuzzy, setting realistic and

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measurable goals is a good way to give the game some structure. Remember, you get what

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you measure. One helpful framework or method for structured

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target setting is the so-called SMART goals. The letters in the name come from specific,

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measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. So your SMART goals could be like this, specific,

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walk 20 minutes every morning, measurable, track the distance, how long you walk, achievable,

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set and adjust goals to meet your capability, relevant, align with your health aspirations,

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time-bound, set the timeframe to achieve the goals. As an example, my first goal was walk

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at least 30 minutes or three kilometers four times a week. It is specific, measurable,

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achievable, and time-bound. And since I enjoy working, it was also relevant. As my fitness

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improved, I increased the distance and time. No matter what your goals are or what you

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do, do find joy in the process. Don't make it the chore. The joy keeps you going on and,

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as discussed earlier, consistency is key. I learned one excellent quote about consistency

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during my Astanga yoga time from the founder of Astanga Yoga 3K Patapi Choice. It says,

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"Do your practice and all is coming." Do your practice and all is coming. This quote simply

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tells you to focus on the process, not the outcome. The specific results or achievements

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are not significant, but just showing up or your practice is. And also when you focus

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on doing the practice, you let the expectation of specific outcomes go and allow your development

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to unfold organically. The benefits of consistent practice will come naturally over time. Trust

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the journey. The change can't be forced, but it arrives as a natural consequence of

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dedicated practice. Even though this philosophy originates from yoga, it extends to any discipline,

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exercise, meditation, art, or learning a new skill. The wisdom is to understand that consistent,

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dedicated practice is what ultimately brings progress, not striving for immediate results.

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Patience and persistence are key. Transformation takes time no matter what you do. Of course,

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taking exercise enjoyable depends on the person. I found walking alone quite fun, but for somebody

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else, dancing, classes, hiking, or gardening could be more rewarding. Some people might

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thrive in social groups, so a fitness group or a workout buddy might be the right way

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to go. A training partner also brings some accountability if you feel stuck on the bottom

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of the sofa. As important as setting the right goals is, it is also essential to celebrate

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when you achieve those goals or milestones. Reward yourself with something that makes

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you happy and that you can remember next time when the exercise doesn't feel that sparkling.

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One additional way to increase commitment is to get your head into the game. Physical

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activity improves mental well-being, and the right attitude improves exercise. So, especially

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when starting your path, stay positive, focus on what you can do, and put limitations aside.

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Visualize yourself being more active. Imagine how much better you are going to feel after

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just a little bit of consistent activity. Some people find mindfulness practices helpful,

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and that's definitely something worth a try. For me, my walks work as mindfulness exercises.

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Especially after I started always to walk the same route so I don't have to pay attention

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to navigation anymore. I have collected a wealth of resources on physical activity.

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The links are in the show notes, so check them out.

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Rekindling your active lifestyle is, first and foremost, a gift to yourself. It is not

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about how fast you go, but the journey and discoveries you make along the way. The path

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won't be linear. It's a winding road of progress, platoons, and occasional setbacks. Embrace

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this natural rhythm. Remember that each moment of activity deposits something valuable in

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your well-being account, benefits that compound over time in ways both visible and invisible.

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This rekindling isn't just about reclaiming what was, but discovering who you are becoming

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with each deliberate choice to move. So, mark your calendar that you will put on your walking

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shoes at least three times a week. Remember, the hardest step is the one just out of the

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door. And what I like to say, don't do nothing, do something and scale back.

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This was Scale To Fit, fit in your 50s with Marko Lincreen. All sounds are made by me.

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Send us your feedback via email at feedback@scale2.fit or visit potrace.com/scale2fit to leave a rating.

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Don't forget to check the show notes at scale2.fit. All the links are there. Thank you for tuning

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in!

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(upbeat music)

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About the Podcast

Scaled to Fit
Fit in Your Fifties
In the podcast, Marko shares personal fitness challenges and successes. His primary focus is making exercise enjoyable for those over 50, encouraging listeners to take action and adapt workouts to their needs.