So how’s it going for you halfway through January? Have you started going to a gym? Is your exercise routine in full force? Are you now stronger and steadier on your feet? Few of us (if any) could answer positively to these questions. In fact, experts suggest that plunging into an exercise routine with everything you can muster is probably a recipe for failure. But since being physically active and fit is crucial to maintaining your body and brain’s health as you get older (some have called exercise the most potent medical intervention ever known), there’s no reason to immediately dive into drastic measures and set yourself up to flop. When it comes to exercise and adapting a routine you can stick to, it’s clear that the adage “slow and steady wins the race,” is the right way to think about exercise.

Experts seem to agree that any movement is better than none and that even one minute of exercise can buy you 5 minutes of life extension. In a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, expert advice from fitness professionals focused on the slow and steady concept to get yourself going this new year. Taking off from the fall TikTok phenomenon of “The Winter Arc,” these experts suggest you use the first months of 2025 to start out small, set some goals (rather than specific outcomes), give yourself some grace, and track your progress. To position yourself for lasting exercise habits and longer-term success, you need to focus on your behavior rather than specific endpoints. And allow yourself to change things up if your strategy isn’t working the way you’d hoped. The Journal notes that a 2023 study from CalTech found that it can take 6 months for a new gym routine to take hold, so don’t assume you’ve failed if you’re not a gym rat by February. You can also set yourself up for more likely success by doing little things like putting your gym clothes or sneakers in obvious places and making sure your exercise plans are regularly scheduled so they become part of your routine, or, in fact, your identity. And make sure your plans allow for accessible and convenient access to however you want to exercise.

To make things simple and routine, you may want to start with what The Washington Post calls “The original, science-backed 7-minute workout to get fit fast.” According to this strategy, which relies on calisthenics, the routine is not “easy” (you are encouraged to push yourself to an 8 out of 10 on the effort scale), but you can “customize” it to meet your initial abilities and adjust as you get stronger and fitter (and by the way, if you use the excuse that some aging “ailment” means you can’t work out, take a look at these recommendations for adjusting to meet your physical limitations). And if you feel your body is just too out of shape to make a go of exercise, just remember- fitness doesn’t depend upon your age, weight, or body appearance. It’s more dependent on your cardiorespiratory effort than your body mass index. In fact, research recently came out, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, that being out of shape is much more critical to your risk of dying prematurely than your age or body mass index. Someone who is obese but aerobically fit has a lower risk of dying than someone who has normal weight but is not aerobically fit. Even some small but regular steps (literally) to improve your fitness can be protective and keep you healthy. So hop on the treadmill, start walking, and read more here.