New year, new you? With the new year upon us and resolutions top of mind, exercise may once again be on the front burner. But with so much going on in the world, and so many restrictions still in place, it may be challenging to rev up your willpower and get back into an exercise routine. The good news is that the more we learn about exercise, the more we understand that carving out dedicated hours per week may not be necessary in order to gain the physical and mental health benefits that exercise provides. For a review of resources and previous agebuzz posts on the value of exercise, tie up those sneakers, and click here.

As always, the advice when starting out, or coming back, is to start slowly and gradually build up. Whether you’ve taken a hiatus for the holidays, are coming back from illness or injury, or are just determined that 2021 will be the year you get in shape, the professional advice is clear and consistent: slow and steady wins the race. As Consumer Reports recently made clear, the key is to slowly and gradually increase your time, intensity, and endurance while developing a sustainable routine. And as 90-year-old Delores Godbold discovered after a serious illness and hospitalization, rebuilding muscle loss is essential, but can be as easy as 3 simple exercises under 10 minutes a day to get you on your way to building up strength and endurance.  Another suggestion? Try an exercise buddy for mutual support and motivation. In fact, recent research suggests that exercising as part of a group (as 40% of those who exercise routinely do), may give you better motivation (and some valuable competition) to keep you in the game and on your feet. While in-person group classes are probably not viable at this moment, you can always go online to sites like Silver Sneakers for virtual group exercise classes. Or if you want to try participating in group walking events (especially those that have a social-oriented purpose) consider the walking website Everwalk, begun by senior athlete Bonnie Stoll and world-famous swimmer Diana Nyad.

What about a fitness app? Did you receive a holiday gift that allows you to track your steps or watch your progress? There is data (though not definitive) that commercial fitness apps can increase your exercise engagement and keep you motivated with positive feedback. For some suggested apps to consider, take out your smartphone, and look here.

Finally, about that dedicated time. Previously on agebuzz, we’ve touted the value of High Intensity Interval Training as a way to ramp up the health benefits of your workout without adding to their duration. New evidence out of Norway underscores the value of this training for better heart health, fitness, and even longevity. In essence, a brief bit of intensity can protect you from premature death while giving you a healthier and longer life span. In addition, The New York Times recently pitched the concept of “exercise snacks”, i.e. short bursts of movement that can be performed and repeated no matter where you find yourself, to improve your fitness without much effort.

So, no matter where you find yourself these days, and with whatever equipment and time you have on hand, it’s clear you can pursue a fitness and strength-training routine for a boost of better health for the days ahead.