It’s Never Too Late to Start Moving: Simple Ways to Build a Healthier, More Active Lifestyle

“Any movement is better than no movement. The more you do, the greater the benefit. It’s never too late to start.”

Authored by: James McDonnell – A Health and Wellbeing Coach who helps people achieve health goals by building healthier habits.

Getting started with physical activity can sometimes feel daunting. If you are unsure where to begin, worried about injury, or feel like you “don’t have time,” you are not alone. The good news is, adopting a moving lifestyle step by step can deliver big rewards not just for your body, but for your mind, mood, and long-term health.

In this article, you will discover:

Why “Move” matters — the evidence behind benefits
What types of activity count
How to start (even if you’re currently inactive)
Tips for staying motivated and building habits
Common concerns & adaptations
Next steps (resources, goal setting, tracking)

Let’s get moving!

1. Why “Move” Matters: What’s the Evidence

When we talk about “Move” in the context of healthy lifestyle, it means more than hitting the gym. It means integrating more physical activity into daily life—walking, gardening, dancing, strength exercises, and more.

Health Benefits in a Nutshell

Any movement is better than none, the more you do, the greater the benefit and it’s never too late to start.

When you increase your physical activity, you are supporting:

Heart health & cardiovascular risk reduction
Moving more reduces your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.
Metabolic health & weight management
Activity helps regulate blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles. It aids in preventing or managing type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Muscle strength, bone density & balance
Particularly as we age, doing strength or resistance exercises helps preserve muscle, reduce falls, and support independence.
Cancer, dementia, mental health & longevity
Regular movement is linked to lower risk of certain cancers, lower dementia risk, reduced depression, and overall longer life.
Improved mood, energy, sleep
Movement can boost endorphins, reduce stress, and help regulate sleep patterns

In short: movement is a kind of “medicine” with very low cost and wide-ranging benefits.

Why Small Moves Count

Many people assume that you must do long workouts or spend hours exercising. But the MyHealth London advice emphasises that even 5–10 minutes of brisk activity a few times a week is a valid start. That means: if you are currently sedentary, short walks, stretches, or light gardening already make a difference.

As you get more confident, you can gradually lengthen, intensify, or diversify your activity.

2. What Counts as “Activity”?

One of the greatest barriers to getting active is the belief that only traditional forms of exercise counts. This is not true. When we think about being active what we should be keeping top of mind, is intensity (heart rate, respiration) and consistency.

Through my role, when I speak to patients about Physical Activity and Exercise, exercise can often be seen as a negative word. Some patients assume that exercise can only be done by individuals who are fit, and I often hear “I am too old to exercise”. In these situations I actively try to reframe exercise as “physical activity”, through this small rephrasing patients start to realise that are doing physical activity in their life and doing more is achievable. I try and use the word activity instead of exercise, I explain what moderate intensity exercise is and people start to realise they are doing more than they think and this helps with motivation and behaviour change. People automatically think that the gym is the answer and a lot of people say they do not enjoy the gym, so if they even join the gym they will not have the motivation to go and they waste money and don’t exercise.

In coaching I try to figure out what they are currently doing and see if they can adapt this and also try and find out what activity’s they enjoy doing and see if they can make this into an moderate intensity instead of just pointing people to the gym.

Here are categories of activity you can include:

NHS Activity guidelines-150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activities and twice a week strength training.

In terms of doing 150 minutes a week this can be split up however you like. An example of this could be doing 5 days a week of 30-minute bouts. Also recommend strength training twice a week. The NHS guidelines are slightly different for ages and disabilities, please see link for more advice to make it personal to you.

Moderate intensity activities are movements that make your heart beat faster and breathe a bit harder, but you are still able to maintain a conversation:

Brisk walking, cycling
Dancing, swimming
Active recreation (e.g. playing with kids, light gardening)
Hiking, outdoor active pursuits

Strength / resistance / muscle-building

It is especially important as you age to do some muscle-strengthening work to maintain functionality. When I am coaching and mention strength training, I am often met by patients saying “I can’t do that, that’s lifting heavy weights”. As I explain that is doesn’t have to be heavy weights, that it can consist of utilising your own body weight for exercises, or simply carrying some shopping, it is easy to change individuals perceptions of previously negative connotations of specific terminology. When people understand that they are unknowingly already completing tasks which constitute strength training, in their day to day lives, it improves their motivation and builds momentum to build on this and build behaviour change.

Please see examples of how you could incorporate strength training into your daily routine, below.

Bodyweight exercises (squats, lunges, push-ups)
Using resistance bands or free weights
Carrying heavier shopping, gardening tools
Yoga, pilates or structured strength training

Non-traditional / incidental activity

These are opportunities in daily life:

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
Walking or cycling for errands
Standing or pacing while on phone calls
Active chores (vacuuming, washing windows)

Adapted / modified activity

If you have disability, pain, medical conditions, or mobility limitations, you can still move in meaningful ways:

Chair-based exercises
Swimming or water-based activity (gentle on joints)
Physio-led exercises, modified routines
“Exercise on Referral” programmes that tailor to you

Important note: If you have health concerns (e.g. heart disease, blood pressure, joint problems), check with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before beginning new or strenuous routines.

3. How to Start: From Zero to Habit

When speaking to patients it is common that the biggest initial hurdle is knowing where to start. Through coaching I try to initially focus patients on defining their goals, understanding what their perceived barriers are, which of these are within their control to change and then setting realistic goals. Please see below some ideas to help with patients mind set.

If you are not yet active—or have been inactive for a while—starting is the hardest part. Use these steps:

Step 1: Mindset shift & permission

Accept that some movement is beneficial
Remove all-or-nothing thinking (“if I cannot do 30 minutes, it’s not worth doing”)
Start with smaller movements (5–10 min)

Step 2: Choose what feels good

Select one or two forms of movement you enjoy (walking with a friend, cycling, dancing, gardening). You are more likely to stick with things you like.

Step 3: Plan realistic sessions & schedule

Aim for 5–10 minutes initially, multiple times per week
Slowly build toward ~30 minutes on most days.
Fit movement into your daily routine or time slots (e.g. morning walk, post-work stretch)

Step 4: Use apps, prompts & supports

When coaching the patient will be apps such as Active 10 and Couch to 5K to help you start gradually.

Active 10: tracks walking in your pocket and helps you set goals. Even 1 minute counts.
Couch to 5K: a beginner-friendly running programme with audio coaching.

You might also use a reminder system (alarms, calendar) or buddy up with someone.

Step 5: Add strength work

Once you build some confidence with movement, include strength sessions:

Start 2× per week
Use minimal equipment (e.g. water bottles, resistance bands)
Follow simple routines (leg raises, squats, push-ups, core work)
Focus on consistency over intensity early on

Step 6: Increment gradually & vary

Increase duration or frequency before intensity
Rotate types of movement to reduce boredom or overuse
Always include rest days (or low-intensity days)
If you work a muscle group have a day rest in between for muscles to repair

Step 7: Monitor, reflect, adjust

Track what you do (journal, app, log)
Reflect weekly: what felt good? What barriers appeared?
Tweak your plan accordingly

4. Staying Motivated: Tips That Work

Even when you know, movement is good, sustaining it over months or years demands more than willpower. Here are strategies to help:

Connect to deeper reasons

Beyond “I should,” ask yourself why:

“I want to keep up with my grandchildren”
“I want more energy”
“I want to feel more confident in my body”

Link movement to what matters deeply to you.

Use habit triggers

Anchor movement to existing habits (e.g. “right after I cook dinner, I’ll walk for 10 min”)
Create visual cues (trainers by the door, a mat in living room)
Use “if-then” planning: If it rains, then I’ll do indoor stretching instead

Social accountability

Find a walking buddy
Join a club (e.g. walking group, dance class)
Use social features of apps or platforms

Reward and celebrate

Acknowledge small wins (you lasted 5 min, you moved 3 days this week)
Use non-food rewards (new music, a rest day, a podcast)
Track progress (distance, time, mood changes)

Balance flexibility and structure

Be forgiving when life intervenes (illness, work stress). Rather than abandoning your goals, reduce to minimal movement and rebuild.

Overcome plateaus and boredom

Try a new mode of movement (swimming, cycling, classes)
Set small challenges or mini-events (e.g. a timed walk)
Mix durations (short bursts, longer sessions)

5. Addressing Common Concerns & Barriers

When coaching, people have ideas and there are always some form of barriers big or small but it is always good to go through this when you have ideas so when you come to doing it you can see if you can tackle these barriers, Please see some examples below

“I don’t have time”

Use smaller sessions (5–10 min)
Break up your movement (two 10-minute walks instead of one 20)
Integrate movement into daily life (active commuting, chores)

“It’s too hard / I’m too out of shape”

Begin gently; start with walking or light movement
Adjust pace, duration, and rest
Seek support (health coach, referral programmes)

“I’m worried about injury or pain”

Warm up and cool down
Progress slowly
Modify exercises
Consult a medical professional when needed

“I have a long-term condition”

Many conditions (e.g. cardiovascular, diabetes, arthritis) improve with regular movement
Use programmes like Exercise on Referral and get a referral from your doctor.
Tailor activity (low-impact, aquatic, chair-based)
Always talk to your doctor before big changes

“I lack motivation / I forget”

Use prompts (alarms, calendar)
Habit stacking — tie movement to existing routines
Accountability partners
Start with micro-goals to build confidence

Next Steps: Goals, Tracking & Resources

When I’m coaching it can be very tempting to tell patients what I think is the correct course of action for them, however, research strongly proves that as individuals we know ourselves best, and therefore it is significantly more powerful if we set our own goals in line with what we feel is attainable and in line with our goals. Please see below, some good starting points for goal setting goals.

Set SMART goals

Specific: Walk briskly 10 minutes
Measurable: I will walk three times per week
Achievable: Based on your starting level
Relevant: Align it with your personal why (‘more energy’, ‘longer life’)
Time-based: A 4-week trial, then reassess

Example: “Over the next 4 weeks, I’ll walk briskly for 10 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, then re-evaluate.”

Once you feel ready, adjust upward: more days, longer duration, or adding strength sessions.

Tracking your journey

Use a journal, spreadsheet, or app (e.g. Active 10)
Log what, when, duration, how you felt
Review weekly or monthly: trends, high/low points

Tracking helps you notice patterns (times of day you are more consistent, what derails you) and adjust.

Useful resources (from MyHealth London & related)

MyHealth London – Move: the foundational resource for support and guidance
Active 10 app (NHS): records walking minutes, sets goals, gives tips
Couch to 5K app (NHS): gradual beginner running programme
NHS Fitness Studio: home exercise videos including strength, yoga, pilates
Exercise on Referral programmes: often run locally via NHS or councils—contact your GP or local authority to check availability
Good Boost– Pool based program
How to stay active and feel great in Harrow booklet– A range of activates for all ages in an online booklet.
Local sports directories / get-active portals: e.g. London Sport’s directory

Recap & Call to Action

Why: Movement offers wide-ranging benefits — heart, metabolic, cognitive, mood, longevity
What: Moderate activity + strength + incidental movement count
How to start: Begin small, use supports (apps, prompts), gradually increase
Stay motivated: Connect to meaning, use habit tricks, diversify activity
Troubleshoot: Modify for time, health, injury, conditions
Next: Set SMART goals, track, use resources, build momentum

Your Move

Don’t wait for the “perfect moment.” Start with a 5-minute walk or stretch today. Use an app, walk with a friend, or set a reminder. Over time, those small steps become habits that sustain your health for years.