Why do we lose interest in exercising?
My father passed away in 2023 at the age of 88. Until he was 78 he played tennis two or three times a week and relied on that to keep his strength. It didn't work, which is why his tennis buddies told him he was too slow to continue playing. Instead of responding to that situation by diving into a more rigorous exercise routine, he became sedentary. When he turned 80 he realized that he had lost a lot of strength and said that he knew he needed to exercise, but just couldn't bring himself to do so. This morning, I spoke with a woman who turns 81 in March. She complained that she was losing weight and strength. Naturally, I checked to make certain she has seen her doctor to get checked out. She said she had and that she had been given a clean bill of health and a lecture about muscle loss as we age (sarcopenia). I suggested that she might consider joining a silver sneakers group and working out, or finding a yoga group to join. She let me know that she has no intention of doing so. This makes me wonder. Aside from people who lose the ability to exercise because of an accident or health condition, why do people stop exercising? What are your thoughts? And, what can be done to motivate someone to get back into some kind of exercise routine?