Swing into action
Take your motivation and run (or swim) with it
Sometimes looking better in your blue jeans isn’t motivation enough to get in shape. Many of us need something more urgent, more pressing to get us moving.

For Judy Greene of South Salem, motivation came from an experience she had in an airport. She was rushing around with her grandchildren from one late flight to another, and she became exhausted. Greene decided then and there that a new and healthy lifestyle was in order.

Find your motivation
Your motivation to become more physically active may not begin with an “ah-ha” moment like Greene’s. But there must be something that will help you break out of your current routine. “Whatever motivates you to get started, just turn that initial motivation into decisions and actions,” advises the 64-year-old grandmother.

Design your program
How do you choose the right kind of exercise for you? Greene advises selecting something that you consider fun. West Valley Hospital’s Rehab program manager Gail Burton suggests, “As people get older, they should focus on three things: maintaining cardiovascular health, increasing strength, and increasing bone density.”

Such activities as swimming and aerobics classes help with cardiovascular and strength goals, while walking and weight lifting have the added benefit of increasing bone density.

Start by doing something as small as walking up and down the stairs rather than taking the elevator, advises Burton. Then add daily activities that you enjoy, such as rollerblading, swimming, or walking the dog.

Create your targets
Setting several specific, measurable goals, or targets, can help you stay focused on the results. You might choose to focus on such things as lowering your blood pressure to a certain level and toning your abdominal muscles (which is a little harder to measure, but you can feel and maybe even see the results). Greene’s targets include reaching a certain waist-to-hip ratio, improving her cholesterol, and achieving a lower body mass index, or BMI.

Reward yourself
Need just a little more motivation? Why not create some tangible rewards? Greene plans to treat herself to a trip to Europe after she reaches and maintains her goals for six months.

Creating your own incentives to engage in healthy activities may help you follow through so you can claim the reward at the end.