'CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT WALKING': UCONN HEALTH EXPERT BREAKS DOWN IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISING AS WE AGE

Exercise if fundamental.

That much is known to the scientific research community as advancements in exercise science continue to break through and better inform our understanding of how our bodies work. In a 2025 Yale study published in Nature Genetics, researchers shed light on new information on how even genetics can play a role into our physical activity.

Though as we age, the reality is that our bodies aren't the same as they were in their teens and 20's. Beginning at the age of 30, age-related muscle loss (known as sarcopenia) begins to naturally take over as human beings lose 3 to 5% of their muscle mass per decade, with men losing about 30% of their muscle mass in their lifetime, according to Harvard Medical School. In women, the drop in estrogen related to menopause expedites some of these changes including faster muscle loss and the tendency to gain more fat, UCLA Health reported in 2024.

Additionally, as we age in middle age, cardiometabolic diseases (i.e. heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) come up that influence blood glucose, lipids and blood pressure.

While aging and its effects are natural, there are ways through exercise to ensure that our bodies stay strong and healthy as individuals enter middle age.

Dr. Linda Pescatello, Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut, has a long list of qualifications regarding exercise health including being an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Citation Award recipient and serving on an expert panel for an update of the ACSM's exercise pre-participation health screening recommendations published in Medicine & Science in Exercise & Sport.

Pescatello was an author on a May 2025 Call to Action to the ACSM that sought for what the authors called a "paradigm shift" to encourage exercise for all, even those they consider to be "high risk." The Call to Action also signaled for the organization to replace the words "medical clearance" with "medical evaluation" and focusing on "signs and symptoms versus disease presence."

Of utmost importance regarding exercise as people age is expending calories, especially as people who leave college and head into world inevitably tend to put on weight, Pescatello noted. "The exercise that comes out on top is aerobic and endurance exercise," Pescatello told CT Insider, also adding the important of a good diet in conjunction with exercise. "I can't say enough about walking. Walk to expend calories."

For women that go through menopause (which typically happens in one's early 50's), Pescatello said another issue that becomes prevalent is bone health. In order to better maintain and prevent bone mineral density, resistance-style exercises are recommended. This includes using weight resistance exercise equipment in the gym like weight machines and free weights as well as resistance bands that can be purchased at online retailers. Pescatello also recommended simple bodyweight exercises like planks.

Pescatello noted that as bodies age, it's just as important to undertake resistance exercises as it is to commit to aerobic exercises. "If you can do them both...you really do maximize health benefits both from a weight maintenance perspective...and your heart health," Pescatello said.

Pescatello said that while she prefers aerobic exercises, she has undertaken more resistance exercise as she aged. However, if a person is not inclined to do aerobic exercise, they can still get good health benefits from performing resistance exercises.

As we progress further into aging, balance and preventing falling come into play, which Pescatello recommends neuromotor exercises like yoga and Tai Chi. Yoga specifically is what Pescatello called a multi-component exercise as it checks off the boxes neuromotor, resistance and aerobic exercising. She recommended finding a type of yoga that best fits you and finding a knowledgeable instructor who can aid in that.

For those who are making it their New Year's resolution to get back into fitness and have not exercised in awhile, Pescatello said it is best to not vigorously and suddenly exercise as there is risk of injury or even a low risk of an acute cardiac event. She recommended a "low angle slow" start that could be as simple as progressing from walking to brisk walking to jogging.

In order to better foster a routine in exercising, Pescatello said that people can join group classes at their local gyms for guidance on where to start or continue, and also to find an exercise buddy.

Ultimately though, while there are "many, many benefits from health exercise," the best kind of exercise is the one that keeps you exercising, Pescatello noted, stressing to be patient as you work to regularly include exercise in your life.

Editor's note: Please consult your physician before engaging in a new exercise routine.

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2026-01-20T10:31:33Z