Am I fooling myself to think I can achieve some fitness/strength in my 50s? AIBU to think I can?

[PicklePalace]

I am a complete beginner and I’m 54. Joined a gym 3 weeks ago and with the help of YouTube, googling and my daughter, I’ve settled on what I believe is a good programme, targeting my whole body and lifting as heavy as I can make and still retain good form

But it’s got me thinking. I’m not at all fit really. I am a normal weight but I’ve definitely got muscle loss going on.

can I actually turn this around and get strong at the age of 54?

Of course you can. At 63, I was obese, had high bp, cholesterol and diabetic levels of blood glucose, and did no exercise beyond my job. I lost weight and started going to the gym - mostly rowing and treadmill, some weights and some spinning. I’m now towards the lower end of bmi, and very fit - defined muscles, normal blood glucose, healthy cholesterol and bp. Today, three years later, I’ve been for a walk of 10 miles and don’t even feel tired. Start slowly and build up, and you’ll get there.

Of course you can. It may take longer than it would take a 30-year-old but you have time. I train at a CrossFit gym and we have quite a few members in their 60s and 70s kicking butts!

I'm past my mid 40s ans have learned to do pull ups this year!

Its never too late to get fit!

What specific injury concerns do you have? And can you point me to any research which supports your statement?

Of course you can!!! You have loads of time to build your strength and help your bone health. Start small get up from sitting without using your hands. Go up stairs don't take lifts, walk more, preferably up hills, use full water bottles as weights for light exercises. Find a good strength and conditioning class that caters to your age group. Aging well and getting strong is so important. Good luck