David Fairlamb THE FIT FACTOR

A NUMBER of my new clients in their 40s and 50s tell me they've never exercised, not even in school.

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They were the ones with the excuse note for every PE class, managing to dodge physical activity altogether.

Some grew up in households where fitness wasn’t encouraged or modelled, while others were discouraged by early negative experiences with sports or gym class.

For many, work, parenting or simply the pace of life took priority over movement.

As a result, they've never truly experienced the physical and mental benefits of moving their bodies regularly - things like increased energy, improved mood, and the confidence that comes with feeling strong.

Then there are those who were active in their teens or early twenties but took a long break, sometimes decades, before returning to training.