When younger, I always had a training objective. Usually, it was to reach a certain level of conditioning to compete in sport. The enjoyment of the sporting activity, along with the camaraderie that team sports bring, were sufficient enough motivators to ensure that I always trained seriously.

And then it ends.

Most amateur and some professional sportsman gladly swap their well honed physiques for something more ‘cuddly’. And why not? What’s the point of training seriously? It’s not as if there is an Olympic medal at stake.

Well, I think there is a very good reason why and the stakes are more important than Olympic gold, or World Cup glory.

The ‘gold medal’ is the race for Quality of Life.

More than one in five of us are already over 60, and the number of people over 60 is expected to increase from 14.9 million in 2014 to 18.5 million in 2025

As we age, we become more susceptible to disease and disability. However, much of the burden of ill health can be prevented or mitigated with activities that keep us fit and healthy. And so much more successful than pills, potions or operations to tackle an issue that might have been treated with lifestyle changes.

If you have another 20, 30 or 40 years or so, doesn’t it make sense to prioritise your health and fitness?

Spend a moment to think of how much money you spend annually on luxury goods and how much you spend on maintaining and improving your health and fitness. I suspect that for most people, money spent on your body chassis and engine pale in comparison.

So, I recommend that we should all take our training seriously and I would go as far as to say we should all aspire to train like performance athletes. No, I don’t mean train for the same hours or outcomes! Training programmes, particularly when you are older, should be tailored to your individual needs. You should seek expert advice if needed.

Broadly speaking, however, there are a number of ways we can demonstrate a ‘professional’ approach.

My top tips to train like an performance athlete

1. Warm up properly. Not just a few static stretches but a comprehensive warm up for your chosen activity.

2. Train more than twice a week. Not all exercise needs to be exhausting or time consuming. Regular habits are really important for body maintenance.

3. Study and apply growth mindset. Or, as we practised in the military, a ‘can do’ mindset. Remember in particular, Everything is Possible!

4. Plan your exercise programme. Plan it, set achievable goals and stick to it.

5. Prioritise YOUR health and fitness. Don’t think or allow your time to be sacrificed for other household activities or allow that internal voice to convince you there are more important priorities. There is nothing selfish about putting yourself first. We can give more to others if in good health anyway.

Finally, remember that a small amount of money spent on your health and fitness could be an excellent long term investment, your ‘dividend’ being a medal in the Quality of Life Olympics.