| SolveYourProblem
eLearning Series:
I'm an Active Senior
Who Wants To Stay Healthy
( 50 aticles in this series )
A
Senior’s Guide To a Fun Exercise Program
Eubie Blake, the jazz pianist, voiced the
feelings of many an older American when he said, “If I’d known
I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of
myself.”
Fortunately for today’s seniors, doctors and health care organizations
are waking up to the fact that it’s never too late
to start taking better care of you. All over the country, senior citizens
are being encouraged by their children, doctors, grandchildren
and health care providers to “Get up and move!” And all over
the country, they’re tugging on jogging pants, lacing up their
sneakers and heading out there to have some physical fun.
To be fair, not all seniors need urging. According to a number
of surveys of adults in the AARP set, this generation
of older Americans is one of the most active, physically fit
ones we’ve
ever seen. As Baby Boomers hit retirement age, they’re not
slowing down. Instead, they’re barreling into their senior
years with all the energy and gusto they’ve tackled everything
else in life.
And this is excellent news for their health, say doctors and
researchers. Nearly every major study conducted in the last
ten years has confirmed that staying active is a great way
to stay young and healthy. And while doctors used to advise
their older patients to slow down and take it easy, now they’re
far more likely to encourage them to get up and go. As recently
as a decade ago, most people figured that if you weren’t already
exercising and active by your thirties, getting active after
that wasn’t likely to help you much. Now they know better.
In fact, no matter what age you are, getting yourself into
the habit of being physically active on a regular basis can
help you reduce the effects of getting older, increase your
bone density and cut your risks of fractures, cut down on your
risk of developing diabetes and even reverse some of its effects.
As if that isn’t enough, doctors have also found that seniors
who are physically active for at least an hour daily 3 or more
times a week reduce their risk of heart attack, lower their
blood pressure, are less likely to be depressed, and live longer
AND happier lives than their sedentary counterparts.
Think that you’d like to join the fit for life generation?
Then doctors and fitness professionals have these tips to help
make it easy and fun.
Don’t let limited mobility or chronic conditions stop you
from becoming active. The fact is that keeping your body moving
is a key ingredient in getting better. Research has shown that
regular physical activity improves just about every health
condition that limits you.
Do, however, check
with your doctor before starting out on any exercise program, particularly if you have arthritis, diabetes
or a heart condition. A knowledgeable doctor can steer you
toward activities that will strengthen your bones, joints and
heart, or refer you to a physical therapist who can design
an exercise program that works for you.
Pick
activities that are fun. Take up golfing or hiking, walk
at a local flea market, or join a volleyball team or class
at a local fitness center.
If you have joint pain or osteoporosis, go for low-impact
aerobic activities like walking or swimming. Be careful with
activities that involve rapid starts and stops like handball
or tennis.
Buddy
up for double fun. Getting together with an exercise
buddy can help keep you on track on the days when you just
don’t feel like working out. Even better, teaming up with a
friend can make exercise seem a whole lot less like exercise
and a lot more like fun. Would you rather ‘exercise’ or play
a round of golf with a friend?
Got
grandkids? They can be an excellent motivator. Playing
with the grandkids is more than just fun. Pushing a stroller
uphill on a fifteen minute walk is resistance training. Bouncing
a 20 pound toddler on your knee is weight training. Half an
hour of pitching balls for batting practice with your ten year
old grandson is aerobic exercise – you can continue from there,
can’t you?
If you do decide to join an exercise, dance or fitness class,
fitness experts recommend finding one with members close to
your own age. Often, when seniors join classes that are mixed
ages or mostly younger, they feel pressured to keep up with
the competition.
Be
flexible with scheduling and forgiving of yourself. If
you don’t get out for your walk in the morning, stop in at
the health club for a swim in the afternoon. If you miss your
golf game on Tuesday, fit in a walk after dinner that evening.
If
it hurts – stop. No pain no gain is not the motto you want
to make your own. Moderate physical activity shouldn’t hurt.
Waking up stiff the morning after a workout is normal. Being
in pain all day the next day is not. Listen to your body and
if it says you’re overdoing it, slow down until it recovers.
Being active and fit is a great way to stay healthy and have
fun well into your senior years. Don’t think the time has passed
you by – just get up and move!
# # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
> Home > Healthy
Seniors Articles : Main Page
|
