Exercise for Seniors
As we grow older, and we all are growing older, an active lifestyle is very important. Exercise can help increase your energy and help to alleviate the symptoms of illness and pain.
It doesn’t matter what your age or your health or your fitness level, all seniors will benefit more from moving more. Click here for a great product.
And there are many ways to boost your fitness level. If you don’t know where to begin this article will help you.
There are many ways to get your body moving which will definitely improve your health.
As our metabolism slows down with age, staying a healthy weight can also be challenging. Increased exercise will help your metabolism by burning extra calories.
When your body is a healthy weight your overall wellness improves.
Some of the benefits of exercise include better heart health, better blood pressure,improved bone density and digestive functioning. Also less chance for diabetes.
Plus you have less risk for Alzheimer’s, obesity, osteoporosis, colon cancer and heart disease.
Exercise will help with your sleep, helping you to fall asleep more quickly and sleep sounder.
If you haven’t exercised lately, here are some tips to help you get started safely.
# 1. See your Doctor and get the OK. Especially if you have a preexisting condition.
# 2. Start slowly if you haven’t exercised in a while. It is best to always start slow.
#3 Always warm up before you begin exercising and cool down after you are finished.
#4 If you are a lot overweight and haven’t exercised in a long time start walking 5 minutes once or twice a day and slowly add more minutes until you can comfortably do 30 minutes a session.
As time goes on you could increase your length of exercise from 1/2to 1 hour 3 to 4 times a week.
Then you can start increasing your pace or do interval walking.
What is interval walking?
Interval walking is walking at a normal pace for 2 or 3 minutes and then increasing your pace for 1 minute. Just keep doing the same routine and you won’t believe how much you strength will improve.
# 5 Health concerns. If while exercising something doesn’t feel right such as a sharp pain or shortness of breath, simply stop. You may need to try a different activity.
Here are some ideas for building a balanced exercise plan.
#1.Cardio endurance exercise. This exercise will increase your body’s ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your system.
Cardio will help lessen fatigue and shortness of breath and will improve endurance for walking, cleaning house, and running around doing errands.
Different cardio exercises are tennis, dancing, swimming, hiking, stair climbing, and last but not least, walking which does not require any expense or equipment.
#2.Strength training will help build up your muscles. Use elastic bands or weights (if you don’t have weights use soup cans, packages of flour or sugar). This will help prevent bone loss and improve your balance. It will also help prevent the risk of falling and will make day to day activities much simpler. Click here for bands.
#3. Flexibility. This can be done by stretches and ballistic stretching so your muscles are less prone to injury. This will help you stay limber and increase your range of motion for normal activities such as driving, gardening, playing with your grandchildren, and don’t forget shopping.
#4. Try yoga, Tai Chi, or posture exercises. These programs will help your posture and flexibility.
Many YMCA’s have programs designed for seniors. Or if you have access to a computer you can find them on Youtube.
When you begin to incorporate exercise into your daily life you will notice the difference it makes in your everyday household chores.
Housecleaning or carrying groceries, lifting the grandchildren, bending down to tie your shoes will not seem like a chore when you start exercising.
And exercise doesn’t have to be expenses. The YMCA offers senior programs that are usually paid for by your insurance, like (Silver Sneakers) or very discounted.
You can rent exercise videos from the library, buy them from Amazon, or enjoy a walk in a new neighborhood, use food cans or water bottles for weights lifting and stretching exercises.
The good thing about exercise is when it gets to become a habit you will really miss it if you don’t do it.
It will give you energy for other activities and make your everyday routines easier.
So get up and get moving! You will have a new lease on life and you will be surprised how much you mental attitude will improve.
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