Be Smart About Fitness
Staying active helps you remain independent, prevents health problems, and revs your metabolism. Exercise may also improve your strength and balance, give you more energy, boost your mood, and improve your brain function.
Get aerobic exercise:
Most older adults need about 2½ hours of aerobic
exercise, like brisk walking, every week. That’s about 30 minutes on most
days. Endurance exercises like walking, dancing, and playing tennis helps
your breathing, heart rate, and energy.
Stay flexible:
Try stretching and yoga. They keep you limber and make it easier to move.
Work on your balance:
Things like standing on one foot, walking heel-to-
toe, or practicing tai chi or yoga can keep you steady and help prevent falls.
Look out for your joints:
Choose things that are gentle on your joints, which weaken as you age. Make adjustments: Even if you can’t move as well as you used to, you can still work out. Swimming is a good option.
Water exercise makes it easier for your body to support your weight. It also
increases how far you can move your joints (the doctor will call this range
of motion).
If it’s hard to stand up, try sitting in a chair and doing upper-body exercise with resistance bands.
If you aren’t active now, take it one step at a time.
Start by getting up and out of your chair. The next day, walk down the hall and back. Later, try marching in place. Keep it slow, and get ready to see progress as your
body adapts.
Also try strength training:
It prevents you from losing muscle mass and strengthens your bones. Aim for 3 to 4 days a week. Good choices are lifting weights, using resistance bands, and doing body weight exercises.
If you're not exercising now, let's get you started.
Your Health Coach,
Christine!
Comments