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 With today's advances in medicine more people are living longer. It's no surprise that this rise in life expectancy is the result of an increased interest in diet and fitness lifestyle changes. When you're heading into your later years, it's best to follow the example of those that discovered the secrets to a longer life- exercise.
While it could be said that exercise is the key to being healthy for all age groups, it's especially important for seniors. As the body ages it can begin to lose flexibility and muscle strength. This increases the risk of slips and falls among other things.
When you start a fitness regimen, you can increase your muscle strength, coordination and balance, helping to prevent common injuries. In addition to improving your mobility, regular exercise is also linked with decreasing the risk of high blood pressure, some cancers, osteoporosis, depression, strokes, heart disease, and even everyday illnesses.
When you haven't exercised in a while you need to check with your doctor first. They will help assess your current fitness levels, take into account any medical problems, and determine the best course of action for you. By checking your blood pressure and weight your doctor can monitor your progress.
To ensure you're getting the most benefit from your exercise program, you need to consider:
• Endurance
• Balance
• Flexibility
• Strength and tone
Endurance exercises can include everything from walking and swimming to biking and dancing. The best results come from regular exercise on most days of the week for about thirty to sixty minutes.
Balance exercises like yoga and Tai Chi can help you regain the balance and coordination losses that occur with age. They are also calming exercises that can improve your mood as well as your flexibility.
Building your muscle strength is important for strengthening bones as well as muscles. You can use body weight exercises that do not require any equipment (i.e. pushups) or you can look into lifting light weights in a more traditional weight lifting routine.
Fitness is a lifetime quest. By taking your health into your hands, you will live a longer and healthier life. Your retirement years will be filled with activities and not with problems. To your health!
Lynn VanDyke is the owner and fitness expert of www.Strength-Training-Woman.com. She has written a well-known step-by-step guide to fat loss called Melt the Fat. More info can be found at www.Melt-the-Fat.com. |
