Stay Active/Stay Fit
Aging > Stay Active/Stay Fit
Choose to abandon the couch and television or computer to stay active and stay fit. The benefits increase with aging and the health benefits are immeasurable.
Our bodies undergo many changes with aging. These changes need not diminish your quality of life or condemn you to any of the debilitating conditions of aging. You can benefit tremendously from a number of anti-aging rewards when you commit to a plan to stay active and stay fit. Among these are slower loss of muscle mass (occurs with aging), a longer, healthier life, reduced aches and pains and an overall better outlook on life. By staying active and staying fit you also boost your immune system and overall health, which in turn will shorten your recovery time if you do become ill.
If you want to stay active and stay fit there is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on health club memberships if you don’t want to. The most important thing is to stay in the game. Get out, get moving and get the blood flowing. There are a number of ways to stay active and stay fit that are very effective as well as economical. All of these ideas offer benefits no matter where you are in the aging process. Some of these examples follow below. Pick one or two and give it a whirl. You’ll be surprised at how great you feel.
- Gardening
- Walking
- Throwing a ball around with children/grandchildren
- Skating
- Bowling
- Golfing
- Biking
- Hiking
- Swimming
- House cleaning/Yard work
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Tai-chi
- Boating/Rowing
An added benefit of many of these activities is the opportunity for fun and social interaction they offer. You’ve heard the saying, “all work and no play….”
Before you engage in any fitness program it is important to observe related safety measures. If you are biking, always wear a helmet and make sure that others on the road can see you. If you are walking or hiking choose well fitting, well made shoes. Also, if you have knee or joint problems, take extra precautions. Start slowly and take time to warm up. Pay attention to the signals your body sends, pain or difficulty breathing are not normal and should be addressed immediately.
To derive the most significant benefits, it is important to make a commitment to your stay active/stay fit plan. Choose something you enjoy and establish a routine.
Some ideas for keeping your commitment include:
- Enlist a partner so that you can encourage one another and enjoy the experience of staying active together.
- Schedule your fitness activity as you schedule other appointments.
- Join or start a walking or hiking club.
- Reward yourself when you meet your weekly fitness goals.
- Forgive yourself when you fall short of your weekly fitness goals and resolve to start fresh the next week.
- Talk with others about your stay active/stay fit plan. The encouragement they offer can be motivating and help you stay on track.
- Write down your fitness goals and refer to them when you feel discouraged
- Remember to have fun.
Starting a fitness plan need not be a chore but it is a necessity, especially with aging. The benefits of staying active and staying fit are immeasurable. The average life span was once 42. Today we are living nearly twice as long. The quality of those years is determined, in large part, by the quality of care you provide for yourself as you age. What do you want your senior years to look like? Its largely up to you.