Tag Archive for: Senior Fitness At Home

Workout Tips – Senior Citizens Should Still Workout

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As you grow older, staying fit and healthy is more important than ever before as a senior citizen. By following an active lifestyle and working out regularly, you will definitely take care of your health and increase stamina. The suggestions listed here will present some handy fitness strategies for a senior.

Growing older doesn’t mean you have to stop working out. In fact tons of senior citizens are becoming more active than ever. They might have to start making small changes in the way they go about exercising.

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Always putting safety first and foremost. Senior citizens should workout and can do all the exercises of younger people. This includes, weightlifting, yoga, running, cardio and aerobics.

Seniors have to exercise and build muscle to prevent bone mass loss. The longer the person puts off working out the more chances of developing osteoporosis and other ailments. To prevent loss of strength the individual should do some form of strength training and incorporate some cardio for stamina. Cardio exercise also keeps the heart healthy. Yoga is also a great exercise for seniors. It helps with balance and flexibility.

Joining a senior class at a local gym is a very good for you. Not only will it help the person to get into shape, but help make new friends to workout with. The more people you can find to exercise the more fun the class is going to be. There are more senior classes opening up than ever before. Enjoy this time and workout hard. You’re body will reward you with increased energy and more stamina.

People have to realize that walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Walking costs nothing but the time and effort that the person puts forth. It’s one exercise that can help almost all seniors. Anyone can do it, and for the most part there is not much stress on the joints. Walking outside, walking on the treadmill, and walking on trails offer you lots of options. Try to walk a minimum of twenty minutes a day, one hour maximum. The more the individual walks, the more likely they are going to see positive results.

Swimming for senior citizens is very helpful for joints and tendons. Low impact swimming also aids in muscle recovery and healing. Senior classes normally offer swimming and most people love the benefits and feeling after a nice swim. The amount or swimming is totally up to the person. I have seen many seniors swimming laps in the pool, so for a good workout maybe start with one or two laps and work up from there.

As we get older it’s even more important to take care of your body. Yes it is true seniors do get some aches and pains from time to time. That should not stop the person from being active. Keep striving everyday to exercise to fight of disease and to feel great.

Workout Routines for Seniors

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Seniors are finally getting involved in the health movement! Move it or lose it! What is the best workout routine for senior citizens? And why should seniors workout? We will explore more on this topic during this article.

Did you know that there are some health insurance companies that will actually pay for your gym membership. When this was implemented several years ago, the insurance companies saved around 1.6 billion dollars in health care in the first two years! Senior citizens were getting into the gym, and getting fit and healthy!

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Of course, if you have read any of my other articles, you know that I am a big advocate of weight lifting. And yes, this goes for you too, seniors. Lifting weights can really help with osteoporosis. If you don’t believe me, ask your doctor. Your doctor will tell you. I have some clients that have come to me because their doctor has told them that they have to get a personal trainer.

My hope for everyone and their health is that they get into the gym BEFORE their doctor tells them that they have to do it. Once you are at a place where your doctor tells you that you HAVE to lose weight, or you have to get a personal trainer, this can mean that your health is at stake. This always makes my heart just drop, because I know for many people, that a lot of their health problems could have been prevented if they had just lead a healthy lifestyle and gotten into the gym.

So, don’t be one of those people. Get in to the gym now. Also, for most seniors, it’s about getting back your mobility, your range of motion, and a bit of strength and energy. Yes, I recommend lifting weights, but, don’t go in and just start throwing weights around. Get yourself at least a month of sessions with a personal trainer. Many injuries can be prevented by just knowing where to place your hands or your feet during certain exercises.

One rule of thumb can be the ninety degree angle rule. Now, this doesn’t apply for every exercise. There are always exceptions to the rule. Basically, you never let your legs or your arms go past a ninety degree angle. For instance, if you are doing an overhead shoulder press, your arms above your head should each form ninety degree angles.

This way, you are keeping the weight in your muscle rather than your joints. But, if this isn’t making any sense to you, please take the time to seek out a personal trainer in your area. They can help you with all of your fitness goals and give you a great workout routine for seniors!

Senior Fitness | Wonderfully Fit

Activities Promoting Healthy Aging

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Lack of activities can prevent you from living healthy. When you do not enjoy activities, you may feel fatigue or find it difficult to sleep at night. When you awake in the morning, you may feel tired until you finally fall asleep. As we, age our body change and we have to make changes to accommodate our lives.

Having a good night sleep makes the mind think more clearly. A good night sleep also boosts your energy while controlling your weight. You can also make decisions with less stress. Sleeping well at night makes our immune system stronger to keep us healthier.

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Researchers have proved that a good nights sleep is necessary for our health. Researchers have found that lack of sleep reduces the growth hormones in our bodies, since it changes muscles to fat. Sleep overall is most important, yet it stands behind activities. To improve your health, try walking each day.

Walking will help to loosen our muscles, reduces stress and depression along with anxiety. By reliving these things, it will help us to sleep for a longer and deeper period. So, when we wake up in the morning we feel happier and more rested.

When you exercise, you get a good night sleep, which promotes metabolism. Without the right amount of sleep, our bodies crave energy. Our body will release insulin or glucose into the bloodstream, which slows down metabolism. This action causes the body to gain weight, rather than control weight.

When a person feels exhausted, they will feel weak and repressed from enjoying activities. This leads to additional problems. Sleeping right balances out our bodies giving us, more energy leading to more activities that will satisfy our sleep needs.

What to avoid:

To rest proper and feel active you must reduce your intake of caffeine, nicotine, harmful chemicals, such as over-the-counter meds that keep you awake, alcohol and so on. The chemicals and substances will keep you awake. Try to avoid drinking anything after 8 p.m. in the evening. Nicotine should be avoid if possible, yet if you must smoke try to avoid smoking after 8 p.m.

Start a walking program in the morning to help wake you up, while boosting your energy. You will feel better since the joints will feel flexible enough to move freely. In addition, walking will help you burn fat and calories. You’ll notice a big change in how you feel the rest of the day. Start out walking at a slow steady pace for as far as your comfortable. Each day pick up the pace a bit and walk further. Just remember when walking that you want to work up to a steady brisk walk to make you sweat but not out of breath. Take a short walk before and after meals to calm your nerves, and burn calories too, it will give you energy, relieve that stress from the long day and help you sleep.

If you start a walking program for yourself, it is a lot more fun if you have someone to go with you. Talk to that neighbor you don’t know and maybe they’ll walk with you. Just think about it; you’ll be acquainted with someone new, talk about new things will relieve stress and get in you exercise as well. This might help that neighbor too who maybe hasn’t seen or talked to anyone in a couple of days and than they can sleep better at night.

After walking that brisk walk your doing be sure to cool down. When walking at a vigorous pace your heart rate will go up and it needs to be back to normal. Just walk a bit slow and relaxing until you’ve cooled down.

If you can’t go to sleep at night instead of getting up and turning on the TV try pacing around the house. Do some stretching and shake your arms and legs. Even walking around the house can relax you especially when everyone else is in bed and you can relax more.