The passing of time is unavoidable; how you age depends on how much physical activity you engage in. You’ll still be fit, mobile, and active in your seventies if you’ve been active in your forties, continuing into your fifties, and so on.
If you are inactive while younger, this behavior will probably follow you into your older years and harm you. Lack of physical activity is very harmful for your cardiovascular fitness as it will increase bad cholesterol ultimately.
There is an intriguing topic that each of us needs to inquire into for ourselves:
“Do we get less active as we age? Or do we become older as we become less active?”
Even if you haven’t been very active recently, you can still make the most of this circumstance. The time to take care of your body is now and thus improving your quality of life by engaging in physical activity.
- Regular walking can reduce the risk of dementia in seniors.
- Exercise boosts mood by releasing endorphins, helping fight depression.
- Seniors who stay active are less likely to experience chronic pain.
- Walking improves joint health and can ease arthritis symptoms.
- Strength training helps seniors maintain bone density.
- Seniors who volunteer are more likely to stay physically active.
- Outdoor activities improve mental well-being by reducing stress.
This post will provide you with seven valuable recommendations that will assist you in your physical fitness goals..
How Can Seniors Get More Active?
The proliferation of technology has resulted in a marked increase in the time spent sitting down. We don’t move as much, do as much, or sweat as much. As a result of individuals not getting enough exercise, obesity has become a widespread problem.
Diabetes and hypertension are affecting many people not seen before.
We have all heard stories of our great-grandparents who lived well into their eighties and nineties and how they remained as active and healthy as ever throughout their lives.
These days, even middle-aged persons may be seen seated on mobility scooters and scooting around the aisles of grocery stores because they are too fat to walk.
Here are some lifestyle changes for seniors to help keep them mobile.
Use the stairs
The use of elevators has grown so commonplace in our culture that hardly anybody ever goes up or down flights of steps anymore. You may have observed that many older adults have difficulty getting off buses or going downstairs. Their muscles have deteriorated to a feeble state.
People often have the misconception that climbing up a staircase is more complicated. In fact, for older adults, climbing up is less of a challenge than going down.
Your legs will adapt and become more vital if you often use the stairs, so be sure to use them.
Use Resistance
If you can get your hands on a set of ankle weights, wear them for at least a few hours each day. Your daily activities will now include some resistance training, thanks to this. Simply moving about while wearing ankle weights can cause you to burn more calories and improve the strength of your legs requiring no more effort.
Daily Walks
Take a stroll around the block every day to keep illness at bay. A regular stroll of only thirty minutes may be beneficial to the majority of older adults. The advantages are significant.
Yoga/Pilates Classes
Regular exercise keeps you fit by improving cholesterol levels. Participating in yoga or Pilate sessions can be very beneficial. You will improve your strength, flexibility, and overall health. When you exercise with other people, you’ll also have the opportunity to mingle and converse with those around you.
This is preferable to be cooped up indoors all by oneself at home.
Gardening
The practice of gardening is quite enjoyable. Since it requires a significant amount of bending, older people with back discomfort should steer clear of it. Gardening is a gratifying hobby that serves as a kind of exercise and is also excellent for the spirit.
If your back is strong and healthy, think about gardening.
Volunteering
You’re never too old to assist someone else. Don’t hesitate to provide a helping hand at a local group you believe in. You’ll find that you wind up moving about more and engaging in more activity.
You won’t even be aware of it since you’ll be so preoccupied with doing the duties and interacting with the other people there.
Step Tracker
Invest in a step-tracking device like a Fitbit or one of the many other options available. Strive for more physical activity every day. If you walk 3000 steps today, try to increase that to 4000 steps tomorrow, and so on. The more you walk about, the better your health will be
A Record of Activities
A daily activity log is a fantastic tool for ensuring that you remain responsible for yourself. Record in a journal the amount of physical activity and exercise you completed each day. Continue to get well and pay attention to how you are feeling. Be wary of days in which you don’t fit in any physical activity.
It would help if you tried to steer clear of days like this as much as possible, since inertia is constantly on the verge of taking hold. A single day missed will grow into seven. Two months may have passed without you noticing it since the last time you worked out.
It would help if you tried to pack as much physical exercise as possible into your day by following the eight guidelines provided above.
Laziness breeds more incredible laziness. More activity results from previous activity. Keep yourself busy.
Takeaway
Getting older does not always imply that you will become less active. Your elderly loved one may become less physically active because of concerns about falling or feeling too tired to take part in energetic pursuits. You need to urge them to maintain a physically active lifestyle so they may remain robust and healthy.
You can accomplish this by encouraging your loved one to participate in physical activities at home. A few are, performing housekeeping chores while exercising, taking part in funny activities and providing your loved one with the equipment to use while exercising.
Ensure that the person you care about schedules regular rest days for themselves and choose an exercise routine that works with their busy schedule. To wrap things up, double-check that the person you care about gets enough sleep.
This will allow them to wake up feeling refreshed and take better care of their body by eating well.