Exercise For Older Adults and The Elderly

A lot of seniors feel discouraged to do physical exercises because concerns about injury or falls. Sometimes a health condition such as heart disease and osteoarthritis can also prevent them from staying active. Below are some tips to manage exercise for older adults and the elderly.

Find an exercise plan that suits your condition.

Before starting, remember to consult your physician, especially if you have heart problem, bone and joint problem, or metabolic problems such as diabetes. You may need to have some medication adjustment if you are taking any.

Anyone who says elderly people don't need exercise can have a go at grandma.

Start and stop gradually.

Start and stop your exercise session gradually. Avoid doing sudden, intense sudden exercise. Try to prepare yourself with at least 10 minute warm-up before exercising and end your session with another 10 minutes cool down.

Know your limits.

Learn to take hints from your body. Shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, or feeling shaky means you probably have overexerted yourself and it's time for a break.

Monitor your heart rate during exercise. In order for your body to reap the benefit of aerobic exercises, you will want to reach a target of 50-70% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is 220 subtracted by your age.

Combine different types of exercises

There are four main types of exercise and you need to do a little bit of each. Combining different types of exercise will reduce monotony and increase the overall benefit to your health.

• Cardio-endurance exercises like walking, swimming, hiking, cycling, and dancing improve the health of the heart and circulatory system  
• Strengthening exercises like weight lifting will build muscle tissue and prevent osteoporosis
• Flexibility like exercises stretching or bouncing  keep the body limber and increases your range of movement.
• Balance exercises like yoga and tai chi improve your posture and reduce the chances of a fall.

Stick to the plan.

Commit yourself to an exercise schedule for at least 3 or 4 weeks so that it becomes habit. Try to focus and keep yourself motivated towards your goals.

A Small List of Easy Exercises

Continuing from my last post about easy and enjoyable exercise, here are some examples of the easy exercises that will keep you healthy on the long run. Or if you're looking forward to weight loss, these are the the most healthy ways to do it. So, get up and leave your cozy couches behind to try these out:

1. House-cleaning

Why is it on top of the list? Because other than burning the calories, you'll have your home neat and tidy in no time. Mop the floor, vacuum the dust, move that stack of useless junk elsewhere. You can lose over 200 calories per hour if you put your back on it. 

Don't underestimate house-cleaning. Lose up to 200 calories per hour just by mopping the floor!

2. Aerobics

This type of exercise primarily targets the hip, bum and legs which most women want to tone up. It's also good for your cardiovascular health. Make sure you do it regularly. Just fifteen minutes of aerobics will take 200 calories off you.

3. Walking

This one is probably the easiest one to do and you may not realized that you're actually burning carbs while doing it. Make a few rounds in your house or go out to get some fresh air in the park. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you take the bus, get down a few stops earlier and walk rest of the distance. To get the most out of walking, try to walk faster than a stroll. However, even walking as slow as 2.5 Mph for an hour will burn off 200 calories.

4. Swimming

Another fun way to burn the calories. Swimming makes good work of most muscle groups in your body. If you increase the pace, you’ll get a good aerobic exercise with less strains on your joints. It's especially helpful if you have back or knee pain, but want to find ways to stay physically active. Going back and forth the length of the pool for half an hour burn around 400 calories.

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Other articles in exercise:

• In the year 2008 physical inactivity was responsible for the deaths of 5.3 million. These deaths could be avoided if only people would take 150 minutes or more of moderate exercise weekly. Read more about physical inactivity and the problems it brings
• Ever find yourself in need of a push to get you up in the morning and do some physical exercise? Read more about how to make exercise easy and enjoyable
• A lot of seniors feel discouraged to do physical exercises because concerns about injury or falls. Sometimes a health condition such as heart disease and osteoarthritis can also prevent them from staying active. Read more about exercise for older adults and the elderly
  

Exercise Made Easy (and Enjoyable)

Believe it or not, the hardest part is to get it going in the first place.

You wake up in the morning with the resolution to exercise only to find yourself dragging your feet to the couch some five minutes later. This article will provide you some tips to make your exercise easy and enjoyable.

Start gradually.

First of all, start out slowly and increase your activity gradually over time. This will help your body adjust and avoid injury. Start with 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise each day. You can divide it into three 10 sessions if you're not able to go through it all at once. However if you do this, make sure you do reach around 75% of the maximum heart rate for your age. The maximum heart rate is calculated as 220 minus your age.

Move around whenever and wherever you can.

Try to include physical activity into your schedule whenever you can. For example, walk to the office or take the stairs instead of the elevator. By making a conscious effort to stay on the move, you may find yourself fulfilling the recommended amount of physical activity for the day without having to set aside exclusive time and place to exercise.

Bring a company to an active leisure time like bicycle riding.

Look forward to fun.

Select activities you find satisfying and that give you a feeling of accomplishment. Bring your friend or family into an active leisure time such as walking in a garden, riding a bike, swimming, or group sports. Their company will encourage you and they too will enjoy the health benefits of physical activity.

Stay comfy.

Try to make yourself comfortable as much as you can during exercise. Wear good fitting shoes with padded soles and don't wear anything too tight of a clothing. There's nothing wrong about wanting to look pretty and stylish when you're exercising, but if you had to make a choice between fashion and comfort, pick comfort.

Put on the beat.

Listen to music when you're exercising. An inspiring music can sometimes make a difference between a boring and exciting exercise session. It will also drive away monotonous feeling.

Know your body.

Most importantly, make sure your activities are compatible with your age and physical condition. Consult your physician if you are not sure about which type of exercise that will suit you. He or she will point you down the right direction to start and give you advices to avoid injuries.

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Other articles in exercise:

• Even though they may not look like much of a calorie burner, these activities are just as effective as the more complicated exercises. Read more about this small list of easy exercises
• A lot of seniors feel discouraged to do physical exercises because concerns about injury or falls. Sometimes a health condition such as heart disease and osteoarthritis can also prevent them from staying active. Read more about exercise for older adults and the elderly
• In the year 2008 physical inactivity was responsible for the deaths of 5.3 million. These deaths could be avoided if only people would take 150 minutes or more of moderate exercise weekly. Read more about physical inactivity and the problems it brings