Profile: Experienced in Mind, Slower in Body
Special Focus: Doing Something Daily
Beware of: Grinding to a Halt
Weekly Workout Guidelines: You may be speeding towards a free bus pass, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to stop using your legs. Lack of exercise and age-related muscle loss can cause older people to become unfit and weak, when they needn’t be. Although muscles of this age are less strong and muscle fibres become smaller, it has been proven that each remaining muscle fibre shows the same potential to improve as younger muscles.
Not to be confused with weight lifting, weight training can make bones stronger, improve balance, increase muscle mass and strength, and prevent or slow down the process of bone-weakening osteoporosis. Daily activity is crucial. Use Dyna-Bands or small dumbbells to increase upper-body strength. Gentle yoga (stretching and bending routines) will enhance flexibility. Walking, light gardening, or swimming all raise the heart rate which help reduce the hardening of arteries.
Hardened arteries are a major cause of high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and strokes. Get in as much walking as possible. If you’re retired, seek out group sessions to keep the motivation and a team spirit going. And remember, light exercise is not just good for the body, it keeps the mind active too.
