At 60+ some of us may have retired from full-time work. The long commutes in rush hour traffic are behind us, the easy chair is in front of us. We may have traded in our two-story house for a one-story ranch or maybe we’re even considering moving to a retirement village in the near future.
Even if none of this is the case; instead you’re happy with where you live and work is going well, we may not be getting as much movement as we did even ten years ago.
I think this decrease in movement creeps up on us. In our free time, we go to a live performance or watch a movie instead of walking in the park. Or we go to the park but opt to read a good book while sitting at a picnic table instead of briskly walking the three-mile loop. And every time we go out with a friend, there seems to be a meal or at least a coffee and dessert as part of the gathering.
And yet we wonder why we feel a bit tired. We feel heavy on our feet, with little bounce in our step. Getting in and out of chairs takes a little more effort than it should, and a flight of stairs is daunting.
The good news is that there is usually nothing seriously wrong with our bodies, thank goodness. It’s just that if you haven’t moved that body of yours in a while, you may start to feel stiff and sluggish.
Don’t beat yourself up – it’s understandable.
And it’s correctable!
According to Health Partners, a non-profit focused on making good health affordable, says with just a little movement your body will repay you with:
1. Increased energy levels – simply put, the more you move the more energy you’ll have available throughout the day.
2. Mental sharpness – with more blood and oxygen flowing through our system, our brain has more to pull from.
3. Better mood – It’s amazing how much impact movement has on mood. Most doctors recommend regular exercise to help manage depression, anxiety, and stress.
4. Added balance, strength, and flexibility – and who among us doesn’t need more balance, strength, and flexibility?
5. And if we do get sick – or suffer from things like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure and even osteoporosis, daily movement serves to help these conditions.
The Good News
With all this talk of movement, the good news is there is no shortage of information to get you started.
Just go on any of the social media platforms, (especially YouTube for full exercise programs,) do a keyword search on the various search engines, read any number of periodicals, or go to your local library or bookstore and you’re sure to find everything you need to get you started with a fitness program.
And of course, with the Silver Sneakers program in your Medicare Advantage Program, you can join a gym for free. Doesn’t get much better than that!
But there are a few things I’ve learned over the years with my fitness routine that will not only get you going but will keep you going. Of course, most of these tips I learned the hard way, but I guess that goes without saying.
Hopefully, this little list will save you both time and aggravation from the very beginning.
Don’t compare your start to someone else’s middle. I can’t remember when or where I first heard this quote, but it continues to help me remember that everyone has their own timeline and pace when pursuing their goals. Focus on your lane instead of comparing yourself to others. This one remembered, will save you a lot of grief.
Physical and Mental health is not a destination. There’s no “end game” with our physical or mental health. It’s a journey, not a destination. This means we’re all attempting to form habits and routines around overall fitness, not trying to hit some “finish line.”
It’s always consistency over intensity. Start wherever you are and start small. When I wanted to add more strength training to my routine, I developed a plan to add just a few minutes a day (5 to be exact) of strength-related activity to my other exercises. Just 5 minutes. The good news is after a year I’m still doing my strength training program and it’s starting to feel as effortless (not the workout, finding the time!) as brushing my teeth.
Focus on improving functional fitness. Honestly, I know I’ll start to feel “moldy” if it gets difficult for me to perform simple daily activities. For instance, struggling to get in/out of a chair or car. Or straining while reaching for something in a high cupboard, or losing my balance. Performing these routine activities is the number one reason I’ve focused on functional fitness in my daily exercise plan.
You no doubt knew I couldn’t end this blog without adding this last statement.
We all know, the first step is always the hardest. No doubt it takes determination and a “made-up mind” to take that first step.
But we urge you to take it. If you do, that second and third step and every step thereafter will be so, so, so much easier. ❤️
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