Fran's Fitness Over 50

Playing games to boost fitness

Every evening after work I play games – do puzzles, actually. There’s Sudoku, a picture cross game, and another painting game. Sometimes I fit in a game or two of Spider Solitaire as well. I love my puzzles. After lunch, I play a hidden object game. I tell myself it’s to exercise my focus away from the floaters in my eyes, but it’s really fun. I love my games. And the last few years, lots of people are playing games to boost fitness.

Tech to track fitness

Do you use an app that tells you how intense your workout was? Or do you follow an exercise program online? Some even use virtual reality to follow an exercise program. That’s definitely playing games to boost fitness.

Do you wear a smart watch that tracks your steps during the day? Does it assess your sleep? You’re playing games to boost fitness. When your watch tells you that you’ve hit your goal for the day, how do you feel? Does your watch send you confetti and congratulations? There’s that hit of dopamine. It makes you want to pump your fist in the air and say, “Yes! I did it!”

It gets you off the couch

“I’m always going to be a fan of anything that gets people moving,” says Laura Girard, CPT, a trainer and online fitness coach. If an app or a VR set gets people off the couch and exercising, it’s a really good thing. Some of the newer virtual reality technology even has the capability of assessing your form as you perform the exercises or go through the active game. That’s certainly more affordable than hiring a personal trainer, if you’ve already got the VR set.

Alternatively, playing active video games can also get your heart rate up while you’re fighting bad guys. Anything that gets you moving is good – even if it’s playing a fantasy role-playing game. Maybe especially if it’s a fantasy role-playing game!

Provides accountability and motivation

The tracker you wear also provides the accountability and motivation that you need to progress toward your fitness goals. Your watch may give you sound or display notifications, and Lauren Cook, PsyD, a clinical psychologist says, “I think a lot of people are more active because they want to get that dopamine kick of seeing that they closed their rings or hit a step goal.”

But at least one field experiment found that, while the tech provides immediate gratification and keeps us accountable in the moment, it doesn’t provide lasting habit-forming effects.

Tech is not the answer for everyone

And tech may not be the answer for everyone to boost fitness and create long-lasting habits for our healthy aging. People can stress over too much tech or obsess over the data it provides. But tracking our goals and our progress is still incredibly important. But no matter how you’re tracking your progress, be intentional about the goals you track. Don’t try to track everything. And if you’re wary of the tech, the pen-and-paper route is still valuable. The Basic Workout Tracker is a great start. And for some it may be even better. It’s the route that I take. I actually did add a pedometer app to my phone, but I hardly ever have my phone on me, so it’s not much use. When you have your goals written in your own handwriting on a piece of paper, you could be even more likely to achieve them. You’ll still get that dopamine zing when you’re able to check something off on your page.

So games and tech are certainly fun, but playing games to boost fitness is the smart way to use today’s tech for our healthy aging.

Best exercises for healthy aging

I think about healthy aging quite a bit because I write about it. But I don’t think people my age should think about it. I think my peers should be actively doing everything they can for their healthy aging instead. The first thing many people think about relating to fitness is exercise, so here are the best exercises for healthy aging, according to many experts.

Strength

At our age, we have to focus on strength. When we’re strong, we can do things like get out of a chair without assistance, or climb stairs. When we’re moving against resistance, whether that’s our own body weight, free weights, or even resistance bands, that’s making us stronger. Strength training improves muscle mass, bone density and circulation. And the current recommendation is to do strength training twice a week to promote healthy aging.

Endurance

The dreaded aerobics. When we improve our endurance, we can walk for longer periods of time, making those walking tours a distinct possibility when we’re on vacation. Hikes with family and friends at home are also on the table. We exercise our heart and lungs when we work on our endurance, so we won’t get out of breath getting to the store from a far space in a parking lot. Cardio work also can be great to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

Mobility

During the day I can feel myself stiffen up if I don’t move around. Flexibility or mobility work helps us maintain or improve our range of motion. I can tie my shoes. I can reach a spot on my back that has an itch (mostly). A good way to get mobility work in is to incorporate it into our warm-up or cool-down from our strength or endurance work. Don’t skimp on flexibility, but it’s important not to overdo it, either. Incorporate movements that feel good to you.

Balance

Improving balance can help reduce falls. This one is really important to me, and balance exercises are certainly some of the best exercises for healthy aging. I suffered a fall a number of years ago which led me to promoting balance exercises. Here’s a nasty statistic: falls account for three quarters of deaths in people over 75 in the US. Don’t be a statistic. Download Your Week of Core-Centered Balance Moves and join the private Facebook group Balance for Fitness Balance for Life. A variety of balance exercises are highlighted, none of which take more than 2 minutes a day or require changing into gym clothes.

Cognition

Exercise your brain. Like every other body part, your brain needs work to keep it stimulated and operating at peak efficiency. We know that when we exercise our body, our brain benefits. A variety of brain exercises also help keep us engaged. And it’s not just Sudoku puzzles or crosswords that help. Jigsaw puzzles, arts and crafts, and other puzzles help.

One more thing helps keep us fit and engaged – interacting with others. So get moving and stay healthy.

Find comfort in routine

Everyone seems to be stressed these days. Yes, it seems like I write that every other week. But the times are turbulent and it’s hard to know what will be coming at us next. The weather is crazy, the political climate is even crazier, and then the economy is in turmoil. It’s one blow after another. My head is spinning. If you’re like me, know that you can find comfort in routine.

Routines can improve your health

Northwestern Medicine says, “By providing structure and organization, routines can improve your health in various ways.” Routine can help you manage stress, which is beneficial for our mental health. When you know something will be stable, it puts your mind at ease and boost your resilience.

Experts recommend routines for bedtime and sleep. By having a bedtime routine and getting quality sleep, our mental sharpness improves, as does our emotional well-being and energy. When I get my full seven hours, I do feel much more aware, and have more energy.

Healthy eating can be routine

Northwestern’s experts also recommend a healthy eating routine. Preparing menus and shopping at a set time every week ensures that you’re considering your nutrition. Most weeks I shop on Monday afternoons, which is not when the store’s stocks are freshest, but it’s convenient for me. There’s still plenty of great-looking fresh produce to choose.

There’s even comfort in an exercise routine

And, of course, the experts advocate an exercise routine. Staying active, as we know, is essential for our healthy aging. And, as I’ve recommended as well, scheduling your exercise helps you maintain that routine.

But don’t get too set in your ways

But we don’t want to stagnate, either. I’ve talked about goal-setting the last few weeks. We want our routines, but it’s also necessary to grow. So, think about what you want out of life. What’s missing that you want? And add that in slowly. Adding something to your routine is a great way to build healthy habits.

One thing I’ve added to my routine is meditation because it helps me settle my brain. When my thoughts start spiralling or I find myself scrolling depressing news feeds, I take a couple of minutes and clear my head. It makes me more productive and better able to handle the news coming at me. Sometimes I need a guided meditation if I can’t clear my thoughts by myself. And that’s okay.

If you don’t like your daily routine, figure out why and change it. You should find comfort in routine, not distress.

Make it fun and it will get done

My new watchword. If you can figure out a way to have fun doing something, it’s more likely to get done. I practice this a few times a week with my fitness routine. I make it fun and it will get done. Like running. To me, running is not fun. Granted, I’m more accepting now than I was a couple of years ago, because I’ve been doing it for a couple of years. But it’s still not fun. Running is hard and it’s not fun.

It’s not fun, so why do it?

So why do it? Because listening to a really good book while I’m doing it is fun. I’m on the second book of a really good fantasy trilogy now, and I actually found myself thinking on a usually non-running day whether I could get on the treadmill so I could listen some more. (I could have, but didn’t.)

The Fun Theory

In a post on The Resilience Centre’s blog, clinical psychologist Gabriel Wong advocates making things fun so they get done. The Fun Theory was initiated by Volkswagen a number of years ago, saying that people are more motivated to do things when they’re fun.

Examples like taking the stairs by making a flight of stairs like a piano keyboard, or promoting seat belt use by making entertainment available to passengers when the belt was fastened are popular examples. I particularly like the garbage can painted as “The World’s Deepest Bin” to promote throwing trash away. And the theory seems to work.

People took the piano stairs more than the regular stairs. Kids fastened their seat belts to watch the videos. And lots more trash was thrown in the “Deepest Bin” than a plain one next to it.

What about mundane tasks?

That’s great for odd, random things that you might want people to do. But what about normal, everyday stuff that has to get done. How can we make that fun? How can we get motivated to get all the mundane stuff done.

Confetti?

That’s where our Funtime Menu comes in. There are some things that are just not going to be fun. Like taxes. But online tax preparers figure out a way to gamify the process and give users a little shot of dopamine when they complete a section. You may get a green check mark and a celebratory confetti screen. We can do the same thing.

Put 15 minutes on a timer and work on a distasteful item on your never-ending To Do List. Just 15 minutes. Like cleaning out a closet. When the timer goes off and you hear that “Ding!” don’t you get a little rush? I do. Now you can do a little appetizer on your Funtime Menu. Dance to one of your favorite tunes. Go outside for a few minutes and enjoy some fresh air. Get a drink of water.

Make it fun and it will get done

You may think that 15 minutes is hardly any time. The closet will never get cleaned out in just 15 minutes. But you can make incredible things happen in just 15 minutes a day. And then when that closet is cleaned and organized, you can claim an entree from your Funtime Menu! Being able to check something off that list does wonders for our optimism. And when we’re happy, we’re more resilient. And when our spirit is strong and resilient, our bodies tend to be as well.

So, while I didn’t get to listen to more of my book on a non-running day, I know that I’ll be able to listen more in a couple of days. Remember to make it fun and it will get done. No matter what “it” is.

Why set goals?

At this point in our lives, we’ve probably reached the point where we know pretty much how our day will unfold. We all have routines. We like routine. There aren’t many people in the world who thrive on chaos. Of course, there are some, but the majority of people find comfort in knowing how their days will progress. If that’s the case, then, why set goals at all? If we’re happy in a rut, why not just stay in that rut? Do the same things day in and day out. I certainly love my own rut, but I’m constantly setting goals, wanting to improve, grow stronger, and share my message with more people.

Last week, my topic was about goals needing specificity to be achievable, and cited a study about goal-setting among seniors. The study found that most of us do, in fact, set goals of all sorts. Some are lifestyle goals, others are fitness goals, and others relate to social connections.

Why do we set goals?

An easy answer could be that, for those who don’t have pets or jobs, our goals are our reasons to get up in the morning. Goals give us purpose and optimism. I have dogs who make me get up in the morning. But I have goals involving my dogs, too. Goals help us be resilient. Because if we’re looking to the future, then we’re assured to have a future. And that goes hand-in-hand with healthy aging. In order to be there for our future, we need to be healthy. With no goals, we’re just sitting there and letting the world go by, not being a part of it. And, even worse, it won’t be status quo for us.

Use it or lose it

Unfortunately that old saying is true. If we don’t use what we’ve got then we run the risk of losing it. Our balance is a good example. It’s been shown that as we age, our balance deteriorates unles we actively work to maintain or improve it. That’s what the private Facebook group, Balance for Fitness Balance for Life is all about. Trying to help people improve their balance.

We should set goals for things that are important to us. We could set goals for anything we think of. For example, I could set the goal to learn how to make noodles. The problem with that, though, is that I already like lots of noodles that are easily available at reasonable prices. So I have absolutely no interest in achieving that particular goal.

On the other hand, I have set the goal to run twice a week for 20 minutes. Why? I want to stay fit and mobile, and independent.

Why set goals? Existentially speaking, setting goals are for happiness and independence.

Be specific, but not too specific

The first quarter of the year is mostly done. It’s true – time flies! Time to take stock, reassess and reimagine your future. The first step is to look at the goals you set for yourself at the end of last year. Are they still working for you? I’m kind of stuck. I set a pretty ambitious fitness goal of running at 7.5 mph at 2.5 percent incline for a full 2 minutes. I’m not there yet. I can do one minute and that’s about it. The rule is to be specific, but not too specific, with your goals. And I think that’s where I’m falling short.

The Goal-Setting Process

First off, we’re old. Why even bother with setting goals? According to a study that included people over 65 in English-speaking countries, goal-setting is quite common. The topics of goals that people set were wide-ranging – and included health and well-being, social connections and engagement, finances, activities and experiences, activities and experiences, home and lifestyle, and attitude toward life. Setting goals helps us to look to the future and remain optimistic. When we set goals, we’re increasing our optimism and resilience since we’re planning on sticking around to see those goals to fruition.

When I set my running goal, I thought about where I wanted to be in three months. I create quarterly goals because that length of time seems to be enough to get something done, but not so long that I feel I can push it off. You know that the human condition is sincerely prone to procrastination. Why do something today when you can do it tomorrow, right? But three months, or twelve weeks, is a good amount of time to achieve something meaningful but not so long that there’s time to waste.

I can already run 7.5 mph at 2.5 percent incline on the treadmill. It’s the endurance that I have problems with. I get tired. I get bored. The motivation just isn’t there. In addition, I’m distracted.

Check my own posts

I guess I need to get my head fixed to achieve this particular goal – read my own articles, maybe? Do more meditation and affirmations? I’ll get on that.

In the meantime, for the other goals that I’ve let slide, like keeping my desk clean by putting papers away every day. Perhaps I should reconsider the next part of goal-setting.

Be specific, but not too specific. This one seems to be a case of over-specificity. Things happen. Crises occur. Sudden projects can take over and cause chaos on my desk when I want things to be organized. So I’ll keep the goal of having a clean desk, but limit the filing to Friday afternoon. Every day is too much, but once a week should be about right. Time will tell. I’ll check back in three months.

Rewrite your brain

If you’re having trouble achieving your fitness goals, rewrite your brain

Perhaps you’ve experienced this. At the beginning of the year, or quarter, or whatever cycle you’re using, you’re all excited about your fitness goal. You know that you can hold a plank for a minute (you’re at 30 seconds now), but it’s just not happening. You consistently fail at 45 to 50 seconds. It’s easy to feel frustrated and discouraged with consistent unsuccessful sessions. What to do? Rewrite your brain!

Don’t accept subpar results

No, don’t ever accept results that aren’t up to your standard. But you can adjust your thinking to keep you going and even improve on your performance. Your brain is an incredible thing. It keeps you going, it remembers things for you. It helps you get the rest you need, or keeps you up at night. If you’re not happy with an aspect of your life, your brain can help you figure out how to change it. Your moods are set by your brain, and you have power over your moods. It’s funny that we’re naturally wired to believe the worst. We automatically believe that we can’t do something, that we should drop down from the plank. What were we thinking?

You can rewrite your brain

But the Journal of Neurochemistry has published articles that indicate that our brains are malleable. That our brains can adapt to different environments and conditions. But how can we rewrite our brains ourselves and make ourselves believe in the positive?

Rewriting our brain is not a one-and-done thing. Remember those piano lessons? I certainly do. I was not proficient at a piece on the first reading. Practice was the key. Hours and days of practice. Practice from the beginning, the middle and the end of the piece until eventually I knew it – literally – backwards and forwards. The same holds true with our brain.

Repetition is key

We’re not going to believe anything – even if it’s ourselves telling us so – the first time we hear it. Repetition is key. That’s where those affirmations come in. Now, the same holds true with our affirmations as with the goals we set. We have to tell ourselves things we can readily believe. We might shoot for pie-in-the-sky in the long run. But at first we have to stick to baby steps.

You know that you can hold that plank for a minute. You just have to really believe it, deep down. Tell those shaking arms that there are just a few more seconds. And your quivering core can stay tight for longer. Probably not the first time. Or the second. But by the fifth or sixth session, you’re able to rewrite your brain and hold that plank for 50 seconds – 55 – a minute!

Shiny object syndrome got you?

Shiny object syndrome has you procrastinating? Just start.

Tough day yesterday

Yesterday was a tough one. My younger dogs started brawling. My old one eliminated all over the house. Our stock was short. I couldn’t find a parking place within a block of a delivery I had to make. And I couldn’t find half the stuff on my shopping list. Funny how the smallest irritation just puts you over the top. We use the single-serve applesauce in our dogs’ food – I know, we could use a big jar and just spoon out what we need. But it’s a time-saving thing. The single-serve containers are more efficient in this case. Anyway, when I returned home and it was time to start my workout, the shiny object syndrome took hold. I kept looking at my newsfeed. At my dogs, waiting for them to start in again. Anything to put off starting. But, no. I told myself. Do it. Just start.

Put your mind to a task

So I did and got in a really good workout. Once you put your mind to a task, good things happen.

But if you’re floundering about, trying to figure out a good fitness program to do, shiny object syndrome kicks in and your scheduled workout time can come and go in a flash. If you’ve promised yourself on New Year’s that since you know you need to do it for your healthy aging, you would exercise four times a week at 10:30 in the morning for 35 minutes. But you may have already broken that resolution.

Be specific

Physical Therapist Erik Krol has three tips for setting fitness goals that are completely doable. First – be specific. In our example, the exercise wasn’t specified. It’s important to do your research and find a program that you can see yourself doing for weeks. I have a library of fitness videos that I rotate through. They allow me to get a good workout in and not invent a new program for myself.

But not too specific

Second tip for fitness goals – don’t be too specific. Have some flexibility for unexpected events. If my shopping took longer than usual yesterday, I have the flexibility of switching out a shorter workout.

Enjoy the process

And third, take it one step at a time. Don’t jump ahead of yourself and do exercises you’re not ready for. Accept that fitness is a journey that you’ll be on for life. Enjoy what you can of the ride, and celebrate every small accomplishment. If you’re just starting out and you’ve successfully walked a mile for the first time – that’s definitely worth a celebration. And on days when you feel the shiny object syndrome kicking in? Just start your workout. You’ll be glad you did.

Don’t let that shiny object syndrome rule your life. You’re stronger than your distractions. Just start.

My workout was so hard today

If you do the same exercises every week, you’ve probably experienced this. One day you breeze through your workout and the next time you do that workout it’s so hard! Why are are some days so much harder than others? It happens to me, especially on my running days. I do a run/walk workout a couple of times a week and some days it’s not exactly easy, but other days my workout was so hard!

I’m gasping on the hard days

On the hard days, it’s all I can do to get to the speed I want and then I’m practically gasping for air. (Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration.) But on those days I complain to anyone who will listen, “My workout was so hard today!”

I really like it much more when I push that up button for speed and inclination on the treadmill and just get back into the story that I’m listening to. I don’t have to think about every foot placement. And I’m not watching the time for when I can push it back down.

We know that exercise is crucial for our healthy aging. But why is it so much harder some days?

Several factors at play

So, why are some days of exercise so much harder than others? According to Houston Methodist on Health, there could be several factors. If your nutrition isn’t well-balanced, you could be feeling tired and weak. But if you consume the right combination of nutrients at the right time, you should be well-fueled and have enough energy for your workout.

Your recovery from your last workout could also play a role. If you’re not fully recovered, and if your muscles haven’t rested sufficiently, you could also feel sore and not able to perform at your highest level.

And if you’re not getting enough sleep, then you absolutely will not have the energy to fly through your workout. Your body needs sleep to regenerate. Coffee doesn’t do it.

Nutrition, recovery, sleep, but also mindset

Your mood can also play a factor. If you’re distracted, then you’re not focusing on your workout and it might seem harder. If you’re feeling depressed, then not even the most light-hearted audiobook will make your workout seem effortless.

So when you say, “My workout was so hard today” it might be for one or more of these reasons. As I’ve mentioned before, the keys to success in achieving any fitness goal are having the right nutrition, exercising wisely, and having a positive mindset. Work on those and your workouts will get easier.

Don’t minimize your celebrations

I’ve written about all the noise around us coming from so many sources. The national news here in the US is crazy. The winter weather won’t let up. It’s all too difficult to muster up the motivation to do anything toward any goal – big or little. But it’s important to keep going and don’t minimize your celebrations for any achievement.

This last weekend my Village was without water for days due to a major water main break. It started very early last Friday morning. Our usually exuberant water pressure was gone. And a boil order was put into place. This last may not seem like much, but think about it. We didn’t have bottled water. We depend on our tap water for all our water needs. My family thinks our tap water tastes good! And when I did venture out to the stores, bottled water was hard to find. Hard to wash, hard to brush teeth. And no showers, so no vigorous exercise. No laundry. I couldn’t do my regular cleaning chores. And we had to really think about our meal preparation.

If you're feeling anxious and stressed, meditation can help you focus on health and well-being.

There was no timetable for repairs and temperatures were forecast to plummet in a couple of days. It would have been really easy to let my mood plummet as well. But I knew that there was absolutely nothing we could do about the situation, so I turned off the screaming screens and organized a shelf in the linen closet. The next day I let myself listen to the audiobook I usually reserve for my runs while I did some needlework.

It was the perfect way to pass a quiet hour while not running water. It was a celebration of sorts – for not descending into a really bad, ugly mood. Instead of becoming angry with the world for the situation I found myself in, I took some time to enjoy two pastimes I love. I enjoyed a really good book and did some needlework. Every celebration increases our resilience and our optimism. That’s so good for our mental health and our healthy aging. Don’t minimize your celebrations. Especially now when we all need every bright spot we can find.