healthy aging Archives - Page 14 of 15

Strength training for your health

You’ve decided to start a fitness program! Yay! You know that physical activity is vital for healthy aging – experts at the Centers for Disease Control recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week (less if you’re doing high intensity and more for lower intensity activity). You may have decided on walking as a first step in your fitness program. But the experts also recommend 2 days a week of strength training. But what, exactly, does strength training for your health entail?

No fancy equipment needed

I’ve said before that as we get older, we lose stuff. Our eyesight, our hearing, our hair, our balance, and, unfortunately, muscle mass and bone density. Strength training won’t do anything for our eyesight or our hearing, but it can help with our muscles and our bones.

Before you say, but I don’t belong to a gym and I’m not buying weights, know that you don’t need fancy equipment to do strength training for your health. Your body weight is a built-in exercise equipment miracle. You can work practically any muscle group with your own body weight.

Body-weight exercises

Push-ups are great to work just about any part of your body. Modifications are good too. — Push-ups (with or without shoes) are great for just about every part of your body.

Holding the plank position works your arms, your legs, and your entire core. Even if you modify the position so that you’re on your knees, you’re still getting lots of benefits. And if you move into a push-up, you’re really accelerating those benefits. Again, a push-up from your knees is beneficial. Or, try supporting yourself with your hands on a sturdy coffee table. Altering your starting position will work different muscles. There’s always a modification if you can’t do the full position like plank, or the more advanced plank balance.

Sit ups or crunches will really work your core. If you don’t like the traditional crunch, there are plenty of other core exercises that don’t use equipment.

If you want to invest just a little

But if you want to invest a little, a resistance band is a great way to start. If you get one that looks like a big rubber band, try putting it around your shins and doing side-steps, making sure that you’re stretching your band as you step. Or around your thighs while you’re lying on your side and doing the clam-shell exercise. For your arms, hold the band and stretch your arms out laterally to work your shoulders. Try sitting and placing the band under your foot, holding the other end. Place your elbow on your thigh and raise your hand – you’re working your biceps!

No matter how you choose to start, working on strength training for your health will help you live a richer and more active life. Be conscious of your form while you’re performing the exercises. Make sure to keep your core tight at all times to keep your back healthy.

Strength training for your health is good at any age

“Regardless of your age, weightlifting allows the muscles to grow and become stronger,” said Michael Reinke, an Advocate Aurora Health athletic trainer. “Weightlifting also improves bone density and improves heart health, all while decreasing the risk of injury during activity.” Body weight strength training is the easiest way to start. Try strength training for your health! It’s easy and beneficial.

Why start a fitness program?

Last week I was completely winded after a practice agility run with my dog. I was huffing and puffing and thought to myself, “If I want to do more of this (which I do), then I’ve got to figure out a way to build my endurance and stamina.”

Do you huff and puff on the stairs?

Now, you may not want to run agility with your dog. But you may want to get fit for any number of other reasons. Do you have to pause on the stairs? Or do you look for a parking spot closer to a store’s entrance? You may wish you were in better shape, but thought it was impossible to succeed because your metabolism just isn’t what it used to be. So to start a fitness program would be futile.

The truth about your metabolism, even after “a certain age”

According to Dr. Nick Pryomski of the Advocate Aurora group, that’s nonsense. Your metabolism is the same as it always was. But you may find it more difficult to find the motivation to get out of your chair and do something about it. Dr. Pryomski says, “Metabolism doesn’t necessarily slow as you age. It only does if you are less active.” Likewise, “slender people don’t necessarily have a higher metabolism than larger people.” That’s good news for most of us.

So, it is scientifically possible to get fit at any age. But you may be completely overwhelmed by the prospect of losing weight or starting an exercise program.

Make your reason a no-brainer

Why start a fitness program? I started a running program for my dog. — Why start a fitness program? I started for my dog…

The secret? Be really honest with yourself. Know why you want to get in shape. If your reason is just to look good or age gracefully, that’s probably not good enough. But, if you want to be able to play with the grandkids as much as they want to? If you want to go for walks in the park (when the weather improves), or travel and be able to see the sights you’ve always wanted to see, then you’ve got a pretty good reason to start a new healthy aging program.

I certainly would not be pushing myself on the treadmill, up to 6 miles per hour so far, so that I have a prayer of directing my off-leash dog on an agility course, if I didn’t want to succeed in the sport.

Start small

The way to start your new program is small. Make small changes to your routine. Like walking for 2 minutes after breakfast. Get used to those little changes first before you make bigger changes. Then you can start to determine the bigger changes you need to make.

If you want to start a new eating plan with the goal of losing weight, same thing: start making small changes. Perhaps cut down on your starch and dessert portions. Don’t eliminate them – you know that I’m a believer in not depriving yourself! – just make those portions smaller for now.

Small goals lead to big results

No matter if you’re starting an exercise or an eating program, set goals for yourself. (See “Set goals – big and little.”) First set short-term goals – something for the next two weeks or a month, perhaps. Those goals should be doable but challenging. For example, if you start with walking 2 minutes a day, work up to a half hour in the next 2 weeks. Or lose 4 pounds in the next 4. And when you reach those goals, be sure to reward yourself with something that’s meaningful to you. Download that book you’ve wanted to read.

If you need an accountability partner to keep you “honest,” enlist a friend. I started out by scheduling my workouts on my calendar – my “date” with myself. You may find a step tracker a useful tool for motivation.

The key is to never give up. If your reason to get healthy is important enough, you’ll find the motivation and the tools to help you.

It’s all about your middle

Your weak core could be the culprit behind your bad back. If you know you have a weak core but you’ve been reluctant to do anything about it because you hate crunches, relax. There are plenty of ways to strengthen your core without doing crunches. Different exercises focus on the different muscle groups that make up your core.

As we get older, we’re more concerned about healthy aging. We want to be able to do what we want, when we want to do it! And back pain puts a serious crimp in doing what we want to do.

Focus on your core

And if you focus on your core, you will not only help your bad back, your posture will improve and so will your balance. That’s good news, because we all want to avoid the slips and falls that come from faulty balance. It all comes down to your middle.

In addition to your abdominal and oblique muscles, your glutes, diaphragm, pelvic floor and back muscles also contribute to your core strength. Strengthening all your core muscles help to hold you up and also make other exercises easier.

Don’t just go through the motions

It takes time and focused effort to strengthen your core. Going through the motions is counter-productive. It wastes time and doesn’t do a thing for your core. By focusing while you’re doing the exercise, you get the most benefit.

The plank fad has come and gone, but there’s a good reason this exercise was so popular. It works just about all of your core muscles. And if you really focus on your core while you’re performing the exercise – that is, hold your stomach and your glutes in, the plank is truly effective.

The crunch – effective but unpopular

And while the crunch is definitely not popular, it is quite effective if done properly. Follow these directives and you’ll get the most from the crunch in the least amount of time: Lift from your chest, hands behind your head and elbows wide, hold your stomach in, make sure your back stays flat on the floor, and don’t pull on your neck.

Save your back – focus on your core

A few years ago, I was seriously concerned that I would have lower back problems for the rest of my life. But I read something at the time (and I wish I had saved the article or link) that made me start to focus on my core, and it worked. Today I have very little back pain. So, focus on your core. You’ll be glad (like me) that you did.

We can no longer skip blithely through life

As we age, it seems like everything requires a concerted effort. When we’re young, (or perhaps just in retrospect), we skip blithely through life. But now, no more skipping. If we’re concerned with healthy aging, we have to focus on our actions.

The world is crazy

The world is a crazy place right now. The global pandemic is going strong. Global warming has caused famine in one part of the world, yet some do not believe that people have caused it. Many world economies are in trouble. There are supply chain issues and shortages all over. As a result, prices are skyrocketing. Media keeps blasting at us from every direction. To keep from going crazy ourselves, we must focus on our actions and on how we want to direct our lives.

Our metabolism isn’t the same as it used to be

My metabolism never allowed me to eat whatever I wanted and not gain weight. I was a fat kid, started out a fat teenager but then really focused and lost weight. It’s been said that some people can actually eat anything up until the age of 40 or thereabouts, and then their body caught up. In order to stay at a healthy weight, even those lucky skinny youngsters had to watch their diet as middle aged adults. (Poetic justice?)

Focus on our actions for healthy aging

For healthy aging, we strive to preserve what we've got and improve what we can if we focus on our actions. — Preserve what we’ve got…

Part of healthy aging means that we have to preserve what we’ve got and improve what we can. Nature takes some things away from us as we age, like our hearing and eyesight. It also takes away muscle mass, bone density and our sense of balance. We can intentionally improve our muscle mass and bone density by doing weight-bearing and strength exercises. And we can improve our sense of balance by actively working at it. We can even improve our balance with just a couple of minutes of exercise a day.

We all strive for healthy aging. If we focus on our actions, we can achieve it. So we may not be able to skip blithely through life, but we can still skip toward a better future.

Get excited about exercise

Last week was about food. I’m always excited to try new cuisines. No matter the recipe it’s usually possible to make it healthy – cut out excess fats and sugars, substitute another vegetable for a starch. This week is about exercise. It’s time to get excited about exercise!

I’m not a fan of exercise

I get excited about exercise because I can exercise.

If you’ve read any of my posts about exercise, you know I’m not a fan. I exercise for the benefits I derive from it, like reducing bad moods and depression. (More reasons to exercise!) It also improves memory and cognition, and increases endurance. Those are definitely reasons to get excited about exercise.

The Centers for Disease Control says that physical activity is essential for healthy aging – but how much exercise is recommended? If you’re up to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, then 75 minutes a week or more should do it or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. A couple of days of strength work should always be added too – for our muscles and bones!

But I am able to do it

The fact that I’m able to actually move my body to exercise vigorously is a reason to celebrate. I’m not a professional fitness trainer. I was never in the fitness field, in any capacity other than a cheerleader or motivator. My background is in accounting. But, I’ve exercised regularly for years and as a result am able to do the activities I want to do. And that is a reason to get excited about exercise.

So get excited about exercise!

I want everyone out there to be able to take a walk with the dog or the grandkids when they want to (weather permitting, of course). To walk around the mall. When you can’t find a parking spot close to a building, walking from a remote corner should not prevent you from carrying out your errand. Yes, the knees might creak, and it may take a few seconds to unkink the back, but once you do, there should be no stopping you.

And that’s a reason to get excited about exercise.

An ending is a time for reflection

An ending is a time for reflection, and the end of the year is no exception. I don’t much like to look backward, but the year-end is a natural time to do it.

No looking backward

I don’t like to look backward because the past is done. If it didn’t go well, there’s nothing I can do to change it. If it did, well, that’s great, but you can’t live in the past. But if you’re going to look back, the end of the year is the time to do it.

No resolutions

I also don’t like to make resolutions. “I resolve …” has a negative connotation. More often than not, the sentence continues, “… to not eat sugar.” Or “ … to work out every day.” But, really, how realistic is that? I don’t believe in absolutes – I believe in moderation. Everything is a possibility in moderation. Chocolate? Definitely. Financial stability? Working on it. A little bit at a time, and everything will get done.

But an ending is a time for reflection. Take a look back. Look at the good, the lessons learned, the things we wish we’d done differently.

And if there’s an ending, it follows that a beginning follows. I like the idea of a fresh start. Clean slate.

Be smart and plan

An ending is a time for reflection - and highlighters are tools for the next step - looking forward. — Highlighters are great tools for categorizing my brain dump.

But to ensure that my year starts the way I want it to, I have to be smart and plan for what I want to achieve. So I start with a brain dump. This can take me a while, because I have many, many thoughts flitting around my brain. They’re the ones that keep me up at night. Get everything I have to do, want to do, or think I might need to do, down on paper. I find that actual paper and pen (or pencil) is most useful for this exercise. Sometimes taking a walk around the house can spark a reminder. There are no filters with this – get everything down so there are no stray thoughts in your brain. Now I classify everything. Business-related, personal, dogs, or anything else. Colored highlighters are helpful with this.

Now for every classification, prioritize. Things that are urgent, necessary at some point, and the “It would be nice” priorities.

Look at the big picture

Take a couple of days for this. Make sure you take into consideration the things that you really want to accomplish in the coming year, or quarter, or month. Because you can do this exercise whenever you need to. Any given Wednesday is fine, or at the end of a semester, or the start of a week. It could be that you decide to take a different route in your business or things happen in your life that change your direction. No matter – you’re not tied to a specific date.

An endings is a time for reflection, and a time to look forward.

Have fun this holiday season

Have fun this holiday season! Loads of fun! Never, ever moderate your fun. That’s what the season is about – fun and family. Cherish your time with loved ones. Enjoy every moment you have together. Watch that cheesy old movie. If you have snow, go out and build a snowman with your siblings – you’re never too old to build snow people. Or have a snowball fight – no rocks, though.

Watch the whipped cream…

And then when your toes are all cold, go inside and enjoy a hot beverage. Warm up from the inside – tea warms me up the fastest. Hot chocolate cools down too quickly – especially with cold whipped cream. (It does sound good to me, though…)

For people like me who’ve struggled with my weight my whole life, I keep a calorie count in my head of what I’m consuming. Hot chocolate with whipped cream has more than I’m willing to spend. I’d rather save those calories for something else.

Never, ever deny yourself!

I always say, “Moderation in everything” and I never deny myself anything I really want. But I have to really want that something if it’s super-high in fat and / or calories. Much of the time when I think I might want something, I do something else for a few minutes and after that I don’t want it so much anymore. In the hot chocolate example – what’s for dessert? If that’s something I’d rather have – like chocolate cake, I’ll skip the hot chocolate or the whipped cream and save those calories for dessert.

Don’t rely on food for happiness

I’ve learned that most of the time food is not the thing that makes me happy. Sure – I’m happy when I’m eating our Pasta Bolognese or pizza from my favorite pizzeria, but I don’t need food to be happy.

If one of your goals is to be fit, an essential part of fitness is eating right. And chocolate – anything – in large quantities cannot be considered eating right! Once in a while a major chocolate indulgence is great (and a little chocolate every day is a necessity!), but if you’re trying to get fit, a daily sundae is out.

Happiness must come from things other than food for us to become fit, healthy and happy. In fact Deepak Chopra told Oprah Winfrey that true happiness comes from within – aiming for internal fulfillment rather than external fulfillment, giving to others, and appreciation for natural beauty, among other things.

Have fun this holiday season – be happy with your family and other loved ones. Gain fulfillment from your surroundings – go outside for walks. Enjoy the world.

Take a step back and things will get done

Feeling blah but overwhelmed?

Exercise helps me release stress. — If I’m going to tackle my to-do list, I need a workout.

Are you you feeling blah but still have a multitude of things on your list that have to get done? Then take a step back. If your to-do list has gotten out of control, it’s time to take a step back to reassess. Figure out if everything on there is really necessary. If you’ve just been adding to your list without evaluating the items on it, it’s probably time for a to-do list overhaul.

If you’re feeling stressed about everything you have to do, perhaps the first thing is to release some stress with an intense workout. I always find that I’m better able to focus after I’ve exercised.

Lists are good

I’m a firm advocate of lists. The more lists I have, the happier I am. My Google Keep screen is my happy place. That’s where I store all my notes and lists. If something is on a list, I don’t have to remember it. As I’m getting older, I find that every little bit helps. Every few days, though, I revisit the lists and see if I can delete anything – if my priorities have shifted or if I’ve done things without crossing them off my list.

Although crossing things off a list is one of the best feelings in the world. Plus, the act of crossing items off your to-do list is a stress reducer too.

To-do list overload? Take a step back to reassess

If your to-do list is overwhelming, take 15 – 20 minutes and redo it. Take a step back and go through your to-do list to make it more manageable. Take a look at your existing list and copy to your new list the things that are still important to you to get done. If your situation has changed, don’t hesitate to leave things off your new list. Once you’ve finished copying old items, put them in priority order. (Crucial, Important, Nice and Can Wait.) Then add any new items with their priorities noted. Put your new “Crucial” items at the top of yet another new list, and follow with your other items. If you’ve copied “Crucial” items from your old list, time to reassess: chances are they’re not that “crucial” after all.

Now, every day identify 3 or 4 crucial items to get done and perhaps a couple more things you’d like to see off your list.

So, to move forward toward your goals, take a step back to reassess the things on your to-do list. Make sure that the items on your list actually move you closer to your goals.

You’re worth it

Last week I asked if it had been a while since you focused on yourself. And I was kind of surprised that the answer for many was, “Yes.” Because you’re worth it. You’re worth the effort of focus and determination. And certainly you’re worth taking the best care.

Like those oxygen masks

It’s been a while … OK, quite a while … since I’ve flown anywhere. But during the safety announcement they always tell the passengers to put their own oxygen mask on first, and then put a mask on their child. Because If you pass out from lack of oxygen, no one will be there to put a mask on the child.

It’s the same point with focusing on yourself. Make time to exercise. Learn how to prepare healthy meals. Pay attention to your health – both physical and mental.

Take care of yourself first so that you can take care of your family. If you take care of yourself , then you’ll be around to enjoy family and friends.

My family thanks me when I exercise

An intense workout improves my mood. I'm worth it. — An intense workout improves my mood. My family is thankful and you’re worth it.

Exercise will keep your muscles and heart strong. It also helps flexibility. And, it may seem counterintuitive that an activity that makes you sweat, pant and turn red in the face will make you happier, it’s true. (More reasons to exercise .) Those post-workout endorphins are real. When I’m in a bad mood, or feeling tense and anxious, an intense workout helps my mood. My family thanks the DVD player for that when I’m done…

You’re adding years

Maintaining a healthy weight will add years to your life. Or, certainly, keep the years you’re around healthier, according to the American Heart Association. When you maintain a healthy weight, you’re less likely to develop certain chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, and you may be less likely to get cancer. How do you get to that healthy weight? It’s mostly what you eat! So figuring out that nutritious yet delicious meal plan is essential.

So, if you’ve let yourself come last – it’s time to change that! Focus on yourself. You’ll thank yourself for (hopefully) many years.

Focus on yourself – for your health

Be mindful when you start to focus on yourself. Start slow so you can continue. — Focus on yourself – so you’re healthy for the long haul!

I can picture it… There you are, living your life. Seemingly happy with your family, your job, your home, your friends. It’s been a while since you actually focused on yourself, so one day you may realize that there could be so much more to your life. If you could move better. Zip your pants. Not feel so bloated in the evening. And all those prescriptions. Taking a good, hard look at your daily life you may come to the conclusion that, “Yeah, it’s good, but it could be better. I need to get fit.” You need to focus on yourself!

What a reckoning moment! When we decide that our own fitness is a way to be happier and be more for our loved ones, it’s an earth-shattering decision.

There’s no easy fix, though. If it’s been a while since you made yourself a priority, it’s going to take a while to reap the benefits of that major decision. Make sure you start right and focus on yourself so that you can achieve the results you want.

The food

We all need to eat to survive. Chances are, if it really has been a while since you focused on your fitness, the foods you eat may not be the healthiest. I’m not a nutritionist, but I do know that what we eat is reflected in our body. When we eat right – watching the calories, reducing the fat, added sugar and salt, and eating more vegetables – our health improves and we lose weight.

The exercise

Exercise can help you “burn” more calories, so it does help us to lose weight. But, I think, more importantly, exercise is a mood-lifter. We feel happier when those endorphins post-exercise kick in. Exercise boosts energy and also helps to combat some diseases.

But start small

If it’s been a while since you focused on yourself, start with the little things. If you usually enjoy a scoop of ice cream for dessert, don’t cut it out entirely. Or if your servings of potatoes take up most of your plate, don’t eliminate your mash. Just reduce the serving. Maybe go for half of what you’ve been used to.

I’ve always been a firm believer of “Everything in Moderation.” If you cut all the good stuff out, you’re much less likely to stick with a plan. Perhaps, if you’re feeling it, enjoy your mashed potatoes, but cut out the cake and have fruit for dessert. I enjoy a couple of spoonsful (teaspoons – don’t get crazy!) of super-rich chocolate ice cream most nights.

Well-known fitness trainer Sohee Lee even advises the moderation approach. Especially at first, moderation is the key. More than that is unsustainable. Cutting all indulgences will just make you want them more. But if you have a tiny bit of whatever you’re craving, you’ll most likely be satisfied.

Start small with exercise too. I wrote about starting to exercise a little while ago. If you haven’t exercised in a while, start with a short walk after dinner a couple of days a week. Gradually extend the time and add another day or two in a few weeks. If you’re wanting more, search out a fitness class you think you can stick with. Be honest with yourself. Don’t attempt too much because that, too, is unsustainable. The last thing you want when you’re just beginning your fitness journey is an injury or pain. Now, a little bit of muscle soreness is to be expected if you’re using muscles you haven’t used in a while. But if you can’t walk for days after a workout, that’s not a good thing. Starting slow means that you’ll maintain your healthy progress.

Fitness is a journey. No one ever says, “I’m fit. Now I can quit.” There’s no quitting. Eating right, exercising and attending to your mental health is something you do for life.