Tips for Seniors to Stay Fit & Healthy
People who are approaching their old age tend to feel slowed down and vulnerable to diseases. This happens because of the deteriorating tissues, lower energy levels, and lower calcium levels. They even start feeling that they are incapable of exercising or workouts because of weakness. But, as the age grows, it becomes much essential to keep the body active and energetic like it was before.
Hence, if you are in your old age and feel trapped in this same situation, here’s something great for you. Remember that no matter how old you grow, if you try your best to keep your body healthy, you will always feel good and energetic. Like the youngsters, you also need to indulge in some exercises to keep yourself strong and healthy throughout life.
In this article, we have brought some helpful tips for seniors to stay fit and healthy. You will also get to know what elements you require to flourish your life like ever before.
Different Key Elements of a Healthy Life:
Knowing the key elements for living a healthy life will inspire you to start your own workout regimen. They not only improve your physical strength but also enhance your mental health. Here are the three key elements that will help you will require to stay fit and healthy.
Endurance:
Endurance will help you in the long term as you grow older. It will enhance your heart rate, make you fit for any activity, and increase your metabolism. You should try to invest at least 30 minutes a day into aerobic exercises like brisk walking, jogging, dancing, or biking. If 30 minutes seems like a lot to you, start with 10 minutes and repeat it at another time of the day.
Flexibility & Balance:
Flexibility and balance play a significant role in your life as you start aging. Exercises for flexibility will help you stretch the muscles and keep them active, whereas balance exercises prevent you from falling. You might be aware that rising joint pains and the inability to move around without any support is quite exhausting. Hence, these exercises can help you stay fit and move easily without much effort.
For that, you can practice yoga or Pilates, walking backward and sideways, and balancing your body on toes while you uplift the heels. These simple exercises will help you in the long run in terms of your health.
Strength:
Having strong muscles while you are aging will led to greater longevity. Thus, strength training will help you to reduce the rate at which the bones become weaker. Additionally, as your bones are covered with strong muscles, there will be lower risks of fractures or other injuries. Thus, you can start lifting weights or using resistance bands to increase your strength.
People who like to exercise at home or gym can opt for the recumbent bike for seniors as it provides a great workout option. There is lower injury risk associated with this type of exercise, which makes it the best choice for seniors. Moreover, it reduces the risk of pain and helps in improving the body’s strength.
Tips to stay fit and healthy:
After knowing the key elements of living a healthy life, you would like to start with your workout regimen, but make sure that you stick to it forever. If you have any major illnesses such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or any other health condition, then remember to consult a health professional and see what exercises are good for you. By doing this, you will be clear with your exercise choices and focus on them for your well-being.
Now, if you haven’t done any exercise before and are worried about whether you will be able to keep going with it, then here are some helpful tips for you.
Examine your body and start slowly:
It would be best if you examined your body’s tolerance levels to pick up the right pace. If you become too hard on yourself and exercise vigorously, you will end up feeling tired and exhausted. But, if you are aware of your body’s strength at the initial stage, you will be able to continue with the adequate exercises. You can start slowly by investing 10 – 30 minutes a day for a specific exercise and then gradually increase the duration as per your convenience.
Drink plenty of water:
Drinking a great amount of water keeps you hydrated and active all the time. So, even if you don’t feel thirsty, keep on drinking water at regular intervals. This will help you reap all the benefits of whatever exercise you are doing. More importantly, it is needed to avoid the risk of dehydration during workouts.
Be aware of the weather conditions:
Changing weather conditions can have a bad impact on your health. Hence, it is better to be aware of the temperature and look for alternatives to continue with your exercise. For example, if you are inclined to outdoor exercises, check if you can tolerate the heat because many seniors are at the risk of heatstroke in hot weather conditions. At such times, you can exercise inside your home and continue on your well-being without worrying about the weather outside.
Stay focused:
Don’t let anything interrupt your exercise. If you get interrupted by small things, you will have a hard time to focus on your well-being. Remember that your main purpose in starting the exercise was to stay fit and healthy, and you have to stick to it without thinking about anything else.
Use proper gear:
If you are performing any outdoor exercises such as running or cycling, it is necessary to use the proper gear to avoid injuries. Use comfortable helmets while riding and opt for the best running shoes for an effective grip.
Conclusion:
Practicing the right exercises with great enthusiasm will help you in improving your health. So, make sure to follow all the tips and stay focused on your health journey without any worries.
