Senior Fitness Tips

As a senior, you need to stay as active as possible…just because you may have retired from the workforce, isn’t a signal that you can or should retire from keeping active and fit.

Sure, it’s inevitable that as we age, we have a tendency to slow down a bit, our bodies are getting older, but that doesn’t mean we should stop using them, a sedentary lifestyle is not a healthy or fulfilling lifestyle.

Remember the old saying:

Use it or lose it!”

There are so many benefits for seniors to stay as active and fit as they can…

• There are mental benefits:
  • better cognitive function, or how your brain works
  • more mentally engaged
  • helps prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s or dementia
  • gives you a sense of independence
  • improves sleep
• There are emotional benefits:
  • helps to keep a positive attitude
  • helps decrease depression
  • improves self-confidence and self-esteem
  • creates opportunities to be social and build friendships as you find people who like to do what you do
• There are physical benefits:
  • helps keep body weight under control
  • promotes heart health
  • helps prevent falls by improving balance
  • improves strength and stamina
  • increases energy
  • helps increase longevity

Exercise and keeping fit doesn’t have to be strenuous…

For most seniors over the age of 65, it’s safe to exercise, and for those seniors who have chronic health conditions, moderate to light exercise could even help improve their health. (Before you take on an exercise program, it would be wise to consult with your physician to make sure the things you’d like to do are safe.)

So let’s get your life moving with these senior fitness tips:

What can you do to move more that wouldn’t be an exercise routine?

• Take your dog for daily walks
• Choose stairs over an elevator or escalator
• Park your car further away from the front door of your destination
• When you can walk, walk instead of drive
• Make your TV time count, do light exercises or stretches during your favorite show

Find a new activity to enjoy:

• Take ballroom or any other type of dance lessons
• Go swimming regularly – you could swim laps or maybe even join a water aerobics class
• Go for gentle hikes (you can build up to less gentle hikes as you build your strength and endurance)
• Learn to play tennis

What if you need low level exercise?

• Take a yoga class, learn some positions that would work for you and enjoy some meditation
• Do seated exercises and stretches such as leg and/or knee lifts, lifting weighted objects, neck stretches, shoulder curls, chair jumping jacks, and ankle rotations. There are so many low level seated exercises that you can do, and though they don’t seem like much, they can help increase muscle strength, flexibility and help develop cardio strength.

Keeping an aging body active as much as you can adds to the quality of life!

We are Certified Senior Move Managers recognized by our National Association of Senior Move Managers, NASSM! We are committed to serving our seniors with a high standard of ethics, best business practices and continuing education to help make whatever transition they are going through a Smooth Transition.

Contact us to learn how we can help you and/or your family cope with a senior downsizing anywhere in the Phoenix East Valley area. We would love to serve you. 480-339-0011