Fitness After Fifty

Fitness Walking: Best Foot Forward

 A growing interesting in walking for fitness has put the spotlight on feet again.  Jessica Cassity wrote an article for Prevention Magazine (April 2011) about keeping your feet feeling good mile after mile.

We all know that shoe stores have aisles and aisles of shoes for walking, shoes for running, shoes for tennis, shoes for basketball, shoes for aerobic classes and shoes  for every other activity that you can think of.  Cassity breaks it down even further as she highlights shoes for hiking, shoes for fast walking, shoes to wear if you have bunions, shoes to wear if you are an overweight walker, special shoes if you walk/run intervals and shoes that feel like you have no shoes on at all.  Mercy!  Shoes really are in the news these days.

What is the difference and do you really need different shoes for every contingency?  If sore feet are keeping you from exercising, a little research might serve you well.  If your feet hurt you probably aren’t going to do any of the above mentioned activities.

What is a hiking shoe? Most hikers wear hiking boots when they are out in the wilderness. A good hiking boots will protect your feet and keep them dry, but truth be told, they are often a little clunky and not terribly comfortable.  A hiking shoe is lighter weight and probably sturdy enough for days hikes. The hiking shoe offers a gripping surface for when you go up and down hills, but are bendable enough for you to main a smooth stride on level terrain.  Reinforced toes protect the feet from bumps against rocks and roots.  Needless to say, they are undoubtedly more flexible and comfortable than the traditional hiking boot.

Fast walking shoes are designed with a super flexible toe to make pushing off and quickening your pace easier.  The ankle padding keeps the heel in place so that the foot won’t slide around.  This sounds good; when I walk my foot slides forward so that the big toes hits against the front of the shoe and you know how that feels.  Could it be that blood under the big toenail isn’t a given if you are a sports nut?

Bunion shoes:  You know who you are if you have a bunion.  They are not comfortable and are not conducive to walking.  Think about how good a shoe with an ultra roomy toe box and expandable bunion window would feel.  It should take the “squeeze” away from swollen joints and toes.

Overweight walkers:  You know who you are too, and you know that you really need to exercise more.  There are shoes that have pockets in the rubber bottoms to reduce the impact and provide extra cushioning.

Interval running is the big rage today, but this combines several different foot motions.  If you walk but want to add a burst of jogging to your workout your feet will be happier if you have the right shoe.  An interval running shoe is not only designed for high impact but it is still flexible enough for the rolling motion of the walk.

Barefoot walking is a growing trend.  A little risky, in my estimation, but you can get minimally padded shoes to protect your feet while still giving you the flexibility and foot strengthening benefits of going barefoot.

 Of course there are new casual shoes to baby your feet too, but we are just talking about fitness now.

 

 

 

 

Putting Fun Back Into Exercise

 A lot of people fail exercise routinely because they find gym routines boring.  These same people get on the bandwagon regularly and fall off just as regularly.  Unless you exercise religiously just because it is the right thing to do, you might need to look a little further for motivation.

Jean Murphy wrote an article about putting fun back into exercise (The Wall Street Journal: Tuesday, February 11, 2011) that I think speaks to a lot of us.  She interviewed a fellow exerciser who made it her mission to find a way to motivate herself, and her main criterion was that it had to be fun.

Trainers often recommend training for a mini-triathlon or a marathon in order to motivate you to exercise regularly.   Training with a goal seems to work well for some people. This particular lady decided to give it a try and she trained diligently to ready herself for a mini-marathon.   She trained and she competed and she crossed the finish line, but came to the realization that she wasn’t really athletically competitive or particularly gifted in any of the areas. She also realized that it wasn’t much fun.

This realization led her to explore different forms of exercises that might appeal to the everyday athlete.  One of the first things that she checked out was rowing.  She did this by signing up for a rowing camp and was lucky enough to find a group of kindred spirits (aka as the casual athlete).   She found that she could be a good recreational rower and have fun while getting a good workout.  The enjoyment was in the process and the exercise instead of in the competition.

Another avenue that she explored was dance as a form of exercise.  She signed up for a tap dancing clinic and was hooked after the first lesson.  It took her almost a year to learn the basics, but once mastered she found that it was a great aerobic activity. Dancing is also good for the memory because you have to remember all of the dance steps and sequences. She figured that tap dancing and rowing were sports that she could do forever.  Once you learn the basics they are easy enough to do.

Being committed to exercise she tries to do other things like biking, walking, swimming and conditioning classes, but the rowing and dancing were the most rewarding and the most fun for her.  She recommended getting out there and trying new things. If you find an activity that you enjoy it will motivate you to exercise routinely.

Dance: A Fun Workout For Young And Old

Rachel Sturtz wrote a fun article on “dance fever” for Prevention magazine (April 2011).  I can’t dance.  I really can’t dance, but the author makes it sound very tempting. Unfortunately I am rhythm challenged and any footwork more complicated than the four steps used in Leslie Sansone’s walking videos are beyond my capabilities.  Still, if you could see the size of the Zumba classes offered by the YMCA you would know that dance fever is contagious and very popular.

What is it about dance?  It is so much fun that you don’t even realize that you are sculpting and toning your core, your thighs and your waistline.  This shouldn’t be a surprise. You already know that a good beat can get you to tap your toes and swing your hips. The best thing about dancing for exercise is that you aren’t counting reps or watching the clock.

Dance can be a total body workout.  Dance gives you the benefits of a run or a session on the elliptical, and you still burn calories.  You can tone nearly every muscle in your body, improve your balance and stimulate your brain.  There are gentle beginner classes that are geared toward people who have two left feet (or so they say, but they haven’t met me), or are kind to achy joints.  You just need to find the right style for you.  The author examines five different styles:

• Latin Dancing uses quick, sharp steps, lots of hip action and peppy music (salsa, meringue and cha-cha)…many require a partner, except for the very popular Zumba.  Latin dances are set to a fast beat and ensure a high calorie burn.  If you have a sexy wiggle you will love this one, and it results in a great workout for your abs from twisting, pulling and constant back and forth movements.
• Masala Bhangra, an Indian classic that targets the muscles of the upper arms, shoulders and upper back.  Your arms do a lot of the dancing.  All of the overhead action raises your heart rate, but you do what you can.  It is ideal for all levels.
• Tap Dancing.  We have some very good senior tap dancing groups in our community.   Shoes have metal plates on the heels and forefoot, which gives it the tap-tap rhythm.  There is less coordination between arms and legs and only a little hip action.  The author says it is actually easier than it looks.  The muscles targeted are the calves and shins and even at the beginner level you will be doing enough of the hops and jumps to strengthen bones.  It has less impact than running so is a joint friendly activity.
• Jazz targets the front of the thighs.  Moves are a blend of sharp kicks and sultry slides and result in a combination of cardio, strength and power moves.
• Ballet is probably out of the reach for most of us, but it actually requires tremendous power and control.  It demands more commitment but it increases flexibility from head to toe and is a more demanding workout than most other dances styles. 

If you want to explore different dance styles you can find do-at-home videos to learn basic moves before moving on to a class.  Don’t be shy!

 

Healthy Lifestyle: Slightly Bigger Might Be Better

 Whew, we’ve been waiting for this news for a long time, so let’s examine an article that I found in the (Connecticut Post: Bridgeport, Conn: October 12, 2010).

What’s an older person to do?  You still want to feel good and you still want to look good, but it is literally impossible to keep your weight down as your body chemistry changes and your metabolism slows.  Women are as weight conscious at 92 as they were at 29 or 19. 

Oh the struggle for that elusive ideal weight!  The anonymous author admitted that we live in a weight challenged society.  America has a love affair with being very young and very thin.  Our culture does not embrace normal sized people.  We have unrealistic versions of real people.  Ads for super builds, no wrinkles, no cellulite, no sagging, and no bagging, bombard us from every direction.  Magazines covers are filled with pictures and stories about people gaining and losing weight.  How many people do you know that look like super models?

The author suggests that you just can’t win.  Studies and the media tell us that we have to lose weight, or do you?  Well maybe.  Reporters tell us that there is an epidemic of obesity in this county, but surely there must be a middle ground somewhere.  The latest research now tells us that when it comes to older people, it is healthier to be a little chubby.

For the average “chubby” person the risk of death was actually less than it was for super thin people.  Dieting is not the answer.  For the average person, who struggles with weight fluctuations but who is not actually obese, strategies other than dieting are the key for healthy living.

Find out what is a healthy weight for you.  You can calculate your body weight right down to the tiniest kilogram or you can ask your doctor.  If your weight is in the safe zone you can consider some other options.  The author suggests that a lower weight or a smaller dress size doesn’t matter much if your life span is shortened.

Recommendations for a healthier weight and a healthier lifestyle:

• Eat smaller portions more frequently.
• No between meal snacks other than fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to low fat dairy, skip butter or other rich spreads, drink water and avoid fried foods.  Smaller meat portions, lots of vegetables and alcohol in moderation only.  Identify your trouble areas (that scoop of ice cream before going to bed) and try to get a handle on it.  Maybe a half portion at first.  As long as you do not GAIN weight you are okay.
• Yes, you have to exercise, even if your knees hurt.  Exercise is important for longevity, but even the smallest regular exercise will help.

Before embarking on a weight loss program, be sure you need it.  Very obese may be harmful, but slightly larger is beautiful.

A Healthy Lifestyle: Get Moving!

 One of the biggest problems today is inactivity.  We all know that exercise is good for us but we avoid it like the plague.  The usual reason is that you are too tired or too busy.  The real Waterloo is that you are afraid that exercise has to be really vigorous in order to be worthwhile, and that is the real kicker. 

The truth is that movement is movement and that the more you do of it the healthier you will be.  You don’t have to train for a marathon in order to adopt a healthy lifestyle, because even moderate activity can make a difference.

Make a list of the physical things that you on a typical day.  If you find that most of your time is spent sitting, make another list of the ways that you could move more.  It could be walking up and down the stairs at work instead of taking an elevator, walking to the store or library instead of driving your car, or any other way that you can think of to get a few more steps into your life.

Eating well is another part of a healthier lifestyle.  Know how many calories you need and what food groups you should be focusing on.  For most of us, the key is making small changes, like taking a few extra steps or adding fruit to your bowl of cereal.  Can you at least do that?

Turn off the television, or if you like that background noise for company, use commercials as a time to do exercise repetitions.  Insert an exercise video in your DVD player and do something really physical.  I recently learned that I can work up a considerable sweat just walking in place with an at home walking video.  Who knew?  Play a game or take a walk.  Anything is more active than sitting on the couch.

Walk more.  When you go to the mailbox take a stroll around the neighborhood.  Get a treadmill or measure off a half mile distance the next time you are out in the car and walk there and back several times a day.  Do some active chores like gardening, shoveling, raking and sweeping.  Yes, they all count toward your movement quota.

What can a healthy lifestyle do for you?  A healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes.  A healthy lifestyle can improve joint stability, increase range of motion, maintain flexibility, maintain bone mass, prevent osteoporosis, improve your mood, reduce stress, improve memory and the list goes on.  Moving your body more can improve the quality of your life, make you feel really good, promote health and independent living.

Make small changes.  One suggestion is picking out three foods that you buy regularly, read the labels and then try to find a lower calorie substitute.  The idea is to be aware of what you are doing and what you are putting in your mouth. After years of inactivity you may think that feeling sluggish and out of sorts is normal.  It isn’t.  Make small changes at first.  It isn’t about signing up for a gym membership in an “all or nothing at all” effort to fix yourself, it is about making small changes and putting some movement into your life.