Fitness After Fifty

Exercise During Commercials

Several articles lately have addressed the idea of using the time afforded by commercial breaks to exercise.    Could this possibly be the answer for people who have good intensions but no time to exercise?  It piqued my interest to say the least.  I have already been doing my 15 minute oxycise routine during commercial breaks, but doing something a little more physical sounds like a good idea too.

Many Americans, even busy Americans, spend 4 hours a day in front of the television set.  Unless you are crocheting an afghan or writing the great American novel during the 12-15 minutes delegated to advertising, you are letting some perfectly good minutes get away from you.  Well, someone has written a book about this thought provoking subject and a very good book it is.  “The Commercial Break Workout” by Linda J. Buch and Seth Anne Snider-Copley tell us how use these precious moments to jump start a fitness program.

If you could find a fitness program that called for no special equipment and could be done while you are watching a favorite television program, would you do it?   It doesn’t take very many commercial breaks for you to accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity.  Yes, the experts now agree that a number of mini sessions do just as much good as an equivalent amount of time at the gym. 

You know that exercise is good for you.  So, do you think you could at least consider doing a few crunches while sprawled in front of the television?  This is one book that should never gather dust.  Keep it on the coffee table, at the very least it will be a great conversation piece.  It will also serve as a constant reminder to you to get off the couch.

Most commercial breaks are 2 ½ minutes or more long (it does seem like they get longer all of the time doesn’t it?).  Each half hour will give you 10-12 minutes, which means that if you watch television in the evenings you could actually log 30-60 minutes of exercise.  Now that is a good workout!

The book divides the exercises up into different categories.   The chapters include exercises ranging from beginner to advanced (this is not a piece of cake so don’t pooh pooh the idea and feel that it is a waste of time). The book has plenty of pictures so that you really can’t do any of them wrong.  The exercises range from very easy versions to very difficult ones.   You will find stretching and flexibility exercises.  You will find chest, back, shoulder and arm exercises.  You will find leg exercises, butt and guts exercises, and cardiovascular exercises and they even give you some sample routines.  The sample programs tell you what to do during each commercial so you won’t have indecision to use as an excuse.   You know ahead of time that you are going to do a few balance postures and march in place during the first commercial, stretch during the second commercial, and so on.   Beginner, intermediate or advanced, there is a program for you.  Oh, and if you want to use resistance bands, balls, heart monitors and dumb bells go for it!  This could be the best book in your library.

 

 

 

 

Fitness After Fifty: If You Don't Want to Join a Gym

Everyone is talking about fitness these days.  Some are avid exercisers and others avoid exercise like the plague.  The one thing they have in common is that they feel guilty about something.  You want to be healthy, and toning up is a real bonus, but you just can’t bring yourself to join a gym.  .

The cost of gym memberships is not expensive as many places charge only $20 a month, and it is not unheard of for insurance plans to cover the cost for older adults.  Still, if time is a problem you are certainly within your rights to want to avoid the inconvenience of going somewhere else to work-out.

From a fitness standpoint, exercising at home can be just as beneficial as going to a health club.  In fact, studies show that home exercisers are more likely to stick with their program than those who go to the gym.

Advantages of working out at home:

• Flexibility:  It doesn’t matter if you are a morning person or a night owl.  You can exercise whenever you want to and at your own pace (no waiting for your favorite machines).
• Cost effectiveness:  Working out at home costs less, remember to factor in gas money as well as the time you lose getting to an outside facility.  You can set up a home gym for less, and there will be no month dues.
• The part I like the best about working out at home is not listening to loud music that someone else selects.  I’ve mentioned to gym staff that classical or semi classical tunes a few hours a day would be nice but hard rock wins every time.  
• You aren’t competing with anyone else and you don’t have to worry about how you look.

Still, it’s not all that easy.  Because you exercise at home you are doing it alone.  Boredom, staleness and lack of drive can be a problem.  You must be self motivated, learn how to vary your routines and change things up a little.  If you need a personal trainer to weight you, nag at you, and encourage you, it’s not going to happen at home. You will need to set your own goals, figure out what you want to accomplish, and choose the most appropriate equipment.  Don’t forget about exercise DVD’s to help you shake things up and vary your routines.

There are so many home fitness products on the market that it can be hard to know where to start.  I liked the advice from Kelly Turner (www.KellyTurnerFitness.com) that I read in the Seattle Times (Sunday, April 22, 2012).  She recommends the simple route.  We all know people who use their treadmill and elliptical machines for cloth hangers, so hard not to laugh and agree with her.  Instead of buying a treadmill or an elliptical that you aren’t going to use, she suggests buying a jump rope or going for a walk/run. A DVD can cue you in strength training techniques.    Dumbbells from a garage sale, a resistance band, or using your own body weight can give you an unbelievably good workout.  Everyone needs help with exercise routines.  I love DVDs, the workouts found in fitness magazines, and programs found on the Internet or on cable TV.

 You can outfit your home gym with as much or as little as you like.  The motivation part is going to have to be up to you.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fitness At 50 and 60: Change of Habits

We buy magazines by the dozens because they feature articles by celebrities touting the latest fitness crazes.   We love reading that stuff.  We all live in hope that they have stumbled on some formula that will keep us looking good forever.  Why do we turn to celebrities and professional trainers to tell us how to exercise?    We have been obsessed with the notion that thin is better since we were pre-teens and we still are, until we get sick and then find that being thin isn’t always a good thing.   Glossy magazines feature endless plans for firming butts and getting rid of muffin tops, but endless cardio and demon crunches do not make for a healthy body.

We kept stepping and crunching well into our 40s and 50s because we felt so good and we looked so fine, until we didn’t.  The day came when you noticed that your body wasn’t responding as quickly as it used to.  You fought back by spending more time on the treadmill and taking extra aerobics classes.  You ate less and you worked out more but nothing seemed to work.  It finally dawned on you that you might be getting a little older, and you wondered if your fitness program needed an update.

 Exercise is still important at 50 but the focus is different.   It isn’t just about losing a few pounds to fit into a wedding dress but on being active and healthy.  The rewards are no longer measured by dress sizes but by whether you will be able to dress yourself a few years down the line.  You still need cardio and you still need weight training when you are in your 50s, but with a little less intensity.  Dieting isn’t enough.  If you weren’t doing weight training before, it is time to start.  Your routines don’t have to be as grueling because no number of crunches is going to prevent nature from doing what it does best.  You can be more specific though and you can be stronger and better than ever.   Warm-up, stretching, flexibility and balance all need to be factored into the plan.  If you need professional help to change gears start with your physician and go with his/her recommendations. 

What about 60? If you haven’t exercised before it might be hard to convince yourself that you can still have some say about your future.   It isn’t too late to take matters into your own hands, before you enter the “use it or lose” phase of your live.   Exercise is more important than ever.  You need challenging but not exhausting cardio three times a week (slow jog, weight training 3 times a week, stretching, and walking).  Discomfort associated with arthritis, bad knees and osteoporosis may already have reared its ugly head.  What a bummer, you would think that after years of exercising you would be impervious to pain. Surprisingly, activity is still the treatment of choice.  You need to push your even more because inactivity is a real killer.    Pick your exercises a little more carefully and adapt your routines.  Slow and steady is just fine.  Take care of your joints by concentrating on shorter jogs or doing water exercises.   Resistance training is good, weight training with lighter weights, stretching and balance exercises are words that you will become familiar with.  Again, your health care team is the place to start if you need help designing a safe but effective program.  Exercising in your 50s and 60s is definitely different, but you can see still results.

 

Fitness After Fifty: Take A Hike

A stroll in the country or even a long walk through a national forest may seem like a leisurely way to spend a Saturday afternoon, but hiking enthusiasts will attest that hiking involves more than just putting one foot in front of the other.  Don’t let anyone tell you that a hike isn’t a good workout.

We love hiking.  Bird watching and letting the dogs enjoy the flora and fauna is a weekly ritual in our family.  We are older now.  The backpack is lighter and the pace is a little slower, but there is still nowhere else we would rather be. The peace, quiet and fresh air are positively intoxicating.

Hiking is not a piece of cake.  You need both strength and stamina to navigate a mountain trail safely.  A dose of common sense is a good prerequisite too.  I am grateful that so many cities in the Pacific Northwest have walking/bike trails but hiking is even better.  Hiking is more fun than running around a football field track or dodging bikes or young moms with baby strollers on a city trail.

I would call hiking exercise in its purest form.  Look at it this way:

• Hiking builds endurance and strengthens muscles
• Scrambling up and down hillsides burns a lot of calories.  You will know this because your heart and your lungs work harder than they do even during a marathon running session.  If you don’t think that it works all of your muscle groups it is because you haven’t tried it yet.
• Hiking is a “Zen” experience.  It works wonders for your mood and mind frame.

Hiking is an exercise form and as such a little preparation is not amiss.  The preparation is as important as the sport itself. 

• Hiking is an aerobic exercise.  Hopefully you already do some form of aerobic exercise, or it won’t take much of a climb to have you gasping.
• You know those big muscles on the front of your thighs?  They are called quadriceps.  Combine an elevation gain with uneven surfaces and you will experience “burn” like you have never felt before. A good strengthening program will add to your outdoor enjoyment. 
• Wear comfortable socks and shoes.  A blister can ruin the experience like nothing else can.   Trim your toenails.  Long toenails can cause considerable discomfort.  Your toes tend to jam against the toe bed of your shoes as you run, slide, and scramble during the downhill leg of the journey.  The down hill leg of your journey is less aerobic but actually more difficult than the uphill climb.
• Eat a nutritious breakfast but not too heavy.  You don’t want to overload your stomach before you set out, but hiking burns a lot of calories and you will get hungry.  Carry plenty of water and nutritious snacks with you.
• Warm up a little bit before hitting the trail, especially if it starts out with a long uphill grade.

 Precautions:

• The ground may be uneven, rocky, muddy and slippery.  Keep your eyes on the ground and step firmly and carefully.
• Use small quick steps rather than long slow ones.
• If you start to lose your footing when scrambling downhill, slide on your seat.  I know you didn’t wear white pants and tennis shoes.
• Use side steps (like in skiing) for muddy hills.
• Slow and steady.  No running in the forest please, you may scare the wildlife.
• Take breaks but don’t sit so long that your muscles get cold.
• Hike with a buddy, preferable one with a good sense of direction. Stay on the trail because even experienced hikers can get lost.  Carry a cell phone but remember that reception may be spotty.
• Sign in at the ranger station and learn about trail conditions before you set out.

I hope I haven’t scared you off.  A hike in the woods is sheer joy.  It is even more fun if you pick a trail that ends at a waterfall or mountain lake. Take a picnic lunch, enjoy the silence and know that you are getting a good workout at the same time.

 

Fitness After Fifty: Jumping Rope

Skipping rope probably brings to mind grade school recess and movies about professional boxers, but you don’t have to be a kid or a professional athlete to skip for the fun of it.  I thought I might give it a try, although my expectations aren’t very high.  Not only am I not very well coordinated, but the springs in my feet and legs are not what they used to be.

What other piece of exercise equipment is this inexpensive, will fit into a brief case, and is easy enough for a child to use?  Well, that is the question isn’t it?  It may very well be easy enough for a child to use, but does that mean that we can do it without hanging ourselves?

Experts say that it is a common misconception that only fit, well-coordinated people can jump rope. They contend that people of all ages, sizes and levels of fitness can learn how to do it.  Weight Watcher magazine (July/August 2011) did a series of articles on rope jumping as the perfect exercise form.  Jumping rope tones everything (legs, back, abs, arms, chest and shoulders), and it is a good cardio workout.  It is also good for coordination and endurance and it is second only to running when it comes to calorie burn. The articles dummied down the instructions to the point that I felt quite encouraged.

They say that if you are new to jumping rope you can practice without a rope at first.  Just pretend you are holding a rope in your hands and swivel your wrists as you take your first jumps.  After that you will be ready to try the “basic jump.”  The instructions say you should hold one end of the rope in each hand with the rope dangling behind your heels.  With your feet together, elbows at your sides, swing the rope overhead.  As it reaches your toes, jump just high enough to clear.  You will probably feel a bit ungainly and awkward at first but go ahead, give it a try.  What do you think?  Pretty easy isn’t it?  Start slowly, make small circles with your arms and hold your elbows close to your sides as you turn the rope.

Once you disavow yourself of the notion that you have to jump high it will seem a little easier.  You should be jumping just an inch or two off of the ground.  It is actually easier on the knees and hips than running, since you land on the balls of your feet.    You can find a high quality rope for $10 or less.  To make sure your rope isn’t too long or cumbersome they recommend placing one foot in the center of the rope.  Grasp the handles and bring your arms up.  The handles shouldn’t extend past your armpits.

Carol Kruchoff (Los Angeles Times: Los Angeles, CA. January 25, 1999) assures us that even a klutz can learn how to jump rope if they are taught properly.   With proper instruction and practice, anyone should be able to jump rope.  Your goal will be to jump continuously for 15 minutes.    If you don’t have time to do anything else, this could be the perfect workout for you.

 

 

Fitness After Fifty: Walking Shortcuts

Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise, but even the easiest and best can get boring at times.   Think of vacation time as the perfect time to refresh your routine, and perhaps do it in less time.  Weight Watchers magazine (July/August 2011) came up with some solutions that I probably wouldn’t have thought of myself.

Vacationing at the beach?  What about a long walk on the beach?  You can swap your usual 30 minute walk for a 15 minute beach walk.  If you have ever tried walking on sand you know that it isn’t as easy as you might imagine.  Walking on sand makes you burn up to 50% more calories than your regular walk. The muscles in your butt, thighs, feet and ankles have to work a lot harder to push off in the soft sand.  Plus, the uneven surface requires a stable core, so you are strengthening your abs at the same time.  The author recommends wearing sneakers so that you don’t hurt your feet on hidden shells or bits of debris.  The shoe also supports your feet and ankles as you stride along.  Start slowly and do a shorter distance than you are accustomed too.  If you are walking on soft sand and/or barefooted you will want to cut back even further.  Loose stand is unstable so walking on it versus the harder packed section places additional stress on the body.  Start your program wearing sneakers and walking on the firm sand closer to the water edges.  Walking on sand makes your muscles work harder.

A pool walk:  I actually tried this in a roped off swimming are on Waikiki Beach.  It is fun but it is a lot of work.  Swap your 40 minute walk for a 20 minute pool walk.  Water walking is a good low impact cardio workout.  It also tones your entire body and increases your flexibility.  Walking one mile in the water burns the same number of calories as walking two miles on land.  Since the water is denser than air, walking through water provides resistance.   Look for a pool that has a shallow area (4 feet is idea) for walking.  I actually did it in chest high sea water and had to use my hand to move ahead so not sure if that is the same or not.  The good part is you don’t have to know how to swim and you don’t have to get your hair wet.  Nearly anyone can water walk.  When you walk in water at mid-thigh levels, at 3 mph pace you burn almost twice as many calories as on land.  Start in the shallow end and walk slowly.  Over time, walk in deeper water and walk faster.  Lean forward slightly and walk toe to heel to heel (not just on tiptoes).  Walk or jog forward and backwards or even sideways.

Jumping rope:  This isn’t for everyone but in terms of fast calorie burn it is second only to running.  If you are reasonably well coordinated it is easy.  Jumping rope tones everything, it is cheap and you can do it anywhere.  Wear support cross-trainers while jumping rope as they are made for sports where you are bouncing on the balls of your feet.  If you experience knee pain you are jumping too high.  You should aim to jump just an inch or two off the ground.

Interval Walking:  Swap your 60 minute walk for a 30 minute interval walk.  You get more for your walk if you incorporate intervals (brief, high-intensity bursts of speed alternating with slower recovery phases).  Intervals are a good way to burn more calories and build endurance at the same time.  A 30 minute interval walk burns as many calories as a 60 minute walk.  This is hard work though.  During your bursts of speed you should be moving quite quickly.  The easiest way to do this is by listening to an interval walking program audio.

Well, what do you think?  A little variety may be just what the doctor (or your trainer) ordered.

Fitness After Fifty: Motivation For "The Not So Fit"

The Oprah magazine (January 2011) featured a series of articles on tips for weight loss and fitness.  The saga began with the story of a lady who didn’t like going to the gym because of her size.  She felt embarrassed and uncomfortable and very much aware that she wasn’t one of “them.”  She felt that gyms were too intimidating.   This is an excuse that often isn’t mentioned in articles about motivation.  You must admit though that most of the people using the gym, especially during peak hours, are looking pretty fine.

When you are older or overweight you don’t like looking at yourself in the mirror.  Wall to wall mirrors do make it easier to track your progress, but they do make you feel like you need a full make-up job before you go. You don’t even know what to wear.  When you are old or you are fat there is no way you are going to look acceptable in one of those skinny leotards.  You feel that everyone is looking at you and you end up not feeling good about yourself at all.    You probably don’t like looking at perky anorexic trainers or rabid bikers spinning away to a loud beat either.  

Yes, people will look at you.  What else is there to do but look at yourself in the mirror or at other people who are just as miserable as you are?   What you don’t know is that they are admiring you and cheering you on.   When people see your 89 years or your 300 pound self, they are smiling because they are glad that you are there, and they are proud of you.

Many people who exercise don’t love exercising.  Most people don’t even own a pair of workout shoes. It is hard to spend big bucks on something you are just going to sweat in.  I am convinced that the endorphin high that you are supposing to experience is a myth.  If you are like me you may never actually learn to love exercise, but you are going to love what exercise will do for you.

Exercise aversion is rampant, but people were born to move.  When you don’t move you increase your risk for every ailment known to man.  This should be a good enough reason to get you off from the couch, to the gym, or around the block.  The real challenge is to get past that resistance to activity.   Everyone needs a reason to be active.  Until you have a reason you will never be able to stick to an exercise program.  Be proud of yourself.  No matter what your age or your weight you should be proud that you are doing something to make you healthier and stronger. 

Fitness After Fifty: Fitness Goal Setting

Everyone knows that exercise is important, but most of you just can’t seem to find the time.  Before taking on a new fitness program or another diet think about why you are doing it.   Is the torture going to be worthwhile this time?   Take an honest look at yourself.  Why are you doing this?  What is your ultimate goal?  What do you expect this program to do for you?

Goal setting establishes the “why.”  Without a firm understanding of that “why” you will not succeed …again.   Focusing on what that goal really is will keep you from giving up once the newness wears off.   Lisa Bell (Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville, Ind. January 10, 2005) reminds us that changes occur at a cellular level first.  What this little tidbit means it will take quite awhile before you actually see any results on the outside.  In the long run the people who exercise regularly do it because it makes them feel better, rather than because of instant gratification.

What is physical fitness anyway?  Physical fitness is having the energy to perform daily tasks, and enjoy having enough energy left over for leisure pursuits.  Your commitment to exercise is what will make it possible for you to have fun and truly enjoy yourself, whether it be shopping or training for a marathon.

You should be able to walk a mile or climb stairs without feeling winded, and you should be able to carry on a conversation while doing light exercise.  As you age, these capabilities decline.  Muscles waste away, bones become thinner, balance fades and weight increases (unless you exercise enough to keep it from happening).  The current recommendations are for 30 minutes of exercise every day plus two resistance training sessions a week.  This should be your minimum goal.

Peter and Lora Francis (The Gazette: Montreal, Que. August 23, 1998) suggest that:

• Goals need to be specific rather than general in order to be achievable.  Unless you know specifically what you want to gain from your goals you will have trouble coming up with a plan.
• Your goals should be measurable; otherwise you will not have a way to judge your progress.
• Your goal must be action orientated.  You must have a plan to follow.  Once you figure that out you can list possible ways to achieve.  Write out a weekly plan of action.
• Be realistic:  Your goals must be realistic if you expect to achieve them.  Many people who quit their excise program do so because they become disillusion and aren’t getting the results that they expect.
• Keep to a time frame:  review your action plan at the end of each week.  If at the end of a couple of months you are discouraged, go back and review your plan.  If things aren’t going well don’t assume that exercise doesn’t work for  you.  Your expectations may have been too lofty or totally unrealistic.  Rework, make changes and try something else.  Find what is right for you.  Don’t train for a marathon if you are still having trouble running a mile.  A good fitness program starts by taking baby steps.

Ten Reasons To Exercise

You have to get moving!  Physicians, therapists, and fitness trainers all say the same thing.  You absolutely must get moving!

An article featured in Oprah magazine (January 2011) listed ten reasons why you should exercise.    You don’t have to pick all ten.  Perhaps one or two would be sufficient.  Only you can know for sure.  I would be willing to bet that all ten are right in your wheel-house.

• You want to fight disease.  Whether you are trying to prevent cancer, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease or diabetes, or are dealing with a diagnosis that you already have.  Exercise is therapeutic.
• You want to lose weight and keep it off.  Weight is nearly always an issue.  Whether you are too thin or too plump, you need exercise to promote a healthier lifestyle.
• You want to look better:  Vain perhaps, but exercise will improve your posture, firm your body and make your skin glow with health.
• Your patience has work thin and you are tired all of the time: exercise can put you in a better mood and make you feel better.
• You are sick more often that you think you should be.  We all need some days off, but not sick days.  Regular exercisers are healthier and less likely to need to take sick days.
• You have joint pain:  Most of us have joint pain as we grow older.  Exercise has been known to reduce pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis by strengthening the muscles around the joints.
• Back pain:  No stranger to most people.  Doctors used to tell people to rest if you had pain anywhere, but nowadays they are more like to tell you to move more.
• You don’t sleep well:  Exercise is energizing but also wears you out.  You will sleep better and feel more energetic during the day time.
• You want to slow the effects of aging:  We all want this one.  Exercise is one of the most effective ways to fight aging.  Reduce bone and muscle loss, improves circulation, reduces inflammation, improves memory and other cognitive functions.
• You love your kids: none of us want our kids to see us or think of us as old.  Set a good example for your kids, play with your kids, and enjoy the fact that you might be around longer to enjoy their company.

Exercise Motivation: Meet Man's Best Friend!

Time to walk the dog!  You probably get tired of the added pressure, but you must admit that sometimes “pressure” is what it takes to get you off of your butt and out of the door.  Julie Knapp and fitness expert Tricia Murphy Madden both wrote articles (Weight Watchers: May/June 2011) about your “best friend” and how they can help you stay in shape.

Your dog is your best friend when it comes to fitness.  No whining, no complaining and always eager to go.  It is tough (well, impossible is a better word) to skip that daily walk when your dog is depending (begging, pleading, nagging and cajoling) on you. 

Enough is never enough.  Studies show that people who walk dogs are more apt to be out there every day (rain or shine or sleet or snow) and show more fitness improvement than those who walk alone or with human companions.  Dogs are eager and curious and they never want to stop.  If you follow their lead you are more apt to walk further and faster (of course you have to quell their urges to sniff every bush). 

Dog walkers are nice people.  Having a dog with makes it easier to meet people.   You are more apt to talk both to your dog and to other dog walkers (I am willing to bet that you know the names of more dogs on your route than you do their masters).  You are also more apt to be a mindful-walker, meaning you are aware of surroundings and thinking about “walking.”

The second article had to do with turning your dog into your training buddy (sort of like a service dog).  Some people will give you funny looks but down deep but who cares.  You can do the recommended side squats, crunches, walking lunges and shuffle side steps while your pal takes that pause that refreshes.   Why waste time?  Remember that your dog needs to get in shape too.  Apply the same healthy principals that you use for yourself. 

 The only equipment that you need is a 5 or 6 foot leash, some healthy dog treats, baggies for cleanups, and of course a huge smile on your face.  You can both actually enjoy your walk.