Aging can’t be stopped, but exercise can slow it down and help you manage your quest for independent living in the process. Too many people have the attitude that if you failed to engage in healthy habits when you were younger that it is too late now.
Of course, deep down you know that isn’t true. Getting older does not mean that you have to become fat or weak or suffer from age related changes. Yes, there are some factors such as hormones, heredity, nutrition and disease processes that play a part in how well you age, but if you exercise you can put up a good fight.
Vince Faust (Philadelphia Tribune. November 2, 2010) offered up a good case for why every age group should exercise. Heredity can’t be changed. You are who you are genetically, but studies show that the influences of a healthy lifestyle can make a bigger difference that you might have imagined. Do not use “bad genes” as an excuse for not taking responsibility for your own health.
Strengthening your muscles, tendons and ligaments will make you stronger and will help support an aging skeletal system and joints. We all want to do kicky fun aerobic exercises but your bones and joints need to be strong enough to withstand the rigors of a hearty workout.
Always get a complete physical and the go-ahead from your doctor before embarking on a fitness program (they never say no, but chronic conditions aggravated by slothful habits will need to be dealt with first). It is important to have a Physical Therapist or a Trained Fitness Professional introduce you to the “why’s and how’s” before you embark on a major lifestyle shift. Lifting weights can be dangerous if you don’t do it correctly. A complete workout needs to include exercises for each body part. This includes chest, shoulders, triceps, back, biceps, forearm, thighs, calves and abdominals.
Strengthening programs are recommended for people well into their senior years to help them perform everyday living activities such as walking, grooming, and dressing, climbing stairs and getting in and out of chairs. Balance and coordination will keep you safely on your feet. When added together we are talking about independence. Do not wait until you are 70 or 80 to start an exercise program. The habits developed at 50 can keep you in tip top shape for a lifetime.
Aging starts when you are born and is progressive. You don’t think about it when you are younger because you are always in a hurry to get to the next step. That next step arrives faster than you think it will, and you need to plan accordingly. Life is precious. Good nutrition and daily exercise are important. Many of the physical problems associated with aging are due to lack of exercise and poor nutritional habits. Every age group should exercise.
