Fitness After Fifty

Fitness After Fifty: Working-Out With Man's Best Friend

We’ve all read articles that tell us that having a dog and enlisting him/her as a walking partner is a good idea.  If you have ever owned a dog you already know that a dog is always ready to walk with you, and they are more reliable than your human buddies.

They never say much about what happens if you have a sluggish dog.  My large Wolf Hound mix is never going to win any speed or agility contests, but she is available for walks 24/7.   We do several long walks every day and hike on weekends, but I would never go so far as to call it “speed walking” or even exercise walking.  I still have to go to the gym if I am going to work up a sweat. She loves to wade in puddles and sniff every bush and fern in the park.  We jog at times but the only reason she tolerates that is that her walk is as fast as my slow jog.  Not all dogs love a long run, but they need exercise as much as we do. 

I was delighted to find a couple of articles that had really good tips for turning a morning stroll into a real workout.   Mindy Berry Walker, writing for the Sunday USA Weekend supplement (April 20-22, 2012) suggested that wearing a backpack filled with 5 lb weights (I guess that could hold true for both you and the dog) would help you burn more calories.  She also recommended doing some intervals.  I like to speed-walk/jog using intervals and short bursts of speed are acceptable to Fido too, so that might work.  The idea that I hadn’t considered was doing some push-while the dog is sniffing.  I agree that doing standing push-ups against a tree would be less alarming to the dogs than if you dropped to the ground.  Another suggestion that I thought was really great was playing fetch with your dog.  Instead of just throwing the ball and rolling your eyes because he/she doesn’t bring it all the way back to you…try racing the dog to the ball.  If you do this 5-10 times you will get a workout too and your dog will think you are really cool.

A second article featured in The Herald (Everett, Washington: June 23, 2009) had a couple of more cool ideas.  He recommended the interval walking also, but thought some side shuffles, lunges and light jogging would add a little something extra.  The author also suggested setting up an obstacle course in your yard with stations where you could do a pull-up, some push-ups, stair stepping, and anything else that you can come up with.  If you run around like a crazy nut your pet will think you are playing and be glad to join you.

 So, what do you think?  Surely I am not the only one with a lazy dog.

Fitness After Fifty: Wearing Headphone

When I am not reading I am listening to music or books on tape.  Needless to say when working out at the gym or walking with my dogs I am wearing headphones. I will admit to still using a vintage cassette player or a portable CD player, but headphones are still very important.  Regardless of your sound system you still need headphones to keep your listening pleasure private.

Listening to a favorite workout tape or enjoying lively music makes exercise much less tedious, so we all know that headphones are here to stay.   I know you have been told before and will likely be told again, that wearing headphones when you are walking or running out of doors is extremely dangerous.  Death and injuries are more common than you might imagine among pedestrians who are talking on phones, texting or listening to music through headphones.   Pedestrians using mobile electronics are less aware of their surroundings and seniors are no exception. 

Newer style headphones have been around for awhile, but as a casual user I hadn’t kept up with the research and technology available.   I hate ear buds and still use the foam pieces that cover the whole ear, so it isn’t surprising that an article “Headphones that don’t touch the ears,” (Don Clark: The Wall Street Journal: January 12, 2012) caught my eye.  It seems I am not the only one that doesn’t like ear buds because they fall out during physical activity and they are not comfortable.

The author went on to talk about headphones that indeed do not touch the ears, specifically a model by AfterShokz Sport by VoxLinc LLC.  I haven’t tried them yet but the idea of having headphones that rest on the cheek bones and deliver sound through bone conduction is pretty tempting.  Just the idea that you can be aware of your surroundings while enjoying a favorite audio sounds perfect.  I am looking forward to learning about other models designed to enhance listening pleasure.

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.

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.

Has Walking Become A Drag? How To Get Back On Track

Ah yes, the walkers slump.  It happens with every exercise program.  It isn’t necessarily because your feet hurt, but because you are bored.  What are you suppose to do?  Suzanne M. Levine tells us in her book “Your Feet Don’t Have to Hurt” that if walking has become a pain in more than one way, you can get back on track.

To start with, you should feel really proud of yourself.  Just the fact that you have been hoisting your butt off from the couch is quite an accomplishment.   When you started walking it was exciting.  You set goals and you met them.  You felt pleased with yourself.  The trouble is that now that you are walking as fast as you can, you can’t think of any new goals.   Exercise has become a chore.

The author lays it on the line.  The first thing you have to do is remind yourself of why you started walking in the first place.  Were you overweight, short of breath or diagnosed with a chronic health problem?  Your doctor undoubtedly gave you an ultimatum and suggested that exercise was an absolute.

You felt great at first, but you are probably taking those improved health benefits for granted by now.  You may even wonder what would happen if you stopped.

Is it time for a therapist?  You probably don’t need to go that far, but at the very least it may be time to play some mind games with yourself.   One way to renew your interest is to change your route.  It might mean a short drive to a new trail or even joining a walking club to meet some likeminded people?  If you are in pretty good health now you might want to take on some more challenging walks.  How about walking out in the country?  Training for a walk on rugged terrain could make your training more interesting.

When all else fails bribery usually works. Reward yourself with something special at the end of each week of exercise.  Buy yourself a new book; go to a movie, treat yourself to a yummy (but healthy) food item, or lunch with a friend.

John Briley (Washington Post. Washington D.C. October 1, 2002) writes about the incredibly creative excuses that people give for bailing out on their walking programs.  Now is the time to think of the benefits instead of the drawbacks.  Walking is something that you can do while allowing your brain to do something else.  You can think, talk, connive or dream without missing a beat.  The real plus is that walking actually increases the blood flow to the brain.  How great of deal is that?    I am sure that you can think of something that will make walking fun again. If walking is boring for you one can only assume that you have no interest in other people, your community or in nature.  Now we all know that isn’t true, don’t we?

 

 

 

Walking Shouldn't Be Painful

Walking is the best exercise in the world.  Walking is natural right?  You shouldn’t have to learn how to walk properly, but believe it or not, a lot of people have trouble walking properly.  People walk bent over, heads down, women clutching their purses with rigid arms, and men listing to the side under the weight of heavy brief cases.  Many people walk with a shuffling, shambling gait and with awkward penguin-like foot movements. It is not a pretty sight.  They look like they are in pain.  Frank Jones gives some tips on avoiding pain and learning how to walk the right way (Toronto Star: Toronto, Ont. Aug 1988).

Chiropractors lament that by the time people bring their aches and pains to them that it is already too late.  The damage is already done.  It happened slowly and silently.  You didn’t notice that it was happening as you slumped your way through your days. They like to call it the “21^st Century Sag.”

What happened?  Years of sitting in offices with chest sinking and shoulders caving in, and even sitting in bucket seats has perpetuated a slumping stance.  The muscles at the back of the neck become shortened and the front muscles are held in a stretched position.  A squeezing pressure on the spine occurs and the end result is neck and lower back pain or, heaven forbid, the dowager hump that older people develop.  Then there is the slump that occurs from emulating runway models (walking with the pelvis thrust out) and high heel shoes, you all did that.  You looked gorgeous, but it wasn’t natural. You didn’t even notice those first twinges of pain.  You didn’t notice until pain was a constant companion and by that time it was probably too late.

What are you suppose to do? Walking should be a conscious movement that involves the whole body.  Start by standing tall, remember the shoulders should be relaxed and the head should float and balance freely.  Relax.   When you lean forward, pivot from the hips so that you remain in an upright position.  Slow easy movements with good body alignment.

Camille Noe Pagain (Arthritis Today: March/ April 2011) writes about walking away pain.  When your joints hurt, she writes, it takes a lot of willpower to get yourself to put on sneakers and head out for a walk.  Somewhere along the way, walking became quite uncomfortable.  Walking is good for you and can actually make your joints less painful.  Joint pain is a primary obstacle for older people to start exercising.  The right techniques, however, make it possible to minimize and even avoid pain so that you can benefit from the therapeutic effects of walking.

Walk this way: (great tips): Don’t push your head forward…many people lead with their heads, which taxes the shoulders, neck and back but throws your whole body out of alignment.  Your neck and spine should be aligned straight.

Have patience:  a primary cause of injury is when you try to increase intensity or duration too fast.  Increase your efforts by no more than 10% per week…the equivalent to adding 2 minutes to your usual 20 min walk or increasing your speed from 3 to 3.3 miles per hours.

Don’t over or under extend your stride.  Don’t exaggerate or mince your stride.

Get evaluated by a physical therapist to make sure you are getting your stride right.

Medications:  If your joints are painful, taking an anti-inflammatory medication an hour before exercise can be helpful.

Stop if you need too.  Sharp or persistent pain is a sign that you are pushing yourself too hard.

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Hiking Is For Everyone: Senior Fitness

You don’t have to scale mountains or scramble through brambles for your wilderness trek to qualify as a hike.  As you get older your long and strenuous hikes start getting a little shorter, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy the wilderness experience.

I discovered several articles, in a recent edition of a Taste of Home magazine, about hiking your way to good health. It reminded me of what a good workout hiking is.  We hike nearly every weekend and it is gratifying to know that there are trails out there that are suitable for everyone, even if you have some mobility issues.   .

There are two types of hikes: day and extended. A day hike usually involves paths that don’t require equipment or any particular expertise.  An extended hike or overnight hike requires more equipment and they are more likely to be off the beaten path.  Unless you are quite adventuresome and totally prepared for the unexpected, a day hike is probably as much as you want to take on.  Even day hikers can get into trouble if they break away from a group or leave the marked trail.  Only very experienced hikers should hike alone.

Fall is a lovely time of year for hiking.  The fall colors are wonderful and it feels good to be out in the cold fresh air.  With a growing number of nature paths springing up all over, a lot of people are doing hiking as part of an exercise program.  Hiking becomes more than just a walk as you face the physical challenges of the varied terrains.  Puddles, streams, waterfalls and fallen tree branches afford a variety that you won’t find walking on a bike path or around your block.

If you are just getting started be sure that you are fit enough for this type of exercise.   A local hiking club or parks department staff will recommend books and hikes that will be best for you.  Most hikes are rated by degree of difficulty so that you will know what to expect.  Factor in roundtrip mileage and keep in mind that coming down may be harder on your knees than going up.

You may not think you are going all that far but stiff muscles will attest to the degree of difficulty.  It is always a good idea to stretch both before and after your hike.    Dress appropriately.  Weather can change rather quickly and you will be surprised at how fast it gets dark as you make your way through sheltering trees.   Hiking burns a lot of calories so it is a good idea to take water and snacks along with you. It is a good idea to carry a backpack with a first aid kit, bug repellent, sun tan lotion, extra pairs of socks, a flashlight and your cell phone).

Your feet will take a beating.  I often see people hiking in tennis shoes but you may be walking across rocky streambeds (wet or dry), slippery pine needles and steep embankments.  You will soon appreciate that comfortable hiking boots are a must.  Boots support your ankles and have a heavier more protected sole.

Take binoculars and enjoy the thrill of bird watching or other game in the wilds.  Respect their habitat and be a quiet observer.  Ask your park service staff about the possibility of encountering bear or cougars and how you should behave if this occurs.  Remember that they live there, you are the visitor.  Please do not litter.

 Keep your first few hikes short and build up to longer distances and steeper terrain.  There is a lot to see and mileage isn’t everything.  As long as you stay within your capabilities you will find hiking extremely satisfying.

 

Walking for Exercise

 

Walking is too easy.  How can anything that you do every day of your life be considered exercise?

 

Believe it or not, there are many different types of walking to choose from.  Check them out and see if one of them appeals to you.

 

The usual activities of daily living involve standing and intermittent walking, which is the first walking category.  Besides walking for exercise, try to be on your feet for at least an hour a day.  No brainer, you say, but you probably spend more time on your butt than you do on your feet.

 

Strolling and casual walking is the second category and refers to doing a 30 minute mile.  This is what you are doing when you are shopping, walking with your children, or even with a slow dog who wants to stop to sniff at every bush.  This is pretty low intensity stuff but it still burns more calories than sitting or standing.

 

Ah, functional walking which is next.  This is more like it.  This is exercise you say.  This is the kind of walking that gets you where you want to go, but still isn’t in the breaking a sweat category.  We are talking about a 20-30 minute mile here.

 

Okay, ready to ratchet it up a bit?  Let’s go for a brisk walk.  We are now talking about 15-30 minutes to cover a mile.  This is pretty fast but you get significant health benefits, especially if you do it for 30 minutes a day.

 

For real enthusiasts there is power walking, which means a 12-15 minute mile.  This is really skimming along so you will have to work up to this one.  With this form you are not only walking pretty fast but are probably using your arms to propel yourself along.  A good walking audio will help you with technique and tempo.

 

Variations on traditional one foot in front of the other walking are covered by Dr. Walter H. Ettinger in his book “Fitness After 50.”  Recommendations include interval walking where you change your pace and intensity at specific intervals during your training period.  Do you prefer water exercises?  Walking in a swimming pool is another way to vary your walking program.  The water adds resistance which increases the intensity, so this is not a piece of cake.  Walking uphill really gets the heart rate up.  If you don’t have any hills in your neighborhood you may have to visit a gym and work on a treadmill or stair climbing machine.

 

Disavow yourself of the notion that walking it too easy to be considered an exercise regime.  Walking is a popular aerobic activity for people of all ages.  It is easy to do and the equipment outlay is marginal.