Aging and Fitness

 

Mentally you feel good so this should be the very best time in your life…right?  You spent the first half of your life striving to reach that perfect age, which is right now or should be, without considering the consequences.  You were going along great guns until all of a sudden you started noticing that some changes were occurring, and not exactly the changes that you had in mind.  You are noticing that your stamina isn’t quite what it used to be.  Your aren’t as flexible as you once were and you are noticing that you get stiff and sore every time you do something physical.  Your muscle size and strength start to decrease and you aren’t as fast or as agile as you were a few years ago.  You start putting on weight even though your exercise and dietary habits are pretty much the same as ever, and you may even shrink in height as your bones lose calcium and become more brittle.  Well that’s a bummer.  The good news is that none of these changes really limit the way that you function and if you maintain an active lifestyle you can delay these changes.

 

Your ability to remain physically active depends on how efficiently your lungs take in oxygen, how efficiently your heart pumps and how efficiently your muscles use that oxygen.  Keeping your heart, lungs and muscles strong becomes a priority in your life if you want to be strong, healthy, and independent.   A modest exercise program will quickly improve your physical fitness.   You will need to include aerobic activities to improve your heart rate and strength building activities to promote flexibility, balance, and coordination.

 

This is hard, and a lot to think about.  Changes start occurring when you are 30 but you probably won’t get caught short until you hit 50 and your annual physical exam is no longer a piece of cake.  If your doctor talks about a piece of cake he is more likely to be telling you can’t have it any more.  Qualities that you took for granted when you were younger are now going to require considerable work to maintain.

 

Staying active helps you maintain muscle, burn energy and avoid gaining weight. Your blood pressure is higher than it used to be and of course the plan of action is to increase physical activity, lose weight, eat less salt, and eat more fruits and vegetables.  Another bummer is that your bones and joints start to bother you and you will become familiar with words like osteoporosis (weak bones and fractures) and osteoarthritis (joint pain and stiffness).  Still, most joints work well into old age although they lose flexibility because the ligaments and tendons become less elastic.  Of course the treatment plan includes regular physical activity, especially stretching.

 

Two thirds of people 65 and older have at least one problem that requires ongoing medical attention, and you will need professional advice about remaining active.  No, the doctor isn’t going to shake his head and tell you it is okay to become a lump.  You will be assigned a therapist and an activity program will be designed to meet your particular needs.  The rest will be to you. Don’t let words like high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart disease, asthma, COPD, osteoarthritis, low back pain, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity and even cancer become a mantra.  Chant words like “I can,” or “I will” instead of “I can’t,” until they become a part of your vocabulary.  It is more important than ever for you to commit to an active lifestyle.  

Comments

[Eat Smart Age Smart]

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[Fitness Exercises]

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