Senior Exercise Program
What
you Should Know Before Beginning a Senior Exercise Program
Physical
activity is important – at any age – but is especially important once
you hit the "over 50 something" crowd.
Getting started exercising doesn’t
have to be difficult but it does require a little knowledge to do it
right.
With menopause on the
horizon (or at your front door) you can feel the aches in the joints or
just
feeling more tired and listless.
This feeling is not just for women, men also experience changes in
their bodies and have less energy.
It seems impossible to think about
doing a strenuous workout.
When we were twenty, we could go without paying a lot of attention to
the care of our body, but lack of exercise has a more profound effect
on us when we reach fifty.
Don’t fret though. The human body responds
well to good food and lots of movement.
You can feel
invigorated even after you get older, but with more wisdom about how to
keep your body running smoothly.
Here are five things to do before you begin your senior exercise
program, especially if you have been living a sedentary life for some
time.
Check With Your Doctor
See your doctor first before beginning your senior exercise program.
This is not only
sound advice for seniors, but for anyone who is unsure of their
physical well being prior to staring a workout.
Because our bodies
change as we age, different problems or conditions need to be
considered before jumping into a weekly workout plan.
Checking with a
doctor can ensure that you are in the best health possible before
starting a senior exercise routine.
Your doctor will also be
able to guide you with any special restrictions in diet and movement.
Get to Know Yourself
Getting to know yourself and what you can and cannot do is important
before you can design your senior exercise program. Understand your
limitations.

Not
everyone is up to running a marathon,
so understanding your limitations will ensure you are not putting
yourself at risk of injury.
No one likes to admit that there are things
they can’t do but it will keep you from getting hurt and help you stay
healthy and active.
If you have joint problems, find exercises that
work the muscles without putting undue stress on the knees,
hips, shoulders, lower back, or elbows.
Try some of these
seated
senior
strength training moves that put very little strain on the
joints.
Be Your Tortoise
Start
out slow. Just like the tortoise who wins the race, starting slow
is a great strategy to ensure you make it to the finish line.
You are
more likely to stick with your senior exercise program when you ease
into it and
find your own comfortable pace.
Be an Investigator
Investigate what activities you can do for your senior
exercise
program. If you have conditions that
limit your movement, such as arthritis, then signing up for a step
aerobics class may not be the wisest choice for your senior exercise
program.
Opt
for ways to get active
that will not put additional pain and suffering in your life. Check out
your local gym or community center for water aerobic classes.
You can
even try some chair exercises and stretching exercises at home to
accomodate your limitations.
Don't stress your body further
than is medically safe. Be sure to discuss any concerns or limitations
you think you may have with your doctor.
These senior
stretching exercises are a
great way to get start you off slow and steady.
As you get more
comfortable with being active, add a bit more to your senior exercise
program.
Go Beyond Exercise-Think Nutrition
Consider your nutrition as well as exercising.
All the exercise in the
world won’t help you if you are still eating those hamburgers and
chocolate shakes you enjoyed in your younger years.
As we get older our
metabolism slows down so it is harder to burn those excess calories
from those tasty foods. Look for ways to adjust your eating
habits.
Make every meal count and eat foods higher in nutritional
values and lower in fats and sugars. Here are some tips on weight loss
over 40.
So are you ready to get active? Great! Remember to start slow, listen
to the Doc and eat healthy.
To help you build your senior exercise
program, check out this article on senior exercises for healthy aging.
Additional Articles
Balance Exercises for Seniors
Preventing slips and falls as we age can help minimize injuries to joints and bones. Check out these balance exercises to keep you healthy.
Senior Strength Training
Building lean muscles can help prevent loss of bone density and keep you feeling young.
Stages of Menopause
Learn more about what you might go through during the change of life by understanding the different stages of menopause.