Want to look younger, feel more energetic, and live a more empowered life as you get older? Then …
Exercise And Activity Are Your Secret Weapon To Better Health!
Money alone can’t “buy” you better health and – maybe even – a longer life. But exercise and activity can help you achieve that.
Here are just a few ways exercise can help you live you best life …
Keep muscle and retain more strength. Unfortunately, people tend to lose muscle in their 40s. Exercising, especially resistance exercises, like weightlifting and calisthenics, can help you keep muscle. This can help you look better, stay stronger, and help you manage your weight (because muscle burns more calories than fat, even while resting).
Weight Control: As we enter midlife, we begin to gain weight. And since aging helps contribute to muscle loss, as stated above, that extra weight tends to be fat. This extra weight contributes to higher LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower HDL (good cholesterol). This, of course, could lead to a decline in heart health. Regular exercise will help you burn more calories, preserve more muscle, and boost your metabolism. The potential result … a fitter, healthier, more youthful you.
Control Blood Sugar Levels: Blood sugar levels can rise as we age, often by about 6 points per decade. Older adults are at higher risk for the development of type 2 diabetes. As we age, we’re more prone to experience the adverse effects of increased insulin resistance and impaired pancreatic function for regulating glucose. Research shows that even easy exercise increases insulin sensitivity in muscles and improves pancreas insulin production. This reduces your risk of developing diabetes.
Stronger Bones: Just like exercise strengths muscles … it strengthens bones, too. Bones are living tissue, and they benefit from the stress of exercise. Lift weights, take brisk walks, and perform body resistance exercise like push-ups and squats to strengthen your bones and help combat age-related bone diseases like osteoporosis.
Improved Brain Power: It’s common knowledge that we all experience more “senior moments” as we get older. But we can keep sharp even as we age. We can remember, learn, focus and stay more anxiety and depression free with the help of regular exercise. Cognitive decline is almost twice as common among adults who are inactive. Staying sharper is as easy as taking a walk, enjoying some yard work, or doing a little exercise.
Improve Your Sleep: Many older folks notice that the quality of their sleep diminishes as they age. But exercise and activity can help. Exercise increases melatonin which is an ingredient in many sleep aids. Exercise also reduces stress and helps lower body temperature which aids sleep. But try not to exercise one to two hours before bedtime. The “feel good” endorphins produced by exercise will energize you … not desirable before bedtime. Plus, the benefits of exercise and improved sleep will help reduce daytime drowsiness.
And that’s just the beginning of the beneficial effects of regular exercise. Very simply, exercise helps slow down the biological clock.
Now That We Know How Important Exercise Is
For People Getting Older, How Should You Get Started?
Getting Started with Exercise as You Age: A Beginner’s Guide
Starting an exercise program later in life can feel daunting. The benefits, though, far outweigh the initial discomfort. Your exercise program will help maintain your health, mobility, and independence as you age. Here’s how older adults can safely and effectively begin an exercise program.
Start Slow and Focus on Low-Impact Activities
When starting out, intensity should be low to moderate. The goal is to ease into physical activity to avoid injury. Walking, swimming, and cycling are excellent low-impact options that are gentle on the joints while still giving you a heart-healthy workout. Do these activities at a comfortable pace and gradually increase duration or intensity as your endurance and fitness level improves.
Incorporate Strength Training
It’s important to include strength exercises to maintain muscle mass. Simple bodyweight exercises like lunges, and push-ups can help improve muscle tone and balance. Resistance bands or light dumbbells are also effective for building strength without straining the body. Start with one to two sets of 10-15 reps, and as strength increases, the number of sets or weight can be gradually increased.
Balance and Flexibility
Incorporating balance exercises—such as standing on one foot or heel-to-toe walking—can prevent falls. Stretching and flexibility exercises, like yoga or gentle stretching, improve mobility and reduce stiffness. These exercises can help keep muscles and joints flexible and free of injury.
Progress Gradually
As fitness improves, the intensity of workouts can be slowly ramped up. Aim for consistency, with 3-5 days a week of activity. Listen to your body—if something feels too intense or painful, scale back.
Benefits
Regular exercise improves cardiovascular health, strengthens bones, reduces the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, and enhances mental health by reducing stress and boosting mood. With time, you’ll notice increased energy, better sleep, and improved balance, which could enhance overall quality of life.
It’s never too late to work on becoming healthier and more fit! Even small, consistent efforts can lead to big improvements in health, well-being and maybe even longevity.