Non-exercisers are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease than those who exercise. The plan: Walk!
After a few minutes at a slower pace, aim for getting your heart rate to the point where you are moderately winded, sustaining this brisk pace for as long as possible. Toward the end of your brisk walk, slow your pace for a few minutes to bring the heart rate back down. If you make note of distance and time spent, this will tell you how long it takes you to walk a mile, or half mile.
Work to increase speed, time and/or distance as your cardiovascular fitness improves. Walk every day, and allow yourself three weeks to establish this habit. Twenty to 30 minutes is a good place to start for most people. As speed and distance increases, you can cut back to five days weekly.
Muscular fitness and bone density
Bone mass reaches its peak in your 30s, with an average 1 percent loss each year after age 35. Age-related muscle loss happens at the same rate, starting at age 40.
To prevent muscle and bone wasting, strength training/weight bearing exercises are necessary, which forces them to become stronger instead of weaker. For those who have difficulty with certain movements, modifications to exercises can be made that still allow for progress. In one study, inactive women ages 75-80 were recruited to determine the effects of resistance training on their strength levels. The exercises were performed three times per week for six weeks. Average strength levels increasing by nearly 65 percent!
Flexibility decreases about 20 to 30 percent by age 70. Along with cardiovascular and resistance training, gentle daily stretching keeps the joints and muscles pliable, making movement much easier.
Stress management
Physical and mental activity helps with our ability to cope with stress, anxiety and depression. Strive to be pro-active rather than re-active. If you dont have a hobby, find one that peaks your interest and gives you a creative outlet. If you feel isolated, exercise is a great way to stay in touch with others, helping to lessen feelings of loneliness. Exercise improves mood because it changes body chemistry, increasing circulation and waking up the ‘feel-good’ chemicals in the brain.
Controllable lifestyle habits that contribute significantly to how well we age include excess alcohol consumption, poor eating and sleeping habits, smoking, excess weight and unresolved stress.
Note: Before beginning an exercise program, always check with your doctor for clearance.
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