Best Fitness Ideas for Seniors

Seniors with health problems tend to be less active. The overall health of sedentary seniors might improve greatly if they engaged in some sort of physical activity. There are many forms of fitness ideas for seniors who also are confined to their home. Begin slowly and build up gradually. Before starting any type of exercise, get your doctor's approval.

Plan to exercise two or three days a week. Any type of physical activity will do. The idea is to keep the body moving. Follow the fitness ideas for seniors to the best of your ability. Do not rush through them. Take your time.

Walk Through Each Room in The House

Walking is one of the best ways to lose weight. Seniors can lose weight by walking indoors, by walking into and out of though every room in their house. Start slowly and increase the pace when you feel comfortable doing so. Fitness ideas for seniors are simple to do. Walk into one room and walk around the room - wall to wall. Walk slowly to start. The goal is to walk briskly and quickly. Continue walking at the same pace through each room-wall to wall- in the house. Start walking slowly. Increase the pace when you feel comfortable doing so. In fact, you might only want to walk through one room to begin with.

The goal is to briskly and quickly walk through every room in the house 10 times.

Make Hand Weights Using Cans In The Pantry

Hand weights will strengthen your arms and tighten the flab under the arm.Use two filled cans with soup or vegetables. The cans will help you in this fitness idea for seniors. Hold one can in each hand. Keep the elbows down, close to the body. Stretch them both out as far as you can and slowly bring them back to your body.

The goal is to repeat this exercise as many times as you can and strengthen the arms.

Dance to Music While Watching Television

No need to buy an exercise dance album if you have music channels on your television, play fast and lively music and dance. This fitness idea for seniors is fun to do and can be done at your own pace. Do any type of dance or just move to the beat of the music. It is entirely up to you. Just have fun dancing. Bend, reach your arms out, turn from side to side. Just dance anyway you want.

The goal is to increase your metabolism so you can lose weight.

Exercise Standing at the Check Out Counter in The Supermarket

If you have arthritis in your toes like I do, the best thing to do is to move the toes or wiggle them a few times a day. You can also do this fitness idea for seniors while sitting in the movies. No need to do this only at home. While standing at the check-out counter lift yourself up on the tip of the toes. Do this slowly going up and down for a count of ten or more. This exercise strengthens the legs.

The goal is to eliminate the stiffness caused by arthritis.

Exercise While Sitting In a Chair in Front of the Computer

Following fitness ideas for seniors can help you to become limber. Do this a few times while sitting in your chair in front of the computer. Place two feet flat on the floor. Keep facing the computer. Use your two arms to make the motion. Place your elbows close to the body and extend the arms in front of you. Slowly turn to the right as much as you can. Return to the center. Repeat by turning to the right. Repeat this swing ten times or more if possible.

The goal is to move the joints so they do not stiffen due to arthritis.

Firm the Flab on Your Underarms

You can get rid of upper arm flab and strengthen your arms as well without going to a gym or spending money on expensive rubber bands.This is a great fitness idea for seniors and easy to do. Place the palms of your hands on the sink top after you wash and brush your teeth. Stand straight, and slowly push yourself down towards the floor and then back up. This is an easy way to do push-ups for seniors.

The goal is to help alleviate back pain and the stiffness of the knee joints.

Exercise By Stretching Like a Cat

Lie on your back and stretch your body like a cat. Stretch your arms, legs and back. Turn over on your stomach and get on your hands and knees. Lift your back up can and back on your butt, Push back and stretch your back. Then go forward and place your body down flat. Repeat as many times as you are able.

The goal is to relieve Sciatica pain.

Strengthen your Legs To Make it Easier to Sit or Get Up From a Chair

Do you have trouble getting up from sitting in a soft chair like a recliner? I had a problem lifting my butt off the chair to stand on my feet without holding on to something. I did the following fitness idea for seniors and now have no trouble getting up from a chair. Place both feet on the floor in front of you. Keep your body straight. You might have to hold onto the a chair or a walker when you start. The end goal is to strengthen the legs so you no longer have to use a crutch to stand up. Push down on your feet as you sit and raise your body. It might take you a few days or weeks before you teach your feet to do the raising and not your hands on the chair or a walker. Concentrate as you do this. The brain tells the body what to do.

The goal is to easily get up from a chair by yourself.

Exercise In Front of The Television by Following an Exercise Instructor Using The VCR

Buy an exercise program for the VCR. Start with something easy and fun to do. The exercise programs with Richard Simmons are fun to do. It appears as if you are excising with a group of people. Follow the instructions as best as you can. If some are too difficult then do not do them. Do only what you can easily do and for long as you can. Start very slowly. If you get tired, sit and watch the others exercise on the television screen.

The goal is to lose weight.

Know When to Stop Exercising

The most important part of any fitness ideas for seniors is start keep moving your body as often as you can. Keep the joints limber. Move your fingers during the day. Stretch them make a fist, and move them one at a time. Senior who suffer from arthritis must keep their body limber or the joints will stiffen. If any exercise causes pain stop immediately. Speak to your doctor before you do any type of exercise to make sure that he says it is permitted. Better to be healthy and overweight, than to exercise and hurt yourself while doing it.

Source

My own version of exercising in the house.