Stay Fit as You Age
Improve Balance and Strength by Staying Fit
- Improve balance and strength. Easy lower bodyexercises are calf raises [standing on balls of feet, raise and lower heels]. Leg extensions to the sides [slowly raise leg to the side as high as comfortable, repeat 8 to 10 times] Back leg extensions [repeat with leg to the back as far as comfortable] Grab a chair for support if needed.
- Increase bone density. Strength training reduces loss of bone mass, help restore bones and improve balance and risk of fractures. Weight bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, dancing, and climbing stairs. Standing on one leg uses your body weight to contract the muscles, which stimulates the bone. Squats and lunges also use your body weight as resistance, strenghtening legs, buttocks, and lower back.
- Increase muscle mass. The 650 muscles in our body allow us to keep doing whatever we do, provided we strenghen them as we age. Typically we lose 5 to 7 pounds of muscle every decade after 50. Strenght training helps reverse that. Muscle uses most of our calories, so less muscle equals more fat.
- Increase flexibiility. Sedentary aging contributes to tight muscles as tissue around joint thickens, making them less elastic. Stretching keeps muscles loose, increasing range of motion. Balance and posture are also improved. To encourage stretching, try yoga, tai chi,Pilates, swimming and dancing.
- Stress Relief. Exercise releases dopamine and serotonin, the feel good hormone. As it brings more oxygen into the bloodstream, it energyzes you. Regular exercise brings you more energy, better memory, and alertness while staying fit..
- Consistent exercise will bring you benefits well into the second half of life. Start slowly at first, and gradually increase repetition. If feeling winded or lightheaded, ease off or stop, while using a chair or other support if needed.
Published by FGual
I have been a writer, website developer, and internet marketer since 2006. Presently living in sunny Florida after many years in the snowy midwest. View profile
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