Part of exercising well is being well prepared. Make sure you are well rested, well hydrated and well fed before starting out. It is also crucial to wear good shoes and loose comfortable clothing. Your shoes should also have good arch support so your feet and calves do not get sore and your spine stays aligned.

If you are not already active, you should begin slowly. Start with exercises that you are already comfortable doing. Walking is the perfect activity to start with, especially if you have not exercised in a while. Starting slowly prevents soreness and reduces your chances of overdoing it.

You need to of course check with a doctor about the specifics of any exercise regimen especially if you are recovering from an operation or have a chronic illness. However in general it is thought that doing some type of aerobic activity for at least half an hour every day will do wonders for keeping your fit. Examples of gentle aerobic activity are walking, swimming, and bicycling. You should also do resistance, or strength training two days per week unless you are advised not to do so by a physician.

In an analysis of 34 clinical trials, British researchers found that strength training and exercise specifically targeting balance, coordination and walking ability showed the strongest results when it came to improving the motor skills of seniors in general.  Tai Chi was cited as being a gentle and effective form of exercise for seniors. This is important news because accidental falls due to becoming unbalanced are a big cause of death and disability for seniors.

The doctor says that you don’t have to become a gym rat however do need at least four days a week of resistance training and four days a week of cardio training.  Interval training can also help you stay young.  It is however crucial that you warm up before doing any type of exercises, especially if you are elderly. Flexibility is key! 

Other recommendations to keep yourself looking young are to take your vitamins, get occasional sun, eat things that are fresh and decrease the amount of calories that you take in. Hormone replacement theory is also something to consider according to Dr. Reynolds as depleted hormones can cause a person to feel too tired to exercise.

There are some things that you can do to prevent an asthma attack while exercising – The first thing to do is to stop smoking.  Having a cigarette and then deciding to go for a jog is one sure way to trigger an asthma attack. You might also want to restrict your jogging, biking or running to days where there is not a high pollution index as that can cause an attack as well. As pets can also trigger asthma attacks it is best not to engage in vigorous exercise while walking your pets. 

Being less active during allergy season in general might also be a good idea. There are medications that you can take as well that can help lower your risk of having an attack while exercising. As exertion can trigger an attack keeping these medications in your pocket is a good idea just in case.

The study tracked 156 older patients who were broken into three groups. One group did thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, another group was given anti-depression medication and one group both exercised and took medication. After 16 weeks, the group that exercised showed as much reduction in symptoms as those either of the other two groups.

The patients were followed for an additional six months and it was discovered that those who continued exercising had a much lower chance of having the depression return than those who did not.

“The important conclusion is that the effectiveness of exercise seems to persist over time, and that patients who respond well to exercise and maintain their exercise have a much smaller risk of relapsing,” said lead researcher, Duke psychologist James Blumenthal, who published the results of his team’s study in the October issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

(Source)

Marketing to those boomers can be a bit tricky for gyms used to dealing with younger generations.

At age 65, Lillian Doran knows what she doesn’t want from a gym. “I don’t want a place that just caters to the young and thin,” she said. “I don’t want to be around these babies who are a size 2.”

Doran, a petite, fit-looking woman herself, wants a place that makes people her age feel comfortable _ and these days, that’s not so hard to find.

Bally Total Fitness is launching its “Build Your Own Membership” plan which is aimed primarily at baby boomers.

“We’re moving away from that ad that only shows young, beautiful people with a Greek-god physique,” said Jim McDonald, the company’s chief marketing officer.

While seeking to lure boomers, the “Build Your Own” campaign features people from a variety of demographics and is careful not to alienate Bally’s younger members.

The growing population of older American’s has helped propel new gym concepts like “Curves for Women” for which there are now nearly 8,000 locations in the U.S. (Washington Post)

Scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden randomly selected 1449 people between the ages of 65 and 79 who had been previously surveyed about their leisure-time physical activity. Original surveys were done in 1972, 1977, 1982, and 1987. Once resurveyed, the researchers found that those who exercised at least twice a week had a 60 percent lower chance of Alzheimer’s than the sedentary group.

Dr Kivipelto states: “These findings may have wide implications for preventive healthcare; if an individual adopts an active lifestyle in youth and at midlife, this may increase their probability of enjoying both physically and cognitively vital years later in life¨.

Source.

At age 65, Lillian Doran knows what she doesn’t want from a gym. “I don’t want a place that just caters to the young and thin,” she said. “I don’t want to be around these babies who are a size 2.”

Read the entire article here…

“Remarkably enough,” he adds, “it’s the most frail individuals who benefit the most from exercise. Because they have the most to gain, it’s relatively easy to show the benefits of that improvement. Don’t assume because you’re frail you’re too weak to do some form of exercise.”

Read the entire article here…