How To Stay Active And Healthy As You Age

Most people’s activity level naturally declines as they get older. Here’s how to stay active and live a balanced life when you get older.

Researchers have found that by the time people reach 75, as many as one-third of men and one-half of women aren’t exercising at all.

When you consider all of the health benefits that exercise has to offer, it is definitely worth maintaining an exercise routine as you age.

Tips To Stay Active As You Age

The tips below will help you stay fit and active as you get older:

1. Understand Why Exercise Is Important

Getting motivated to exercise is a lot easier when you know how it will benefit your body.

When you get regular exercise, your risk of developing health conditions like high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, certain types of cancer, type II diabetes, and obesity all decline.

Staying physically active can also keep your muscles strong while at the same time improving your flexibility. This can decrease the chances of falling or sustaining injuries.

A lot of health insurers will also deem exercise as important and many nowadays even offer movement trackers to back this up. These monitor exercise levels and can help you gain cheaper insurance and it can be a good idea to compare and switch medical insurance to take advantage of this.

Anyway, don’t skip exercise because it’s a great way to release stress, strengthen the muscles and joints, and get healthier overall, especially as you get older.

2. Decide What You Want To Achieve

Maintaining accountability with your workout routine is a lot harder if you aren’t working toward a goal.

To keep yourself on track, spend some time deciding exactly what you want to achieve. Then, set small, actionable goals that will help you get where you want to go.

Breaking your larger objective down into smaller goals is a great way to stay motivated.

Make sure that the goals that you do set can be measured and that they are extremely specific. If you choose goals that are too general, it will be hard to know whether or not you have actually reached them.

As you create your goals, write down what exercises you plan to do, how often you plan to do them, and how vigorously you plan on working out.

As you reach your current goals, brainstorm new goals to work toward.

3. Look For Fitness Opportunities For Seniors In Your Area

Think about the last time that you went to the mall. Chances are, you probably saw seniors walking through the mall. A lot of places have small walking groups that are geared toward seniors.

The benefit of walking in a mall is that you don’t have to worry about bad weather interfering with your plans.

A lot of recreation centers and senior centers also offer workout programs. See if there are any exercise classes or other activities that appeal to you.

Signing up for some of these programs is a great way to get moving while at the same time having fun.

4. Look For Activities That Are Fun

If you are having trouble getting motivated, why not try something new? Oftentimes, experimenting with new activities is the best way to get excited about exercise.

You can also choose activities that you already enjoy such as going for hikes, taking walks, dancing, biking, doing yoga, performing tai chi, or participating in Pilates.

For people over the age of 65, some of the best activities involve spending time outdoors. For instance, activities, like working in the garden or going for walks, are excellent choices.

Lifting weights is also great for older adults since it helps build muscle mass.

Researchers have found that people lose anywhere from about 3 to 5% of the total muscle mass in their body every decade after the age of 30. Men may lose as much as 30% of the muscle in their body as they age.

Staying physically active not only can help you retain more of your muscle but it can also be a fun way to discover exciting hobbies.

5. Avoid Sedentary Activities

Many hobbies that seniors enjoy don’t involve a lot of physical activity. For instance, reading a good book, watching a TV show, or riding in a car are all sedentary activities that don’t provide any physical benefit.

People over the age of 65 are less active than any other age group. Luckily, however, you can benefit from exercise no matter how late you start.

Try to get your close friends or your family members involved in an exercise program. The CDC says that working out with other people can lead to improved consistency.