Stay Active and Stay Golden
Oh yeah….kick your heels up and enjoy the “Golden Years” they say! Golden years? If I had a dime for every time I worked with a patient who said, “ the golden years aren’t so golden,” I would be incredibly rich and would be sitting somewhere on a lovely beach with toes in the sand writing this article. But this isn’t about me. Staying active when you’re body is like umm, no thank you, I’ll just sit right here, may seem like an impossible task. I get it. The aches, the pains, the creeks, the cracks; maybe even a new one each day can make staying active seem dreadful. Keep in mind being active doesn’t mean you have to jog a mile, it just simply means to move your body a little each day more than walking to/from the bathroom, although that may mean a lot of trips for some of you.
So where do you start? Start small. Don’t make this torture, make it relatively enjoyable and remember why you are doing this. Remember being active allows you to stay active. Perhaps you have grandkids you want to visit with or maybe you long to be part of a social club, but getting around is hard. Even more likely, you have ailments that have led you down the road of being more and more sedentary. It’s okay. It’s not too late to get started with something. Because there are so many possible conditions you may be dealing with, it is difficult to make specific recommendations, but what I can do is make recommendations that most people can start with and you can always modify to meet your needs. Safety 1st, so please err on the side of caution and talk with your physician first if you are unsure.
No equipment, no problemo.
You can move your feet with some seated exercises and then progress to standing at a countertop. Weight bearing exercises, meaning standing up, are always a favorite of mine because they reap the most benefits. Weight bearing exercises not only work on your balance and your strength but did you know that weight bearing exercises also stimulate bone growth, which is so important for everyone who is aging gracefully, but is especially important for those with osteoporosis. Click here for seated and standing exercises. It may be helpful to have some exercise bands so that you can continue to grow stronger. I like to recommend the bands by MMIZOO you can find easily on Amazon because they are already in a loop so you don’t have to fuss with trying to tie a knot and they come in a set of 5 different levels of resistance making it easier to use interchangeably depending on the exercise you are doing.
You can also decide to take a walk each morning. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, but just walk! It’s definitely a nice time to spend with a spouse, friend or sometimes just yourself to ponder life. I find it very energizing and motivating to start my day this way. If getting out for a walk is difficult, try using a seated pedal exerciser. They even have one with tension ropes so you can exercise your arms as well, but this is optional. I really like how versatile this one You can find this on Amazon; MaxKare exercise bike stationary.
The moral of this story is, yes you are getting older and some things aren’t so easy anymore, but you can and will get stronger by staying active. In my days of therapy practice, I was often amazed to see how effective exercise is for seniors. It does wonders for physical and emotional health. So go ahead and go for the gold!!