How to Stay Healthy and Energetic as You Get Older

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Getting older is something all of us wish we could postpone, but it jumps on us anyway and the best way to hold onto your youth is to stay as fit and healthy as it is possible. Eating healthy, working out often and generally watching your health can help you in the long run.



Changing one's lifestyle overnight is not feasible but we have a few tips and routines for you to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle, starting today.

Why should you exercise?

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• Helps you maintain a healthy weight or lose any excess weight

• Helps increase metabolism and build muscle mass, thereby burning more calories during each workout

• Makes you immune to illness and chronic disease

• Lowers your risk of Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and osteoporosis

• Enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance

• Improves sleep

• Boosts good moods and self-confidence

• Keeps your brain active, making you sharper and more focused%%

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Aerobic Exercises**



Photo By Bill Branson (Photographer) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Aerobics is a vital part of exercising that does more for your body than anything else. There is in home personal training in Scarborough if you think the thought of travelling to a gym might put you off. First Class Personal Training, based in Toronto, provides personal training services to senior citizens in most parts of the country.

Swimming, jogging, running, speed walking, skipping rope, cycling, and even hiking comes under aerobics and if the thought of a gym bore you, you can always go on a hike or trek and burn your calories like that.
Strength Training



Almost everyone thinks of big muscles bulky men when they hear these words, but that's not the case. Strength training is important as it builds muscle mass in the body and burns fat faster.

As you age, you tend to lose muscle and bone density, and this kind of workout can make sure you don't lose either one. You can work out using dumbbells, resistance bands or strengthening bands.

If you are a beginner, don't go for the heavy fitness equipment right away, work your way up the weights and test your endurance along the way, all the while making your muscle mass better.

These exercises are used tone the areas of the body such as arms, legs, shoulders, hip, back, chest and abdomen, and they are usually divided into upper and lower body routines.
Flexibility



Watchduck (a.k.a. Tilman Piesk), Stretching cat , CC BY 3.0
With age comes limited flexibility and the muscles need to be stretched often, to prevent injury and improve your overall health & fitness level. Stretching before any workout is important and this activity loosens your muscles and prevents injuries or sprains during the workout routines.

Triceps, biceps, hamstrings, calves, quads, mid back, and groin are focused during a stretching routine and if done correctly, will aid in better workout sessions too, as you will feel more fluid and not stiff.

Inactivity is a serious addiction that we must all fight on a daily basis as the temptation to skip exercises and just watch TV after a day's work is hard to resist by many.

It is important to begin exercising at a young age, and if you didn't begin early, it's never too late to begin. Older adults can successfully prevent or reduce chances of them getting certain diseases by having a good lifestyle, healthy food intake and regular exercises.



Photo By Bill Branson (Photographer) [Public domain ], via Wikimedia Commons
Important

Before you start any workout plan, do consult your doctor and get his advice on the types of workouts you are going to be doing, and get the doctor's input on what can be or cannot be done.
Sources

www.ellipticalreviews.com/best-workout-plans-for-older-adults
www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/exercise-and-fitness-as-you-age.htm
www.firstclasspt.com/services/senior-training

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