Before letting you know about the fitness tips for seniors, generally in our society the members of old aged group are expected to be relatively inactive for considerable periods of time.
It is a usual belief that old aged people are weaker than the young ones. That is because, as we age, we are usually diagnosed with certain health issues like metabolism issues, digestive tract issues, heart related diseases, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, physical problems such limited motion, joint pains and infections due to weak immunity.
But, the fact is age is just a number and it is possible indeed for any person to stay fit, healthy and strong regardless of their age from young to old.
And that can only happen naturally with a regular healthy and active lifestyle with complete focus on fitness.
Here are some benefits of staying fit in old age which are worth having:
However, if you have never exercised at all before and have some severe medical conditions, we advise you to consult your doctor first and choose your regime wisely.
Fitness tips for seniors
When it comes to fitness, we usually need to take care of three factors: workout, nutrition and overall lifestyle. Here we talk about the fitness tips for seniors covering these factors with the perception of health and fitness in old age and how to make the best of your health with these magical and natural ways.
Workout
The question arises, is it safe for you to exercise in your old age?
Absolutely! Exercising at any age has more benefits to offer rather than any harm.
So, exercise for older adults is completely safe and it is never too late to start.
In fact, it is safe to exercise even if you have an unfortunate medical condition like hypertension, diabetes, joint pain or osteoporosis etc.
Staying physically active throughout will only make you feel the progress and experience the signs of improvement in your body and overall quality of life.
It depends on one’s choice to decide on the type of workout regime they want to go for. Some choose to do yoga, walking, Zumba etc.
However, it is advised to combine your workout regime with strength training sessions even in old age. As strength training helps maintain muscle mass, get stronger, prevent the signs of aging and overall feel confident.
Here are the strength training workout tips for older adults that you can follow with different factors of a session:
- Intensity: In old age, you need to design a low intensity to moderate intensity strength training program for you. Repetition should be high. This is until at least you reach a good level of strength.
- Frequency: 2-3 times per week of exercise is sufficient in the beginning
- Duration: 60 Minutes of workout out of 45 minutes to strength training and 15 minutes followed by cardio.
- Post Workout: End your workout sessions with some cool down. Do flexibility exercises for seniors/stretching after the workout sessions.
Take help from a physiotherapist for your workout sessions in case of any injuries or pains.
Nutrition
When it comes to nutrition, old aged should mainly control on increased energy balance and focus on nutrient density as nutrition in old age seems to have a constantly higher meaning due to the changes in the body functioning, food absorption and immunity.
The goal of fulfilling the good nutrition intake in old age is the best way to maintain optimal health condition and prevent nutrient deficiency.
Special attention should be paid to the supply of calcium, zinc, vitamin D, folate and B12 vitamin for micro intake and mainly on protein intake to maintain muscle mass in the category of macros.
Supplementation can be considered in the cases when the food sources are not enough to fulfil the nutrient requirement.
It is advised to get a nutrient profile test done to see the chances of nutrient deficiency and consult with a professional nutritionist to help you out plan a diet for better health.
Lifestyle
Fitness is not just about hitting a one hour workout session or having a healthy meal once in a day. But, its all about maintaining the consistency and staying disciplined. The lifestyle factor is all about building healthy habits in long term.
Apart from nutrition and workout, sleep and mental wellness are two more important factors to stay fit. It is advised to sleep at least for 6-8 hours to build better immunity and stay energized.
Also, take less stress and focus on the mindfulness to feel the peace and get some positive vibes.
From young to old, it is important to have a healthy lifestyle in overall and you will not need to be dependent to take care of your own health.
The bottom line
An unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle due to sitting jobs, frequent alcohol and junk food consumption, a lack of healthy schedule is the major reason why even the youth suffers from lifestyle disorders lately as well. A healthy lifestyle is a blessing and the best way to worship our body.
Remember that its always about living life to the fullest with the best health and wealth and not just surviving when you reach your 80s.
