Exercise Videos For Seniors and Ways To Get More Active
There is an interesting question we should all ask ourselves – “Do we get less active because we grow old… or do we grow old because we get less active?”
Our lives these days are highly sedentary due to the advent of technology. We move less, do less and sweat less. Because of this lack of physical activity, obesity has become an epidemic and diseases such as diabetes and hypertension affect more people now than ever before.
We’ve all heard of our great-grandparents who lived up to their eighties and nineties and how they went about life as fit as fiddle. Nowadays, even middle-aged people are sitting on mobility scooters and scooting around the supermarket aisles because they are too obese to walk.
The truth of the matter is that aging is inevitable but how you age depends on your level of activity. If you’re active from your forties to your fifties and so on, in your seventies, you’ll still be fit, mobile and active.
If you’re inactive in your younger years, this habit will carry on to your later years and affect you adversely. It’s not all doom and gloom here if you’ve been inactive. You can still get active in your later years and turn your health around. One way to get active is participating in exercise videos for seniors. You can do these exercise videos for seniors right in your home making them super convenient.
Tips that help you to get more active.
- Take the stairs
This is an excellent tip. Elevators have become a normal part of our daily lives and nobody takes the stairs anymore. You may have noticed that many seniors struggle to get off a bus or go down staircases. Their muscles have become weak.
People often think that it’s tougher to climb up a staircase. In reality, going up while tiring, is easier than going down for most seniors. By regularly going up and down the stairs, your legs will adapt and become stronger.
- Use resistance
Try using ankle weights. This will add some resistance training into your life. Walking around with ankle weights will burn more calories and strengthen your legs without you having to do anything extra. Please consider safety when adding ankle weights.
- Daily walks
A daily walk a day keeps the doctor away. Most seniors will benefit from walking just 30 minutes daily. The benefits are immense.
- Exercise classes
Join a senior exercise class. They will help you become stronger and more limber. Working out with other people will also give you some time to socialize and talk to others.
- Gardening
Gardening is an excellent activity. However, seniors with back pain should avoid it due to the amount of bending over required. If your back is strong and healthy, gardening is a rewarding activity that is not only a form of exercise but is good for the soul too.
- Volunteering
You’re never too old to help someone else. Go ahead and volunteer at a local organization that you support. You’ll end up moving more and getting extra activity in your life. You won’t even realize it because you’d be busy doing the tasks required and engaging with others.
- Wearable tech
Get a Fitbit or any other gadget that tracks your steps. Aim to move more with each day. If you take 3000 steps today, aim for 4000 the next and so on. The more you move, the healthier you’ll be.
- Do exercise videos for seniors
Try an online exercise video for seniors. You will be able to stay active right in the comfort of your own home. Be sure make sure you have a large enough space to perform the exercises and that it is cleared from any tripping hazards
You want to avoid days like these because inertia is always waiting to set in. One skipped day will turn into 7… and next thing you know, you’ve not exercised in 2 months.
Follow the 8 tips above and get as much activity in your life as possible. Activity fuels more activity. Stay active.
Disclosure:
Consult a physician before you start any exercise program. This is general information and is not intended to diagnose any medical condition, replace your healthcare professional or substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The use of any information provided in this article is solely at your own risk.
