Exercise can be a daunting task at any age and as a boomer (those born 1946-1964) woman, I sometimes find it hard to fit all my interests into my day. Holding a full time career as a Social Services worker and owning a fitness lifestyle coaching business, I might be able to get away with using the excuse that I am too busy. But where would that get me? Older, fat, out of shape and oh; there is the whole walk the talk element. I enjoy being healthy and fit and it works for me. I know that living a long, healthy life includes eating better, exercising regularly and relieving stress. You may find it more difficult until you come to a realization that it is you and only you who will make a difference in your own life.
Why is it that as we get older; loss of muscle happens much quicker than our fat loss. In addition, we feel we have to work harder at losing fat, yet muscle loss occurs pretty easily when we don’t exercise regularly. Here are a couple tips to get started on your exercise program and offset some of what nature takes away.
• Try something different for a change and have fun with it. There are many classes that will challenge even the best of you. Talk to the instructor and get a feel for the class before you start because you don’t want to overdo it and then really ‘feel’ the class afterwards. Always check with instructor if you have any medical or physical issues to be sure there are modifications for you.
• How often have you acted like a weekend warrior and felt like a truck ran you over on Monday? Behaving like a 20 or even 30 year old by overdoing an activity that you haven’t done in years just isn’t smart and not that fun either. Remember at Thanksgiving when the guys go outside to play a game of basketball and half of them get hurt before dinner is even on the table.
• Ask a girlfriend to go for a walk and if you already do this regularly in the neighborhood, meet somewhere else where you find it more challenging. Chit chatting about your week is ok, but pick up the pace a little too and give it your all. Walk as fast as you can or add a little jog into your routine as long as your doctor gives you the ok to run. Short bursts of activity boost your metabolism. Mixing it up tricks your body and keeps it guessing, you know that doing the same old thing begets you the same old results.
• Stop by a park and play on the kid’s equipment. Go ahead; hang on, climb up the stairs and giggle as you slide back down. It’s invigorating to act like a child every once in awhile.