Exercise: Keep Doing It!

Exercise, exercise, everybody exercise!  I first heard this saying from my grandmother.  She knew the importance of staying active, so she swam regularly at the YWCA, she lifted weights with her legs, and she danced whenever my uncle practiced the drums while he was in the high school band.  Her commitment to exercise paid off, as even though she had severe diabetes, she lived well into her 80’s.

Because this month has been deemed Healthy Aging Month, I would like to discuss the importance of exercise when it comes to not only living longer, but to living healthier.

You already know that exercising, when combined with a healthy diet, can keep you trim. To be sure that you have the best diet possible, you may want to consider a supplement. Inform yourself on supplements by reading about Total Restore reviews. But did you know that exercise can ease the joint pain of arthritis, and it can help you to maintain flexibility so that you can still tie your shoes well into old age?  Regular exercise also keeps your heart happier (and healthier)!

Basically, do not think that because you have passed a certain milestone, such as 50 years-old, that you can stop moving. On the contrary, you need to keep moving to stay healthy.  Consider the example of Jack Lalanne.  He had an exercise show that spanned from the 1950’s through the 1980’s, and he passed away in his late 90’s, still a fit man! What an awesome example of healthy aging. Mr. Lalanne knew that healthy living, including the right diet and plenty of exercise, held the key to a long life.

Of course you don’t have to host a show to reap the benefits of exercise.  All you need to do:  keep jumping, keep stretching,  keep bending, and keep lifting.  Basically, don’t become a sloth, no matter how tempting that might be on cold winter nights.  Instead, vow to keep exercise an important part of your daily routine – just like Mr. Lalanne.

Closer to home, I have another example of someone who has kept exercising his whole life, and because of that, he can still lift heavy objects, and he still has his independence. I have talked about him before – my 76 year-old dad.  A professional archer, a champion fast pitch softball player, and an all around fit man, the only physical complaint he has – a sore knee. He is also battling bladder cancer, but he faces each chemo treatment with strength and vigor, as he remains so physically fit.

There is great news…it’s never too late to embrace physical activity.  No matter your age, an appropriate exercise regimen can drastically improve your health.  Talk to your doctor for recommendations on what is right for you.  As stated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, you should “use it or lose it.”  This means that aging doesn’t make you weak, stopping exercising makes you weak.

Think about beginning some form of physical activity if you haven’t done so for awhile. The benefits far outweigh the risks.  Of course, talk to your doctor first!

Leave a comment if you have tips for older Americans on fitting exercise into daily routines.

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