As you get older, it becomes harder and harder to keep being able to do the things you’re normally able to do. This means not being able to workout or commit to daily exercise and fitness because your body just isn’t able to keep up. Although it might be harder, this shouldn’t mean you don’t get to feel healthy and fit either.
Being able to commit to a healthy lifestyle is not something restricted to the young, everyone should be able to. If you are like many other seniors, you are going to want to find ways that make sense for your lifestyle and your capabilities. Here are some practical workout tips for seniors to use.
Find Small Ways to Enjoy Exercise
Working out doesn’t always have to be about huge workouts. You just need some small exercises and find easy ways to get in your workouts. The more you can find these simple ways to exercise as a senior, the more you can really appreciate how easy it is to get in some quality fitness needs. Imagine yourself sitting down, you can incorporate pedaling to help keep your legs moving and the best exercise pedals for the elderly are not hard to come by. This is a good way to get in some small workouts to stay healthy.
Stick to Simple Movements
The keyword of simple is going to be something to keep yourself fit no matter your age. The best thing to remember is that your body can’t handle the same kinds of workouts that you could when you were younger. You want to focus on simple movements like beginner’s yoga, pedaling, walking, or anything you can imagine yourself doing on a daily basis. These movements won’t overexert your body and they will still provide some excellent fitness potential. You might not be able to do strenuous workouts anymore, but that just means you can tailor it to be easier for your lifestyle.
Make An Easy to Follow Routine
If you feel discouraged about being a senior and not being able to work out like you used to, you just need to keep yourself motivated. This motivation might be harder to come by when you don’t feel like you have the energy, but you can help resolve this by creating a routine to follow. Making a routine and scheduling your workout days and tracking progress will help keep you motivated, but it is also good to have some concrete written stuff that will let you see what you need to do. When you just make up workouts off the top of your head, you start to get lazy and forget things or forget to workout. It is always imperative that as a senior, you can keep yourself accountable for working out.
Get a Fitness Buddy
If you don’t want to do it alone out of concern for your safety or you need motivation, you can always find yourself a fitness buddy. This works well for other seniors who are looking for a friend to workout with, but it is an excellent idea if you just need someone else to help. It could be that you have health complications that make it harder for you to feel comfortable doing exercise alone. It could also be that you want someone to help push you or keep you accountable, whatever it is, seniors should take advantage of having a fitness buddy to help get you into working out.
Don’t Overexert Yourself
It was mentioned before that your body is not as spry and agile as it once was, which means injury or problems regarding exercise can be more common due to your age. Overexerting yourself is a very real problem for anyone working out, but it can be especially bad for you because of your age. Remember when to call it quits, even if your workout isn’t fully complete. You want to be smart so you can remain injury-free so it is good to be realistic about your limitations and stick to what you know. Rest is as vital to exercise as the workouts themselves.
Don’t Be Afraid to Find Help
No one starts off as an expert in anything, and the same applies to fitness as a senior citizen. You may have experience working out, but when you get older you need to remember that you aren’t the same as you once were. Finding help from active seniors or personal trainers is nothing to be ashamed of. The more help you can get, the better chances are that you will keep yourself from hurting yourself and you can learn valuable tips first-hand.
Working out as a senior is an important part of maintaining a healthy life even as you age. It’s not always easy, but these practical tips will keep you active and fit at any point in your life.