Senior Fitness Tips: “Safety 101”
With every New Year millions of Americans, including seniors, resolve to get back in shape or lose a few pounds. Though many people’s resolutions may have already gone by the wayside, even though it’s not yet even the end of January, Fellowship Square believes that getting and staying fit is important all year round. For its active seniors that want to get back in shape, Fellowship Square offers the following tips:
Check with a Doctor — For people of any age and health condition, it’s important to check with a doctor before starting a new health or fitness routine. One’s own doctor knows the specifics of his or her health status and can advise on what type of exercise routines and nutrition plan would best suit him or her.
Recruit a Friend — As Mom used to say, “safety in numbers!” This is true at any age, but important for seniors that may be taking a walk around the neighborhood, for example, or exercising early in the morning or late at night. A friend and fitness buddy can make exercising more fun, but having another person around to either spot one another at the gym or call 911 in case of emergency really gives a sense of safety and security for seniors. Bonus: having an accountability partner that shares similar fitness and health goals can help both parties achieve their resolutions and keep them going strong through January… and all year long!
Dress for the Part — From jogging to swimming, seniors that are exercising in any format should have the proper gear. Specific shoes for any given sport are very important to protect both foot and ankle injuries, and swimmers might benefit from earplugs, goggles and proper swimwear. Outside activity warrants the use of SPF – even in the winter – to protect the skin.
Don’t Overdo It — While challenging oneself is an integral part in making both a physical and mental change for the better, seniors that are just starting a new exercise routine should ease into it. This means setting a realistic schedule for the number of days and amount of time seniors will exercise each week as well as the types of exercise they are doing.
Think Outside the Gym — For those that aren’t gym-goers, there are so many other activities that get the heart pumping and also don’t require the use of a treadmill! Heading to the park with the grandkids for a game of tag, shooting some hoops, taking a hike with friends or riding bikes around the neighborhood are all great ways to get some exercise as well as social interaction.
Eat Up, Drink Up, Warm Up… and Cool Down — Just as important as working out is what happens before and after. That includes drinking plenty of water and fueling the body with the proper nutrition to provide workout endurance (such as a banana and a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter prior to a workout and a salad with lean protein afterwards). It’s also ideal to spend about three to five minutes stretching the muscles to get warmed up for the workout and then that same amount of time stretched afterwards to help the muscles more quickly recover from the workout.
Fellowship Square understands the importance of fitness in the health and wellbeing of its residents, which is why fitness has such an emphasis at all the of the Fellowship Square campuses. Working out isn’t just essential, it can be so much fun, too!
