Why Exercise is Vital as we Age

We all know that a healthy lifestyle is essential throughout our life. Building and retaining muscle is key to our energy… crucial to our daily active living. A sedentary lifestyle impacts our bodies on all levels, and that saying rings true, if you don’t use it, you will lose it!

Today, seniors opt for an active lifestyle more than any other time in history.

As we age, our bodies change, and remaining physically active is critical.

Here are your “WHYs”…you may want to write them down in your journal.

Exercise helps you live a longer, healthier, and happier life. According to Harvard Health, when you are fit and healthy, you are independent and less likely to need others to care for you.

When you are active, you create energy. Exercise releases endorphins, which are essential neurotransmitters. Linked to pain mitigation and a sense of well-being. If you want to lower stress, sleep well, and feel livelier and more energetic.

Exercise is medicine. Exercise helps to prevent and/or reduce the symptoms of the disease. According to Hopkins Medicine, a more active lifestyle helps to keep heart disease, osteoporosis, depression, and diabetes at bay in older adults.

Exercise is one of the best ways to achieve self-reliance. When you exercise, you improve your balance and prevent the chance of falling by 23%.

When you have a healthy body, the chances are you’ll have a healthy mind. Regular exercise has been proven to increase cognitive health. Exercise has been proven to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by nearly 50%.

Now that you know the WHYs… let’s get exercising.

If you are new to exercise or it’s been a long time since you have exercised, it’s hard to know where to begin. You may find walking into a gym daunting and all the equipment and machines intimidating. Not to worry, you’ll quickly learn and gain confidence with proper training.

Before starting an exercise program, check with your doctor to be sure you are healthy enough to begin a fitness program.

Second, meet with a certified trainer and have an assessment done to learn which exercises are ideal for your current fitness level and what specific activities are suitable for you.

Your trainer will help you create goals and perform assessments along the way, adjusting as you move through the weeks, months, and years. Yes, years. This is for life… for LIVING. There is no finish line.

It’s always possible to begin the journey, and there is always a perfect time in your life to start.

The time is now!