It's
the time of year when millions of people resolve to get off the couch and
into the gym. While advice on how to become active floats around the
airwaves or appears in print, it's mostly aimed at a general audience.
For mature adults, these tips range from the helpful to the downright
dangerous. The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), the world's
fastest growing trade association for the senior fitness and wellness
industry, has come up with 29 tips specifically aimed at helping older
adults become and stay physically active.
The ICAA is aware of the many considerations older adults face when
beginning an active lifestyle. The 50-plus adult's physical capabilities
and chronic diseases make this individual's needs different than those of
a younger person.
Too often people jump into exercise or try to do what they did 20 years
ago, injuring themselves in the process.
To encourage older adults to become active and to minimize their risk of
injury, the ICAA has put together the following tips with the help of the
organization's renowned board of advisors:
1. Get a checkup Meet with your healthcare provider to see whether you'll
need to consider any special modifications before starting an exercise
program. If necessary, get a clearance to begin a program.
2. Know your options Before starting any program, examine your options.
Pick a program you know you will enjoy. Some individuals like to go to a
gym and do a structured workout, while others enjoy a neighborhood walking
club. Either will help improve your fitness, ability to function and
quality of life-but only if you do it regularly.
3. Determine your participation style Would you prefer taking a class or
going solo? Are you a morning or night person? Does indoor fitness appeal
to you, or would you prefer to play outside? Could you dedicate large
blocks of time to physical activity or could you fit only shorter, more
frequent intervals into your schedule? Be realistic about how you
participate.
4. Start slowly Many people are eager to get started and sometimes overdo
it, which usually makes them sore and can make them want to stop. A good
way to start slowly is to discover your baseline. Record all your
activities during each waking hour or for two- or three-hour time blocks,
tracking how much time you are sedentary (e.g. sitting at your desk) or
active (e.g. walking to the bus stop). At day's end, count how many hours
you have and have not been physically active. Then look at when you could
fit some short (e.g. 10 minutes) bouts of brisk walking into your day.
5. Make a date, Find a buddy to exercise with you and keep you
motivated. Whether it's a friend to walk with in your neighborhood or a
personal trainer in a gym, that appointment makes it more likely you'll do
the walk or workout.
6. Set specific short- and long-term goals Make goals as specific as
possible. For example, On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I will do a brisk,
10-minute walk in the morning before my shower, at lunch time and after
dinner. Being specific means you are planning for activity in your day and
making it a priority. Long-term goals are also important. Is there an
activity you would like to do that you feel physically incapable of at the
moment, but may be able to do with a little effort? Set a long-term goal
to help you do it.
7. Make a list List the benefits you expect from your physical activity
program, then make sure these are realistic and reasonable. Many people
expect enormous benefits, such as losing 30 pounds in a month. When these
benefits don't materialize, they feel disappointed and relapse because
they feel like they've failed. Try to make the benefits about things you
can control, rather than an outcome (such as weight). Build your list of
benefits as you increase your physical activity-you'll be surprised at how
long your list becomes.
8. Make another list List all the reasons to be physically
active-things like decreasing stress or depression, stronger bones,
greater strength and flexibility to help maintain independence, increased
energy, better sleep, etc. Keep this list in a visible place as a daily
reminder of the long-term rewards.
9. Invest in your health Do you want to spend money on joining a program?
Or would you prefer to develop a program you can do for little cost, using
objects or props in your home or office? Both options are available.
10. Checkout the facility you want to join Does the facility feel
friendly? Can you change clothes comfortably? If the facility has a pool,
what is its water temperature? About 84-86°F is comfortable for moderate
to vigorous activity, while warmer temperatures are nice for
range-of-motion and relaxation programs. Does the pool or workout room
have an easy and safe exit/entry? Ask to try various programs, so you can
decide which program feels the most comfortable and fun.
11. Checkout the staff Are the people who work in the facility friendly
and interested in you? Are they qualified to work with older adults? Do
the staff members each have a college degree in health? Do they offer
pre-exercise fitness assessments, with periodic updates? Are they
interested in helping you learn how to modify exercises to fit your
fitness level and conditions? Do they encourage social interaction? Talk
to mature adults who currently participate in their programs to build a
complete picture.
12. Make choices To move forward, we need to leave some things behind.
What are you willing to give up to make room for exercise? Bad habits?
Nonproductive activities? Nonbeneficial relationships?
13. Every step counts Wear a step counter throughout the day to count how
many steps you take. Less active people tend to take about 4,000 steps or
fewer per day. Aim to do 250 to 1,000 additional steps of brisk walking,
until you reach 8,000 to 10,000 steps in a day.
14. Keep moving all the time Stretch, walk, march in place, stand and sit
as many times as possible when you're talking on the phone or during TV
commercials.
15. Do your own house and yard work
16. Create a support network Tell friends and family about your new goals
and ask for their support and encouragement. Involving others often helps
us to keep our commitments. Consider scheduling telephone reminders from
your support network to help keep you on track.
17. Know your challenges List things that keep you from being active and
come up with a solution for each. Recognize that challenges can be
overcome.
18. Use the principles of progressive overload and specificity Exercise in
a way that makes your muscles work harder than they are accustomed to, but
in a gradual and progressive manner. And understand that you get what you
train for, so exercise according to your desired outcomes.
19. Join a class Select an exercise class appropriate for your health
status and ability. Check with your local YMCA, JCC, hospital-based
fitness program, city recreation program or health club to view the course
offerings. Visit the local arthritis foundation for a list of all aquatic
and land-based classes designed for those with arthritis conditions.
20. Wear the right shoes Foot comfort and support is important for all
impact physical activities. If you have arthritis, diabetes or orthopedic
problems, you can remain physically active with the help of appropriate
shoes.
21. Participate in events Once you're more physically fit, set a
goal to participate in a charity event. Prepare to walk, run or bike to
raise money for a special cause. Ask a friend to be your exercise and
event partner.
22. If it hurts, don't do it Work around pain, not through it.
23. Focus on the major muscle groups in the legs, chest and back
24. Do balance exercises, as well as strength exercises
25. Keep a journal Record activities that have become easier to do in your
life, as well as those that may be more difficult. Instructors can help
you progress and modify exercises, if needed.
26. Make your car work for you Park at the outer edges of the grocery
store parking lot, rather than looking for the space closest to the door.
Walk up the first flight of stairs in a high-rise, rather than waiting for
the elevator. Add another floor every week. Walk to the grocery store or
other services when possible.
27. Reach up Take items from the highest shelf you can reach in the
kitchen and wash them. Do a different cupboard each week.
28. Follow a well-rounded program Include all five components of a
successful program: warm-up, flexibility, cardio, resistance and cooldown.
29. Reward yourself Once you've reached your goal, treat yourself to
something that reminds you what a good job you've done and encourages you
to continue. Make it something that feeds your spirit, but is not
necessarily food or an expensive purchase. T
These tips were created by the following members of the ICAA advisory
board: Steven Blair, P.E.D., director of research, the Cooper Institute
Melane Kinney Hoffman, B.A., director of health campaigns, AARP Ben
Hurley, Ph.D., professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of
Maryland Jessie Jones, Ph.D., professor, Kinesiology, California State
University Fullerton Janet Seaman, P.E.D., executive director, AAALF Mary
E. Sanders, M.S., Department of Health Ecology, University of Nevada Terry
Fay, B.A., director of resident programs, Senior Lifestyle Corporation
Kevin Steele, Ph.D., VP, health services/corporate accounts, 24 Hour
Fitness Clubs Dennis L. Keiser, B.S., chief executive officer, Keiser
Corporation Gwen Hyatt, M.S., president, Desert Southwest Fitness, Inc
Colin Milner, CEO, International Council on Active Aging About the
International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
The ICAA is the only organization in North America dedicated to changing
the way we age by uniting and working with professionals in the
retirement, assisted living, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields.
It connects a community of like-minded professionals who share the goals
of changing society's perceptions of aging and improving the quality of
life for aging baby boomers and older adults within the six dimensions of
wellness (emotional, vocational, physical, spiritual, intellectual,
social.) The council supports these professionals with education,
information, resources and tools, so they can achieve optimal success with
this growing market.
The ICAA also takes an active role in helping to change the way society
perceives aging. The council has recently joined 49 of the nation's most
prominent health and aging organizations to work on the development and
implementation of the National Blueprint on Aging. Contributors to the
Blueprint's development include AARP, the American College of Sports
Medicine, the American Geriatrics Society, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, the National Institute on Aging and the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation.
Now,
keep up to date with daily feeds of newly posted stories about America's
Seniors...click on the box to the left