Keep Fit and Extend Your Life By Walking

Senior citizens and baby boomers are well aware of the importance of exercise, yet 85% do not exercise on a regular basis. The fact is, the more fit you are in your 30s and 40s, the easier it will be to maintain your fitness in your 60s and 70s. Regular activity will actually keep you young, in every cell of your body, perhaps even a decade younger than your sedentary peers. Anyone who exercises daily sidesteps heart disease (in most cases) and will live nearly 4 years longer than inactive people. Exercise truly is a fountain of youth.

Baby boomers and older seniors are hitting gyms and health clubs at a record rate. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association,” the number of health club members over 55 grew by 343% from 1987-2003, while the number of members in the 35-54 age group increased by 180%.” Don’t let the tools of fitness scare you or intimidate you such as exercise bikes, elliptical machines, treadmills, free weights and exercise balls.  We live in a community for people over 55.  We have a great gym here in Siena with several trainers that work with seniors to plan a program tailored for the capabilities of each individual. They also teach seniors how to use the machines safely. We have people in our gym in their 80s and 90s.  The best part is everyone is a baby boomer or older senior.  It is a known fact that seniors prefer to exercise alone or with people their own age. Our gym justifies that statement because it is always busy and no one feels intimidated or out of place.

Some of the safest and easiest exercises for seniors are walking, swimming and water aerobics. These activities have less impact on the joints. Another good activity for seniors is riding a stationary bike. It improves the strength in the thighs and does not require balance.

Walking is probably one of the easiest ways to begin an exercise plan. Almost every magazine or article you pick up has an article about walking. Walking is very popular in our community. It is also the simplest way to get exercise.  All you need is a pair of sneakers or good walking shoes and a sidewalk or path.  If you don’t have time for long exercise sessions you can walk in 10 minute sessions four times a day and still gain the same health benefits as a daily 40 or 60 minute walk.  Just remember little strolls can yield big results.  Walking to music, with a friend or even your dog will blast fat, boost your energy and tone your body every step of the way. You can burn more than 250 calories an hour just by walking around your neighborhood, local park, golf course or mall. The farther you walk, the better your mood, walking perks you up and makes you feel good. Exercise like this boosts energy levels and triggers the release of dopamine, a feel-good chemical. If you are suffering from aches and pains from arthritis, or every day wear and tear on the joints, walking has been proven to reduce these pains, banish fatigue and even strengthen your legs for better balance.

Prevention Magazine December 2007, has a short article titled “3 Tips for a Healthier Walk”. They are as follows:
1.    “Count your steps with a pedometer.  Aim to take 3,000 steps or more within 30 minutes or 1,000 in 10 minute bouts.
2.     Use a 1 minute benchmark. Strive to hit 100 steps or more in 1 minute and hold that pace.
3.    Track your laps. Try to walk a mile in 20 minutes or less.”

“A fast stride may mean living longer.  Adults in their 70s who could walk a quarter of a mile in 5 minutes were 30% less likely to die in the next 5 years compared with their peers who took 6 minutes to walk the same distance”, revealed a National Institutes of Health Study.

Moral of the story is to maximize your walk and go for speed. This will also bring your heart rate up and give you energy to last the whole day.  It is important to be consistent, choose a walking routine that fits your lifestyle and ability level, but most important, get walking!  Vary your walking pace, by alternating 3 minutes of strolling with 3 minutes at a fast, breathless pace. This will help keep your heart, lungs and joints young and maximize age-defying benefits.

The following is a simple walking plan designed by Mark Fenton, author of the new book “ The Complete Guide To Walking, New and Revised; For Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness” (Lyon Press).

“Choose one of these 15 minute walks 3 days a week and complete it twice daily, either all at once or at two different times. If it is too challenging at first, do two moderate 15-minute walks each day until you feel more fit.  Be sure to do 5 minutes of easy walking to warm up and also to cool down after each walk.”

“WALK 1.   Alternate brisk and moderate walking for 15 minutes.

WALK 2.   Alternate moderate walking, brisk walking and jogging for 40 seconds each; that is one cycle. Do 3 cycles, walk slowly for 3 minutes and then do 3 more cycles.

WALK 3.   Walk briskly uphill for 2 minutes. Walk back down the hill at a moderate or easy pace.  Now repeat this walking uphill for 3 minutes and then 2 minutes.”

These are just a few ideas to get you started. You may have some ideas of your own.  I started walking about 5 years ago when I moved to Las Vegas.  I walked 3 times a week for an hour with a walking group. I have since graduated to the gym and riding my bike. I loved walking and still do. I am a young and energetic 68 year old woman. I not only lost some weight and built up my fitness level, but I met some super people as well. Walking is only one way to get the exercise you need to extend your life and be healthy.  It is, as I mentioned before, the simplest and easiest way to get started on a fitness plan.

Make no mistake you need to find an exercise program that you will stick to, one that matches your abilities and expectations as well as one you will enjoy. Start slowly, build up endurance and work toward a specific goal. If you have medical problems that preclude certain types of activities, eliminate them as choices for your exercise plan. Low impact exercise may be just right for you where a more high impact exercise like running may work if you are already relatively fit.  There are even programs for those that are of limited mobility, or perhaps confined to a wheelchair. You can sit and be fit at the same time.  We found that music helps distract us from some of the boredom and routine of exercise. We added our favorite music and singers to our iPods to match our workout routines.  Time just flies by. We see people reading on the stationary bikes and treadmill and many are plugged into the TV stations for news, entertainment and soap operas. Sometimes just meditating, perhaps while swimming laps or walking, is all you need to relax and enjoy the exercise time.

I hope you are motivated to begin your exercise program today. Here’s one more idea to try this year.  Plan an active vacation.  Learn a new sport or go walking or biking in a new and beautiful area.

Remember to take water with you when you exercise. A good guideline is to drink 8 ounces about every 15 minutes. Your body needs to stay hydrated when you exercise. An easy way to calculate how much water you need each day is to divide your weight by 2 and use that as the number of ounces you need each day.  I weigh 115 pounds, therefore, I would need 57.5 ounces of water each day.

Before implementing any changes in your physical activity consult with your doctor. Counsel from your doctor will help you to choose the  most appropriate types of exercise for your age and physical condition. Fitness varies from person to person. Fitness is influenced by many factors; sex, age, heredity, exercise, and nutrition. You have the power and ability within you to take charge of your fitness through exercise and a healthy diet.

Happy Walking Folks!

Chuck and Gayle