As we get older we become so set in our ways, the most popular mindset is "it's too late for me to start now; what ever damage is done cannot be reversed". This could not be further from the truth. Once again, I refer to myself, and the lifestyle changes I have made since turning 50. I made up my mind that I could not go up another size, and I was determined to make the necessary changes in diet and exercise to make that happen in the healthiest way possible, without killing myself with exercise, and continuing to eat the foods I really enjoyed. It is never too late.
The American Heart Association has a physical activity readiness questionnaire that should be used as a guide before adding any additional physical activity to your routine. They ask questions and address issues such as; heart conditions and medically supervised physical activity, chest pain, dizziness and loss of consciousness, breathlessness after mild exertion, high blood pressure and associated medication, bone or joint problems, or any other physical limitations. Once you have addressed any or all of these issues with your healthcare professional, you can start to add more physical activity to your life. For more information on adult fitness, and it's importance please go to adultfitnesstest.org . The AHA also recommends exercising at least 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. This was my initial goal when starting my plan, and it has been a great guide to go by. Walking is of course the most popular, and easiest to maintain consistently. You can break it up during the day into 10 minutes, 3 times a day, or 15 minutes, twice a day. Whatever suits you and your schedule. I usually walk the dog a couple of times a day, in addition to parking farther away to get more walking in. If you have read my previous articles, I have always tried to stress the importance of finding the exercise you enjoy in an effort to develop a consistent exercise routine. Everything counts; golf, racquetball, baseball, softball, soccer, etc.
Now for some fun facts about how exercise generally affects your overall health in our later years. First realize that physical activity is anything that makes you move your body, and burns calories, and aerobic activity such as walking, jogging, biking, zumba, racquetball, etc, .is beneficial for your heart. Exercise and physical activity boosts your mental health, and relieves anger, tension and depression. In other words, it makes you feel good. It also increases your immunities, reducing your risk of cancer and heart disease. Physical activity also lowers your blood pressure which can ultimately help you reduce or stop any medications you may be taking, in addition to boosting good cholesterol. For each hour of exercise you gain 2 hours of life expectancy, even if you don't start until middle age, according to the AHA. How great is that!! Other advantages of exercise after the age of 55 are prevention of bone loss, which reduces the risk of fractures, and increase in muscle strength, which contributes to balance and coordination and ultimately reduces the risk of falling.
Basically, physical activity increases your quality of life for much longer than you could have ever imagined, and will ultimately continue your independence, without having to depend on others later in life.We have one life to live and one body to live in. Life is precious and should not be taken advantage of. It's up to you to make that difference and take that next step to the best you can be.
Make it count and live for today in order to have a better future tomorrow!!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Dance Thru Your Exercise With Zumba
A few years ago, at a racquetball tournament in Newport News, I watched a zumba class in progress. It was at the Riverside Wellness Center. The class was very full, and looked like a lot of fun. At that time the only exercise I was really participating in was racquetball, as I was never really a class person. There were many classes I tried throughout the years, but I never went more than once. I was only going for one reason; to get the exercise. It was never anything I really enjoyed, and therefore it never peaked my interest enough to come back. All I thought about while doing the class was how much pain I was in, and how hard it was, constantly waiting for the end. They should never put clocks on the wall in the room, as that seemed to be my primary focus the entire time. I immediately turned my nose up at the idea of another class situation due to my previous experiences. A few months ago I finally decided it was time to try some new types of exercises, and zumba was the first on the list. It kind of went along with the ballroom dance class I was taking, as it was technically dance related, and I thought I would enjoy it just as much. I went to a class that was supposed to be for beginners, however when I got there I found that not to be the case. Never the less, the instructor, Colleen, was very welcoming, and assured me that I would catch on and she would make sure to explain the steps as she went along. The first class was quite an experience, and I probably didn't get the exercise out of it that I should have, concentrating on the steps much more than the intensity of the movement. The women in the class were so nice and supportive, as well as Colleen, and they assured me that if I continued to come, it would get easier and easier. She also gave me a written handout explaining that you needed to have fun and let yourself go with the music. This really resonated with me, as my focus was so much on getting the steps down, and being technically correct. The next class I did let myself go a bit more, and the exercise just happened without my realizing it. That was all I needed. I was hooked. My daughter, Megan had also told me she was doing it on the cruise ship, and enjoyed it so much she was thinking of becoming an instructor. A couple of weeks after I started, Megan came home and wanted to start going as well. I took her to Colleen's class and she loved it, continuing to go almost everyday. She got very close with Colleen, and the regulars in the class and they lead her to other classes at other YMCA locations that were popular. I did go to a few more classes with Megan, and really enjoyed it more and more each time, realizing the exercise benefits, and enjoying the dancing. I ended up having to stop due to a sciatica problem for a month or so, and during that time, Megan went back on the cruise ship. The relationships she made with these women, and the instructors, in the two months she was home was priceless. They wanted to keep in touch with her while she was gone, and made her CDs of the music so she would not forget them, along with other zumba gifts. She was even leading some of the dances in the classes, as she was so good at it, and always looked like she was having so much fun.
I finally started feeling better a couple of weeks ago, and have resumed playing racquetball, as well as zumba. I went to Colleen's class last week, and it took me a week to recover, however, I noticed that I picked the steps back up easily, and really got into it so much. It felt great, and I realized how much I missed it. I went back this week again, and I am really getting into the music, reaching a new level of movement. I may actually be getting good at it. The point is that I really love it. As I said before, I have never enjoyed being in an exercise class, but this is so different. I am dancing for an hour, and getting the benefits of exercise without even realizing it. I started to think about how much I always loved to go dancing when I was younger, and how alive it would make me feel. I now have that awesome feeling again in a much different setting.
Enjoying your exercise is key to being able to incorporate it into your daily routine. I hope this article will inspire you to go out and find those activities that you enjoy. There are so many benefits,and enhancements to life, that come along with participating in group activities, as well as joining a fitness center, golf course/country club, or other facility. Your life will be so much more fulfilled without you even knowing it. Take a chance, and a step towards that which you have always enjoyed, and you will enjoy it more later in life. You will not be sorry you did.
Living and Loving Zumba
I finally started feeling better a couple of weeks ago, and have resumed playing racquetball, as well as zumba. I went to Colleen's class last week, and it took me a week to recover, however, I noticed that I picked the steps back up easily, and really got into it so much. It felt great, and I realized how much I missed it. I went back this week again, and I am really getting into the music, reaching a new level of movement. I may actually be getting good at it. The point is that I really love it. As I said before, I have never enjoyed being in an exercise class, but this is so different. I am dancing for an hour, and getting the benefits of exercise without even realizing it. I started to think about how much I always loved to go dancing when I was younger, and how alive it would make me feel. I now have that awesome feeling again in a much different setting.
Enjoying your exercise is key to being able to incorporate it into your daily routine. I hope this article will inspire you to go out and find those activities that you enjoy. There are so many benefits,and enhancements to life, that come along with participating in group activities, as well as joining a fitness center, golf course/country club, or other facility. Your life will be so much more fulfilled without you even knowing it. Take a chance, and a step towards that which you have always enjoyed, and you will enjoy it more later in life. You will not be sorry you did.
Living and Loving Zumba
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Life Is A Gift; Don't Wait For The Tragedy
Everyday there are so many stories, TV shows, ads, and reports about obesity, and the tragedies that have caused people to become healthier and take charge of their lives. I finally decided that this needs to be the subject of my next article, so here it is. Why do we have to wait for a life changing event such as death or illness to shock us into reality, and finally take charge of our health and wellness? I think it's great that there are more and more shows such as "The Biggest Loser", and "The Revolution", and even "Dr. Oz", not to mention all the cooking shows on the Food Network to promote the importance of losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. What I don't understand is how and why we let ourselves get to the point of no return. I know that everyone is a victim of their environment. We eat the way our parents eat which is the way their parents ate. We exercise the way we were taught in school, and/or by our parents. As adults we are exposed to so many new things, however we seem to turn a blind eye to the things we know we should do in an effort to maintain the norm as we know it. Always afraid to take that new step into the unknown. How will I ever live without my cakes, cookies, chocolate, creamy sauces, satiating fried foods, etc. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to talk to people about new foods I have tried, and had them tell me; "I can't live without this", or "I can't give that up", " It doesn't taste the same", "I'd rather not eat it if I have to substitute this for that". The very next comment is; "I can't seem to get rid of this belly, and I am exercising all the time".
My answer is if you want your body to change, you have to be willing to make changes. The real question is how badly do you want things to change. I have learned throughout my life that you can do anything as long as you try hard enough, and want it bad enough. We all control our own destiny. What we eat, and how much we exercise is no different than what we want to be when we grow up, or what we want to do with the rest of our lives. The information is out there for the taking, but you have to go and get it, and then do something with it. I realize that change is always the hardest thing to accomplish. I found this out being an Office Manager/CFO in my last job. I instituted many changes in my early years at the job, but this was by far the greatest challenge. People are so resistant to change. If we never take that next step into the unknown, we never improve on anything, and everything stays at a constant whether it be good, bad, or indifferent. If it's not a good change, the best part is you can always change back to what you know to be good. What have you really lost in the long run, and you took the bigger step in an effort to find out what else was around the corner that you otherwise would have never known about. More times than not, the results of the change will be positive, and you will feel a remarkable sense of satisfaction, and accomplishment for going in the new direction. I have always felt that there is always room for improvement.
Getting back to my point of the article; Take charge of your life now. If you wait until something tragic happens, you could be harming yourself in ways that cannot be repaired. It is a well known fact that getting rid of the belly fat, and incorporating daily exercise in your routine, can, and will reduce medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, and many other illnesses. This is different for everyone, and there is no guarantee as to what medicines you can reduce or cut out completely, but the benefits of eating more fruits, and vegetables, healthy whole grains, beans, lean meats, chicken, and seafood are becoming clearer and clearer each day. I know myself changing the way I eat has caused me to notice how badly my body feels when eating too many sweets, fried foods, and fatty foods. I actually enjoy the taste of fresh fruits, and vegetables, and cooking my own healthy meals gives me such a sense of accomplishment when the meal is complete. I was raised to enjoy my food, and I have learned to do just that thru healthy eating with fresh ingredients. Always remember to eat what you like, and be creative with your food. Once again, change is good, so try new things to enhance your choices, never depriving yourself of anything within reason. My advice is be healthy 90% of the time, and let yourself go 10% of the time.
EVERYTHING IN MODERATION
Life is Precious, Don't Take It For Granted
My answer is if you want your body to change, you have to be willing to make changes. The real question is how badly do you want things to change. I have learned throughout my life that you can do anything as long as you try hard enough, and want it bad enough. We all control our own destiny. What we eat, and how much we exercise is no different than what we want to be when we grow up, or what we want to do with the rest of our lives. The information is out there for the taking, but you have to go and get it, and then do something with it. I realize that change is always the hardest thing to accomplish. I found this out being an Office Manager/CFO in my last job. I instituted many changes in my early years at the job, but this was by far the greatest challenge. People are so resistant to change. If we never take that next step into the unknown, we never improve on anything, and everything stays at a constant whether it be good, bad, or indifferent. If it's not a good change, the best part is you can always change back to what you know to be good. What have you really lost in the long run, and you took the bigger step in an effort to find out what else was around the corner that you otherwise would have never known about. More times than not, the results of the change will be positive, and you will feel a remarkable sense of satisfaction, and accomplishment for going in the new direction. I have always felt that there is always room for improvement.
Getting back to my point of the article; Take charge of your life now. If you wait until something tragic happens, you could be harming yourself in ways that cannot be repaired. It is a well known fact that getting rid of the belly fat, and incorporating daily exercise in your routine, can, and will reduce medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, and many other illnesses. This is different for everyone, and there is no guarantee as to what medicines you can reduce or cut out completely, but the benefits of eating more fruits, and vegetables, healthy whole grains, beans, lean meats, chicken, and seafood are becoming clearer and clearer each day. I know myself changing the way I eat has caused me to notice how badly my body feels when eating too many sweets, fried foods, and fatty foods. I actually enjoy the taste of fresh fruits, and vegetables, and cooking my own healthy meals gives me such a sense of accomplishment when the meal is complete. I was raised to enjoy my food, and I have learned to do just that thru healthy eating with fresh ingredients. Always remember to eat what you like, and be creative with your food. Once again, change is good, so try new things to enhance your choices, never depriving yourself of anything within reason. My advice is be healthy 90% of the time, and let yourself go 10% of the time.
EVERYTHING IN MODERATION
Life is Precious, Don't Take It For Granted
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