Ways to Maintain Health and Fitness After 60

Retiring from a career after 60 years of age does not mean halting all physical activities. Daily fitness and other regular physical activities must be continued to stay fit. Whether it’s walking, swimming, running or any other exercise you perform as a routine, it is essential to continue. The overall fitness levels of the individual are only then maintained. fitness motivation quotes like ¨Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Put them together and you’ve got a kingdom.¨ by Jack LaLanne and “If you do not have time for exercise, you will probably have to take the time for illness” by Robin Sharma are good motivations for those who do not take the time to exercise often. Being positive, eating right, exercising the brain, investing time in hobbies, being social to a healthy extent, regular blood tests, etc., are some tips to be healthy. Maintaining one’s weight and blood pressure levels is also essential as far as being healthy is concerned. Keeping oneself updated by reading articles and practising them enthusiastically is a great way to stay on track with your health journey. Choosing between a fitness gym or exercising at home is the only question those above 60 need to ponder.

Benefit of Physical Exercise in Seniors

Regardless of whether people over 60 years perform physical exercises at the playground, swimming pool, home or fitness gym, some form of fit body exercise should be performed consistently. This is because the benefits of staying physically fit are many and can keep diseases at bay.

1. Maintaining weight: Growing older leads to a decrease in a person’s metabolism. Break-off from the routine way of life means a more sedentary lifestyle. This causes an increase in a person’s weight and unnecessary health complications. To avoid them, weight maintenance is the primary advice given by most doctors. Whether you want to get a fitness trainer or head to the park for a run, keeping track of one’s weight can make health complications easier.

2. Reduction of the impact of acute or chronic diseases: The effect of health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, etc., is much lowered when the body is physically fit. This is because there is better immunity, digestive metabolism, decreased stiffness, etc.

3. Better balance: Exercising regularly leads to better control of one’s balance and flexibility. Arthritic symptoms faced by most seniors can be warded off with a simple 30 minutes walk every day. The risk of falling is controlled immensely too.

Mental Health Gains from Workouts

Although older people ought to relax now more than ever, it does not mean all forms of physical activity must stop. Besides benefitting physically from fitness workouts, there are also good mental health gains.

1. Better sleep: It’s difficult for seniors to get quality sleep owing to various issues like illnesses or stress. So, workouts help them get tired enough to get satisfactory rest. Sleeping for a sufficient time means lesser stress about other things.

2. Better mood: Fitness training causes enough endorphins to be released in the body, which helps dampen any depression or anxiety. This also increases the individual’s confidence levels and helps exude a feel-good vibe always.

3. Improved brain activity: Physical exercises positively impact seniors’ brains as memory is improved, and diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s can be better controlled or even avoided. Performing many tasks and creative thinking are also seen to be increased.

Fitness Plan Tips for Seniors

Listening to music when performing weight-holding exercises.
Hiking and doing something fun like taking photographs at the same time.
Walking up and down whilst window shopping.
Watching a favourite TV show whilst running on the treadmill.
Chatting with a family member or friend over the phone during daily walks.
Watching the kids play at the park and stretching at the same time.
Joining a fitness centre and meeting new people.
Running with the dog and playing fetch.
Playing soccer with a grandchild.
Evening walks with the spouse on the beach.

Making a Steady Exercise Plan

Having a well-balanced exercise plan is beneficial for the overall well-being of older people. Maintaining a routine in the plan helps them organise their day well in advance.

1. Flexibility can be maintained by undergoing a stretching fitness plan. The body experiences a free range of motion with either stationary stretching exercises or stretching during movements, and yoga is one such form of static stretching. Stretching helps elders perform ordinary physical movements with ease.

2. Cardiovascular exercise uses the body’s larger muscles in rhythmic movements like cycling, walking, dancing, swimming, hiking, climbing the stairs, etc. These help to decrease and overcome fatigue whilst performing daily chores like cleaning or running errands.

3. Balancing exercises like Tai Chi, Qi Kong or maintaining postures help improve balancing power. The stability acquired from these exercises decreases the risk of falls as you age.

Conclusion

Once the importance of being fit is understood and experienced by senior people, it is easier to adjust to a routine fitness plan. Water exercises are a great way to de-stress older people as the joints are kept afloat by the water buoyancy. Yoga, Tai Chi, Posture maintenance, etc., are other slow movement forms of exercise that are immensely beneficial to control and overcome illnesses like Alzheimer’s, dementia, arthritis, etc. Music is a great motivational booster that can push people over sixty to perform fitness workouts. However well the physical exercise may be performed, eating healthy and wholesome foods is equally important. Cutting out greasy foods, sugary goodies, salted snacks, etc., are some ways to maintain fitness.

FAQs

What are the five types of exercise suitable for people over sixty?

Stretching exercises, swimming or other water exercises, balancing activities, cardio exercises and walking are some of the best fitness workouts for older people.

What does fitness mean for people over sixty?

Completing routine tasks efficiently and entirely within a similar period every day is a must for older people. Having reasonable control over balancing and performing regular light forms of exercise like walking is the fitness connection of most seniors.

Why are health and fitness important for people over sixty?

Being healthy means being physically fit for most older people over sixty. Having a physically fit body helps in the control of acute or chronic diseases and improves immunity. Illnesses like dementia, Alzheimer’s, bone disorders, joint problems, etc., can be managed better when the individual is physically fit.