Physical Activity Tips
Physical activity is vital for your health at any age. Starting physical activity now can improve your strength, flexibility, and quality of life. No matter how old you are, physical activity can enhance your life! An active lifestyle can help you to live independently for a longer time, as well as lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, as well as many other diseases.
Physical Activity Safety Tips:
- Always speak with your healthcare provider about ways you can safely increase the amount of physical activity you do.
- Make sure to take time to warm up, cool down and stretch.
- Remember, start slowly and build up to more intense activity.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Stop the activity if you feel pain.
- Pick an activity you enjoy!
It’s important to stay flexible as you get older, so make sure you stretch after your activity. Make sure your muscles are warm when you stretch, either from working out or after getting out of a hot bath.
There are several flexibility and strength training exercises you can even do at home, such as:
- Hamstring Stretch – Sit on a chair with another chair across from you. Stretch one leg out, toes up, with the other foot on the floor. Make sure to keep your back straight. Bend forward from the hips until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of your leg. Repeat on the other side.
- Calf Stretch – Stand with hands on the wall for support. Put one leg forward and one leg back. Press the back heel towards the floor and lean the body forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your calf. Repeat on the other side.
- Back Stretch – Clasps your hands together in front of you and round your back towards the floor, pressing your arms away from your body to feel a stretch in your upper back.
- Torso Stretch – Sitting or standing, clasp your hands straight up overhead, palms facing the ceiling. Gently lower to the right side until you feel a stretch down your left side. Switch sides and repeat.
- Wall push-ups – Place your hands flat against the wall. Slowly lower your body to the wall, and then push your body away from the wall returning to your starting position.
- Shoulder shrugs – Hold a weight in each hand (this could include soup cans, or whatever is readily available) with your arms at your side. Shrug your shoulders up towards your ears and lower them back down.
Performing regular strengthening activities can help you to: keep muscles and bones strong as you age; increase your strength and independence; reduce the risk of bone fractures; avoid falls; have more energy; and lower your stress and boost your mood!!!
Remember, there are plenty of ways to be active without setting aside a special time for “exercise”. Try taking short walks throughout your day; maybe before breakfast, at lunchtime, and after dinner. Clean your home or garage, and get out in the garden. Find something you enjoy and get active!!!!!!!!!! For more information on ways to get physically active, contact your local gym or community organizations – many offer several different types of activities daily.
The WRMPPF is a member of the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems and National Family Caregivers Association. |
