Exercise: What Are You Doing to Stay Fit?

Many people contemplating retirement believe it is a time to throw your cares away, just relax and smell the roses. However, keeping healthy should be part of every person’s journey into retirement.

Being healthy means having good physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Building a strong sense of wellness means spending time assessing your current state of health and asking, “What can I do to improve my wellbeing, including exercise?

Exercise
Shocking findings:

·  Only about 14 to 26% of retirees exercise regularly enough to meet international physical and aerobic activity guidelines
·  30 to 50% remain mostly sedentary

Health organizations, including the CDC, recommend that retirees aim for about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly.

Exercise improves cardiovascular efficiencies, lowers blood pressure, strengthens bones, builds muscle strength, and improve metabolism. Without activity you will deteriorate at a rapid rate which increases exponentially as you get older. Other benefits of regular exercise are weight control, balance, and flexibility.

The key for developing a program that is right for you is to choose the right activities. For some people, brisk walking is a good choice, while others may prefer swimming. If you like to be outdoors in all types of weather, then power walking or running may be good exercises. However, if you dislike being out in the cold, perhaps an indoor calisthenics program would be better.

For me, exercising at my local gym fits my lifestyle and need for socialization. For years I’ve attended Port Union Community Recreation Centre gym.  There is a group of us who regularly use the facility beginning at 6:00 am. Attendees include Gemma, Lilian, Barb, Sam, Frank, Eric, Sandy, Ken and Dave. We each have our own exercise routine and training targets.

One of the major benefits is social. Not only do we share life stories and experiences, but more importantly, we provide encouragement, support and accolades.

After choosing your exercise activities, create a schedule and share it with family and friends and ask for their encouragement. When you meet your goals, tell people what you have accomplished and let them know what you’re planning. This builds momentum and earns praise, both of which act as stimulus for achieving future physical fitness success.

I’m hoping you will become one of the 14 to 26% of retirees who regularly exercises!