Majority of people think that the older you get, the less active you’ll become. Chronic pain, fear of injury, or health issues are the common reasons why most seniors prefer to live a more sedentary lifestyle. While it’s true that aging may cause inflexibility, compromised balanced, and other physical limitations, leading an inactive lifestyle might only make things worse.
As a concerned provider of non-medical care in Contra Costa, ACN Referral Agency highly recommends exercising for seniors. However, wanting to exercise and actually sticking to an exercise regimen is not always easy to do. We believe that finding the right activity is the key to establishing and maintaining a successful exercise regimen.
We offer the following recommendations to help you live healthier during your retirement:
- Find an activity that you actually enjoy.
For some, exercising sounds like a chore. However, once you find an activity that you actually enjoy, exercising becomes more fun and exciting to do. Depending on your interests, there are a limitless number of activities that you can choose from. Whether you like walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, yoga, or some other activity, find one that best suits your preferences. Finding an activity that you enjoy also helps you stick to actually doing it. - Consult your physician.
Once you find an activity that you want to pursue, make sure to consult your physician first. If you have past injuries, a chronic health condition, or a physical limitation, consult your doctor whether or not your preferred activity will bring you more harm than good. You can also ask them for activity suggestions that they think is best given your situation. Remember, the purpose of exercising is to help you live healthier, not to injure or hurt yourself. - Establish your schedule.
Serious about following and maintaining your exercise regimen? Establish a fixed schedule. Insert it into your daily routine. After all, you make time each day for certain activities such as eating, watching your TV shows, or walking your dog, so why not make an exercise schedule too? If you try to wait for a “convenient” time to exercise, you might end up making excuses and end up not doing it. - Start small.
Don’t rush into anything – start small. Ease your way into your exercise regimen. If you have been sedentary for quite some time, give yourself time to adjust to your new routine. For example, you can take a short, 10-minute walk around your neighborhood when you’re starting out. Gradually increase your time as you go on. - Stick to it.
Did you know that it requires several weeks of constant repetition for something to become a habit? Make sure to stick to your established exercise routine and before you know it, exercising will become a natural part of your life!
Retirement doesn’t equate to a boring, inactive life. Find time to do activities that you enjoy, while reaping numerous health benefits! If you require assistance with your activities, or if you are looking for Senior Care in Bay Area Counties, know that ACN Referral Agency is here to help you.
Leave a Reply