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Fitness Tips For Senior Citizens

14th February, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

The United States population is aging well and much of that is due to the fact that people are staying in better shape. There has been plenty of research that shows the positive effects of regular physical activity for the elderly. The older adult’s physical capabilities and chronic diseases make their needs different than those of a younger person so what follows is ten tips to help keep a senior citizen get the exercise they need and although they may not help a person learn how to lose weight fast, these tips can help keep a person maintain good health and allow them to do things that they did not think would be possible because of their age.
1. Check with your doctor. To find out what kind of exercises a person can do and what kind they should do, the advice of a doctor should be sought. Make sure your body is ready for an exercise regimen.
2. Research various fitness regimens. It is important to do the homework to find the best program for you. Pick a program you know you will enjoy, as some individuals want to go to a gym and do a structured workout, while others enjoy a neighborhood walking club and either will help improve your fitness, ability to function and quality of life as long as they do it regularly, but a person should not look into the programs that are advertised on late night television hat promise to help person discover how to lose weight fast at home in a week if they really want to help their body.
3. Do not overdo it at the start. People start a fitness regimen with great energy but they should make sure that they control what they do. This makes them sore and will make them want to stop. Fitness routines should be challenging but not to difficult if a person wants to accomplish their goals.
4. People do not have to do it alone. Having other people around can make a fitness regimen more fun. If a regimen is fun, a person will stay committed to it.
5. Know what you expect to accomplish. Having a goal will keep a person on track. Put what you want to accomplish down on paper. Keep a diary that records what you have done and what you will do.
6. Make good choices. Look at the bad habits that are in your life. If you have a bad habit that is hurting your body find a way to eliminate it and do something that makes you feel good.
7. Do not spend your day in bed. Stretch, walk, march in place, stand and sit as many times as possible throughout the day. When your body is used to being active it becomes easier to do many things.
8. Understand the limitations of your body. Make a list of things that are keeping you from being active and come up with a solution for each of them. People do not have to be stopped because there is a roadblock in front of them.
9. Perform different types of exercise routines. Do not only try one type of exercise. A variety of exercises will help a person’s overall health. The variety will also be helpful in removing the boredom that some people face.
10. If a person is able to accomplish what they first set out to, that is not the end. Try to get even healthier than you already have.
A senior citizen might not become a professional athlete. Just because a person has gotten older does not mean that they can not do anything. Working out has plenty of benefits. Being healthy is not just for the young. Following a fitness regimen could be more difficult then what you did in your youth but it can be done. The key is to discovering what you can do. After deciding what to do a person needs to dedicate themselves to it. It is a matter of wanting it bad enough.