Make a Move: What You CAN DO for Fitness and Fulfillment!

Make a Move: A Variety of Different Exercises You Can Do!

If you’ve spent any time watching TV over the years, you’ll doubtless have seen various commercials advertising sports drinks, shoes, or other items to help boost athletic performance. In those ads, young, impeccably shaped people complete amazing feats like flipping large truck tires, scaling walls, or any number of other demanding athletic tasks.

How does this make the rest of us feel? Do we compare to these people in any way, shape, or form? Not likely! How are we supposed to relate to these people on screen, who obviously dedicate their lives to fitness? These ads are so far from realistic it can make one feel inadequate, if not discouraged to even begin exercising!

But as with so much that crosses our TV (or computer) screens, we need to abandon these notions of what physical fitness looks like. One doesn’t need to complete a marathon to get a good, healthy amount of exercise. Even tasks like gardening have been shown to be a great way to fit exercise into one’s life.¹

Multiple reasons to start exercising in middle age (or at anytime!)

If you find yourself in middle age (40-65) and not partaking in regular exercise, there are numerous reasons to do so (once you consult with your doctor). Exercise has shown to help in all of these areas:

• Promotes independent living
• Improves balance
• Increases energy
• Can help prevent, and counteract against various diseases
  Improves brain function²

Some "best exercises" for later life

While there are many exercises you can do, here’s a small list of things to consider:

1. Time to get in the pool! As COVID restrictions settle down, group water aerobic classes are ideal. The natural resistance of the water helps alleviate the need for substantial weights, and water also puts less stress on one’s joints. Look to gain benefits in flexibility, balance, and strength!
2. Yoga. There are numerous positions in yoga that look very daunting, but you can safely partake in yoga while sitting in a chair. Doing yoga while seated places less stress on your joints, and can help increase strength, balance, mobility, and flexibility.
3. Get a resistance band and work your muscles. Resistance training helps work and tone your muscles. A resistance band is a stretchy piece of rubber and are quite affordable. By doing stretches that target your core muscles, you can help improve your mobility, balance, and posture.
4. Pilates. You may have heard of this type of exercise, and it can be difficult, like yoga, but there are simpler moves and positions you can do. Now, you may need a bit more equipment for this, like an inflated Pilates ball or floor mats, but these don’t cost a fortune either. Some of the benefits of Pilates exercises are focus (concentration), core development, and breathing.
5. Walking. Speaks for itself! But where possible, don’t dawdle. Walking at a brisk pace, especially if there are some inclinations in your walking route, can be more beneficial than a slow walk along a completely flat surface. The recommended number of steps an adult should take a day is about 10,000 (!), but your number may vary depending on your fitness level (this is something that you can discuss with your doctor as well). (It should be noted that an article published by the BBC questions this 10,000-step advice.³) In any case, walking is a great way to strengthen muscles and get your circulation going.
6. No tools required: use your own body weight to exercise. Sadly, about a third of those in later life deal with muscle loss on a severe level, so engaging your muscles is key. There are many exercises you can do that use your own body weight as resistance to help train muscles.

No need to exercise alone!
Well, you can exercise alone, but why do that when you can have company: someone to motivate you and maybe guide you along the way!

Amintro, which is designed for people 50+, is an online community platform that allows you to match with like-minded peers to form new bonds of friendship, at no cost. What better way to forge a friendship than by getting active together and sharing life?

There are any number of other activities you can do as you begin an exercise routine, but planning first is crucial. Don’t be a hero and risk injury: talk to your doctor, and see what types of exercises are best for you. The most important thing however is just to begin moving. We weren’t designed to sit all day. Most exercise is free and can benefit your health in so many positive ways. Make a move, and start exercising today.

References and Resources:

All links have been confirmed current and safe as of date published. Please hover on link to verify title accuracy and safety.

1. Lawrence, Star, Get Fit by Gardening, JumpStart by WebMD

2. Senior Lifestyle, 7 Best Exercises for Seniors (and a Few to Avoid!)

3. Michael Mosley: ‘Forget walking 10,000 steps a day’, BBC News, January 31, 2018, 

Written and contributed by Charlene Nadalin, Founder of Amintro. Amintro is the online social platform and information hub exclusively for those 50+ interested in expanding their circles of friends and staying involved, informed, and connected. Another great thing about Amintro is that it’s FREE and easy to join! To learn more about Amintro, please visit https://amintro.com/ 

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