Three gym rats in their 70s and 80s reveal how they stay fit: Its like a game of Whack-A-Mole
You know you should develop a regular exercise routine, but you lack motivation.Promises to yourself are quickly broken, and you never establish enough of the workout habit to experience any rewards.Exercising as you age is important.
It’s not only good for physical health to help prevent falls or enable you to do basic tasks — exercise is also superb for the mind.“If you want to be cognitively active, it is so important to be physically active,” explained Dr.Amy Eyler, a professor of public health at Washington University in St.
Louis.“There is a such a strong connection between these two behaviors.”First, regular exercise helps maintain bone density and muscle strength.
It also lowers the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.For older people, regular exercise helps maintain strength and balance and allows them to live independently.Research also suggests the immune system may get a bump from physical activity.There is also a psychological component.
Successfully completing a daily exercise can improve one’s mood and sense of self-satisfaction.Getting into the habit of doing regular physical activity can be difficult for some.The motivation to get moving is different for everyone.Initially you’ll need external motivation — I want to be able to play with my grandkids or keep driving the car — until you see results and the motivation shifts to internal, Eyler said.“When you set a goal, you should ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 100, how confident am I that I can do this?” Eyler explained.
“It has to be over the 90% level of confidence or you’re not going to do it.Lots of people set these goal too high and then fail.”Build to your goals.“Just walk whenever you can,” Eyler said.
“You can walk for 10 minutes pretty much anywhere — indoors, at work, at home.”And, if you’re trying to encourage others, look for positive reasons rather than nagging.“Telling someone they will be more independent if they take the...