Don’t worry, be active

22 Apr 2013

Staying active and being healthy isn’t always necessarily about hitting the gym or power walking your way through life.

While the gym is definitely a good place to visit, you’d be amazed at how much incidental exercise and everyday activity can help your overall wellbeing.

Australians now have a longer lifespan and this means a bigger proportion of our population will be classified as seniors. It’s crucial to ensure that Australian seniors remain active and engaged and have the strength to continue living independently.

This is why exercise is so important. As a person ages, the amount of muscular mass decreases, despite the fact that people need healthy and strong muscles more. Inactivity can cause muscle mass to decrease at a more rapid rate.

Using the gym effectively

What’s important about going to the gym is making sure you’re using the equipment properly, otherwise injuries could occur.

It may be a good idea to speak to the trainers at your gym to see if they can help to create a personalised workout for you and your specific needs.

Remember, as you get older your goals may change. While previously your aim may have been to lose weight or get fit, now your goals may be to improve your balance and posture, or lower your cholesterol. A lot about going to gym and staying active is also focused on increasing bone density to avoid osteoporosis and alleviating joint pain.

This is why it’s particularly important not to overdo it at the gym, even though it may be tempting to hop on the treadmill and pound the hypothetical pavement. If you aren’t careful on certain equipment you may push yourself too far, potentially causing injury.  

There are some gyms around Australia that have a specific focus on active seniors, some even with seniors-only classes.

Alternatively, almost every gym offers personal trainers on an ongoing basis for a fee or for a free session when you sign up. With their support you can go over any concerns and learn how to use the equipment, what weight you’re capable of carrying for strength training and how to best achieve your goals.

Just remember, if you do decide to do strenuous exercise, stretching is just as important, before and after your session.

Stretching your muscles warms them up before you put pressure on them and stretching after gives them the appropriate support to cool down. Allowing yourself adequate time to stretch also ensures your muscles stay loose and relaxed rather than tightening up and impeding not only your exercise routine but sometimes even your day-to-day schedule.

Everyday activity

Incidental exercise can sometimes be almost as beneficial, if not more, than hitting the gym. Taking the stairs or doing some gardening has been proven to prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and decreases the risk of artery disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes.

It can even be as easy as doing household chores like vacuuming, walking on the spot during the ad breaks of your television show or getting out and about in the garden. Bending down (properly) to tend to plants works your core and your leg muscles just as effectively as slugging it out at the gym does. You’re just enjoying the sunshine and fresh air at the same time.

This can also be a solution to the ‘lack of time’ excuse many people use to avoid organised exercise as incidentals can sometimes even make up the recommended 30 minutes a day quota. 

Remember, exercise doesn’t only benefit your body. Getting out and about and staying fit is also great for your mental health, mood and memory.

Exercise can help you sleep at night, improving your overall health and wellbeing. The endorphins released during a bout of exercise can also boost your mood and staying active may increase your confidence, especially as balance is a proven benefit of physical activity. Plus, it has even been proven to help reduce falls.

It’s never too late to start.

If you can’t face hitting the gym just yet, just remember, incidental exercise is just as good. Go for a stroll with a friend rather than meeting for a meal, or join an organised exercise group. Exercise is the key to staying strong and healthy so make sure you incorporate it into your everyday life and reap the rewards.

Do you go to the gym or prefer to introduce exercise in your everyday activities? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.