Baby Boomers: 10 Tips to Consider BEFORE Starting An Exercise Program
Discussing the topic of exercise, especially around those
in the Baby Boomer generation, can be dicey. Most seniors understand
how valuable exercise can be in improving the quality of their lives
as well as lengthening them. Unfortunately, reality paints a very different
and harsher picture of Baby Boomer health during their golden years.
Take, for example, retirees who worked tirelessly for decades just
to have the opportunity to hit a golf ball - barring wind, rain and
snow - every day. A 2006 survey of amateur golfers found some two-thirds
of the mostly male respondents were overweight, but only 54 percent of
them admitted it. What's more, almost a third of the golfers polled
couldn't finish 18 holes due to an existing ailment.
Golf, like tennis, softball or bowling, need not be a grueling endurance
test for Baby Boomers. (More about improving your golf game later.)
But, you'd better start fast! Evidence is mounting, healthy habits
of fifty-somethings -- or lack thereof -- reliably predict how they
will feel heading toward age 80.
The good news: the fate of your health and golf game is literally in
your hands, if you're willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes.
So, how do you stay away from becoming a member of the 50 percent club
who starts an exercise program only to give it up in a year?
The key to succeeding is all in the preparation. What follows are some
simple, common sense tips that will make this transition to a healthier
you a much smoother one.
1. Quit making excuses about being too busy, bored, hurt or
inexperienced to make time for exercise.
2. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to get moving in
the right direction. Although still rare, the number of physicians
prescribing exercise to extend life and fight disease in America is
growing. And it's effective, according to a recent study of some 4,300
sedentary patients in Spain. Among the 2,200 Spanish patients who received
prescriptions for exercise, more of them reported increased physical
activity than those who didn't receive one. One caveat: experts believe
a customized, personalized exercise regimen prescribed by a doctor
does far more good than general advice alone.
3. You get a better outcome if you pay attention to how this lifestyle
change makes you feel, than if you concentrate solely on your
appearance. This was shown in a study of group fitness by the Department
of Exercise and Sport Science at East Carolina University.
4. Don't try to make up for years of inactivity in one session.
Listen to your body and don't overdo it on the first day.
5. Don't short-change this important investment by going cheap.
Invest in the proper equipment, starting with good shoes; take lessons
or get a trainer.
6. Walking is an effective and inexpensive way to start an exercise
program.
7. Better eating habits are just as vital to improving your
overall health as getting the right amount of exercise. Depending on
diet alone over exercise may cause your body to lose valuable muscle
mass as well as fat. Portion control is key.
8. Getting the right amount of sleep is also critical. There
are risks associated with getting too much or too little, according
to a number of studies released at this year's meeting of the Associated
Professional Sleep Societies. Collectively, the studies support existing
evidence that those who regularly get fewer than five hours of sleep,
or more than nine, may be putting themselves at risk for a host of
ills including diabetes, obesity, and premature death.
9. Consider joining your fellow Baby Boomers at the gym. Since
1990, health club memberships among the 55-and-over set have multiplied
by a factor of five, according to the International Health, Racquet
and Sportsclub Association.
10. Make fun an important part of any exercise plan you prepare,
whether it means working out with a friend, listening to your favorite
music or that next book with a MP3 player or mixing up your routine
by indulging in a sport you used to play, like golf.
For all of you golfers interested in improving your game, veteran trainer
Sean Cochran, who has worked with PGA Tournament champs Phil Mickelson
and Peter Jacobsen, believes a pre-round warm-up regimen will
do the trick. See links below for more info.
Before you schedule that next tee-time, however, you'll also want to
check out a series of detailed exercise tips prepared by the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons just for Baby Boomers, appropriately
titled Save Your Knees.
For more helpful exercise tips, please visit contributing article
sources at the links below:
How
to Buy the Best Walking Shoes for Exercise
Golf
Fitness Exercises to Improve Your Performance
Save
Your Knees: Starting an Exercise Program
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