Exercise and the Elderly - Exercise Keeps You Young

Exercising in general, is one of the best activities for seniors. There are many exercises that can be done, at any ability level, and in this article, we will briefly discuss a few. In future articles, we will discuss specific activities that you can do for relaxation, exercise and entertainment.

When you were younger, you were always on the move. You probably had to take care of a family, and had to deal with the demanding tasks of every day life. You didn't realize it at the time, but all of that work and moving around was actually keeping you fit. However, now that you are much older, you don't have the same responsibilities that keep your body moving, and you need ways to motivate yourself to do any form of exercise.

When we talk about exercising, we are referring not only to the body, but the mind, too. Exercising helps you sweat and remove toxins from your body. It also increases your heartbeat, keeping your heart healthy. Exercising also helps give you more energy throughout the day, and allows you to sleep better at night.

3 Tips for Exercising and Staying Healthy

Here are 3 tips that should motivate you to start exercising and staying fit in the years to come:

* See a Doctor First - The most important point we should make about exercising is that you first need to talk with your doctor, and see how fit you are, and ask your doctor what type of exercises might be best for you. All doctors know that exercising will most likely help you live a longer and happier life. However, you need to make sure you don't have any problems with your heart, or other conditions that might keep you from getting started immediately.

* Do What You Like and Don't Over Train - It's important to find exercises that you enjoy, and participate at a level of your current fitness, because you don't want to over train, or over-exert yourself. Take your time, and exercise slowly, and try to challenge yourself a little bit more as the days go by. If you exercise regularly, you will slowly begin to see results. Remember, you aren't competing against anyone, and you don't want to exert yourself, too much.

* Take a Walk Each Day - If the conditions are good enough, you should go for a walk outside each day. You should try to walk for at least 30 minutes a day. When your condition improves, you might want to extend that to an hour. You accomplish three things:

1. You are getting some well needed fresh air, which is great for your lungs
2. You are helping your cardiovascular system, making your heart and lungs stronger
3. You are able to socialize with people, which is a great way to keep your mind active and prevent you from being isolated

Fun Activities for Seniors

Here are some fun activities for seniors. They are exercises and activities that are fun, but exercise the heart. So, you don't really feel like you are exercising at all:

* Swimming - Swimming is a great recreational and social activity where you can have fun, relax your mind, and get a good cardiovascular workout. Many communities have programs to keep seniors feeling fit and happy. Swimming can be a low impact aerobic activity, and it doesn't put any strain on your joints, like jogging or some other activities. It also helps you stay flexible and loosens up your joints.

* Dancing - There aren't too many people, who don't like to dance. If you are someone that has never liked dancing, once you start with a group of other people, it's very addictive. You can listen to your favorite music and start exercising freely. Do your own moves, make up new ones, and learn new ones. You are almost never too old to dance.

* Tai-Chi or Yoga - Try something exotic like Tai Chi or yoga. Both can help you keep your body flexible, and help you meditate and keeps your mind feeling clear.These are both great activities for seniors, and excellent ways to keep you exercising and staying fit. Both incorporate slow movements, but really give you good workouts.

* Gardening - Did you know that gardening is not only a fun hobby, but it doubles as exercising,too? As you are pulling weeds, pruning, and digging, you are strengthening muscle, and getting in a workout. Not only that, it is great for your mental health, because there is a feeling of accomplishment when you see your fruits, vegetables, flower, and plants grow.

Activities for Seniors - Conclusion 

There are many activities for seniors that help you keep exercising and staying fit. There are other activities that help you relax and keep you mentally alert. In future articles, we will discuss these topics specifically.