About Bill & Diane Mathis

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Misconceptions of Senior Exercising

Whether in attempts to maintain personal safety or due to the warnings of concerned family and friends there are some common misconceptions of senior exercising. There is no reason the elderly can't work out as effectively as everyone else. Following are five delusional reasons seniors can't exercise and the reality of each fallacy.

Misconception #1: You're going to continue to age anyway. Exercising serves no purpose.

Reality: Alzheimer's, colon cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity are a few of the conditions you can improve or avoid by participating in physical activity regularly. Doing exercises and strength training will help you to live longer and feel younger. With the progression of your workout routines you will notice improvements in your endurance and flexibility.

Misconception #2: You need your rest. Exercising is too strenuous for the elderly.

Reality: An inactive lifestyle is unhealthy for seniors. In fact, inactivity leads to the inability to function on your own. Have you ever heard that saying, "If you don't use it, you lose it."? That's true. You didn't spend years in school to gain the education you needed to be successful in your chosen career to let that knowledge just go away after you've retired. You didn't work very hard for years to be the best you could be in your field or build your own business so you could sit around in your senior years and deteriorate. An active lifestyle lowers the risk of living in a world of illness, medication, doctor's visits, hospitalization which is neither attractive nor entertaining.

Misconception #3: If you exercise, you may lose your balance and fall.

Reality: In actuality regular exercising reduces the risk of falling. When you exercise frequently you build strength and stamina. The constant activity enhances your balance and averts loss of bone mass.

Misconception #4: You're already too old to begin exercising; it's too late.

Reality: It's never too late. You're never too old. Chances are if you were into health and fitness when you were younger, you are still working out to some extent. But if you've never exercised, or you stopped awhile back for some reason, no problem. Start with something easy and work your way up. A short walk is a good starting point. Just don't overdo it. It's OK if you walk for only ten minutes. In no time at all you will be able to walk for 30 to 60 minutes and ready to move on to more challenging exercises.

Misconception #5: Your mobility is limited. You can't exercise because you're disabled.

Reality: No problem! It's a challenge you can meet. An increased range of motion is only one of the benefits you can enjoy when you do chair aerobics. You can also improve your muscle tone and support cardiovascular health. Other exercises you can do are lifting weights and stretches. If you are wheelchair bound water aerobics will exercise your entire body. It will help you to build strength and endurance.



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