Rehab & Exercise

National Senior Health & Fitness Day

On May 31, we will celebrate National Senior Health and Fitness Day. This is a good time for our seniors to either continue their goal of living a healthier life or develop and start an exercise program to help build strength while achieving a healthier lifestyle. This does not necessarily mean you have to join the gym and hit the weights five times a week. Many goals that we set for ourselves along these lines can be achieved in the home, believe it or not. We here at HPFY can help you establish a strength-building or nutritional program that can help you maintain your independence and quality-of-life!!

Workout Benefits to Seniors

Exercise and nutrition can benefit all of us, but seniors may benefit the most by establishing a healthy exercise and nutrition routine. As we have all gotten older, we have all experienced everyday aches and pains that we have attributed to aging. The problem is as we get older, these issues become more pronounced and can truly hinder our enjoyment or even lead to serious injury. Some benefits of a health and fitness program for seniors can include:

• Lower risk of chronic disease
• Increase life expectancy
• Energy and strength
• Improved coordination
• Psychological benefits

As the saying goes, “a rolling stone gathers no moss,” and never has this been truer when spoken about exercise and nutrition in relation to our senior loved ones. To maintain our flexibility and minimize the effects of disorders such as arthritis, it is pivotal that we keep moving our bodies. Start with low-impact exercises or activities (such as yoga) and build to more strenuous fitness programs.

3 Easy Steps to Planning a Workout Routine

As we age (and we all do), it becomes increasingly important to take care of ourselves. This can include a well-thought-out exercise and nutrition plan. One important aspect that should never be overlooked is a consultation with your doctor to make sure that your plan benefits you and is not out of your ability range. This way, any exercise, fitness, or nutrition plan is safe for you to undertake. As with any other treatment, exercise, and nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all program. Any undertaking should be tailored to your needs and abilities/limitations. A three-step approach can look something like this:

Start Simple

When undertaking any type of exercise or fitness program, it is crucially important that we start slowly and build towards any goals we have set for ourselves. Let’s face it; a marathon runner doesn’t begin training by running 26 miles. They start with shorter distances, building up to their goal of 26.2 miles. Some great low-impact exercise equipment includes:

 

• CanDo Board-on-Stone Balance Trainer

   As we age, our balance can become diminished, which can lead to falls and fractures. This trainer improves balance and is ideal for exercises to improve coordination and can be made progressively more difficult as you achieve your set goal.

  

  CanDo Board-on-Stone Balance Trainer

• Advanced Progressive Resistance Exercise Putty

   This exercise putty allows for infinite levels of progressive resistance and can create a multi-phase resistive strengthening program with just one cup of putty. Designed for all squeezing and strengthening hand exercises, this non-oily, fragrance-free exercise putty is available in a regular and large kit. This makes it ideal for home use and for individuals to progress independently.

  
  Advanced Progressive Resistance Exercise Putty

• Sammons Preston Foam Therapy Rolls 

  These lightweight exerciser rolls are designed to gently apply light pressure to your muscles and can help with neural/muscular flexibility, enhanced balance, and dynamic strengthening. Different sizes allow for all levels of beginners.

  
  Sammons Preston Foam Therapy Rolls

• CanDo Wrist and Forearm Exerciser 

  The natural aging progress can negatively hinder our dexterity and fine motor skills in our hands. This exerciser allows for repetitive functional movement to strengthen the wrists and forearms in a low-impact manner. It is perfect for those getting started in a fitness program since it requires little physical strength to be utilized.

  
  CanDo Wrist and Forearm Exerciser

Set Goals

By setting achievable goals, we can see the fruits of our labors without being disappointed due to unrealistic expectations. You should set any targets or goals in smaller increments so that once they are achieved, you can progress on your next set of goals. Not only will this make you healthier, but it will help you stick with your program longer. Once set, you can achieve these goals by using:

 

• Cuff Wrist and Ankle Weights

   As you progress in your fitness program, these wrist and ankle weights can add additional weight and resistance in order to step up your exercise game. The durable design of these ankle and wrist weights allows for the user to add weight as they achieve their exercise goals during walking or other activities.

  
  Cuff Wrist and Ankle Weights

• Sammons Preston Pedal Exerciser

  This portable pedal exerciser has wide legs and rubber feet for a secure workout just about anywhere. It can even be placed on a tabletop for an upper body workout, as well as under your desk at work or at home for a cardiovascular exercise routine. As you progress, simply turn the knob on top to increase resistance and get more out of your workout.

  
  Sammons Preston Pedal Exerciser

Keep Improving

Once you have achieved a goal, don’t be satisfied. It is only through this dedication that we can improve and get healthier at the same time. Remember, a body in motion tends to stay in motion!! Try some of these bits of training aids in order to push yourself to the next level:

 

• CanDo Twist-N-Bend Flexible Exercise Bar

   These lightweight, portable exercisers can strengthen your hands, wrists, and shoulders while promoting coordination and increasing your range of motion. Each color represents a different resistance so you can achieve your set goals and progress past them. Since each bar has the same diameter, the same muscle groups are targeted no matter the resistance.

  
  CanDo Twist-N-Bend Flexible Exercise Bar

• Polar Kool Max Adjustable Poncho Cooling Vest with Long Kool Max Pack Strips

   The danger of overheating as we push ourselves through our exercise program and goals can be real. This cooling vest can be worn under or over clothing in order to prevent our bodies from overheating during outdoor activities. This vest can be especially useful for those who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) since heat can be a trigger for MS sufferers.

  
  Polar Kool Max Adjustable Poncho Cooling Vest with Long Kool Max Pack Strips

• Thera-Band Stretch Strap

   This elastic strap has unique, numbered indicators between the loops that give visual feedback as to the progress of your exercise/fitness program. The accurate instructions are ideal for home use, and it allows for traditional static stretches as well as introducing more effective dynamic stretches so the user can progress at their own rate.

  
  Thera-Band Stretch Strap

Don’t Forget Nutrition

While the focus of May 31 is senior health and fitness, let’s not forget about nutrition as well. Our bodies function optimally when we give them the proper fuel to undertake any type of exercise routine. A balanced diet chock-full of fruits and vegetables, as well as protein, should be your goal while avoiding junk food and sugary snacks. You should still check with your doctor to make sure any diet program or supplement you decide to take is safe for you. Some nutritional supplement options for you include:

• Garden of Life Organic Fit Bar Protein Supplement

   This delicious, high-protein snack offers 13-14 g of prebiotic fiber and organic green bean coffee extract to burn fat and boost metabolism. It also has 150 mg of organic Ashwagandha to crush cravings. A great on-the-go healthy snack!!

  
  Garden of Life Organic Fit Bar Protein Supplement

•  Eclipse Sports Supplements Juice Bar Protein Dietary Supplement 

  A great source of nutrition can be in the form of juice drinks or smoothies, and this supplement is a superior blend of instantized and non-instantized whey and milk proteins. With 17 g of protein per serving, this simply needs to be added to your favorite juice drink or smoothie for a delicious protein-rich snack.

  
   Eclipse Sports Supplements Juice Bar Protein Dietary Supplement

• ISS Oh Yeah! One Bar Dietary Supplement 

  These tasty dietary snack bars provide 22 g of protein while only having 1 g of sugar. These gluten-free bars are also high in fiber and have a protein blend of whey and milk protein isolate as well as isomalto-oligosaccharides, a probiotic sourced from vegetables.

  
  ISS Oh Yeah! One Bar Dietary Supplement

• McKesson Geri-Care Joint Health Supplement Strength Tablet 

  As we age, we can run into problems with calcium levels and our bones becoming more brittle. This is especially the case for women. This supplement provides our bones with calcium and our bodies with vitamin D to help strengthen our bones and minimize the risk of fractures.

  
  McKesson Geri-Care Joint Health Supplement Strength Tablet

This May 31, we celebrate National Senior Health Day, and there are a number of ways that we can either start an exercise and nutrition regimen or ways to enhance the ones that we are already doing. While exercise and nutrition are vitally important, it is vital that we consult any of our medical professionals (such as doctors) before we begin any exercise or nutritional program. Remember, start slow and build towards your goal, but don’t stop once you hit that goal!!

 

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