As your body matures, changes happen which require more vigilant attention to your health. Senior physical fitness programs are becoming very popular as our maturing population takes their health into their own hands. These good physical fitness tips include safety tips and fitness advice for those over 50.

Watch Your Diet
One of the most important areas of fitness is your diet. Whether you need to lower your blood pressure, improve your heart health, lower your cholesterol, prevent diabetes or fight obesity, a healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have in your arsenal.

As you age, your metabolism slows and your body becomes more susceptible to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and clogging of the arteries. It’s best to fight these threats to senior fitness with a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. You will also need to watch out for bone health and cancer, so adequate amounts of calcium, vitamin D and antioxidants are essential.

Consider Senior Fitness Programs for Better Heart Health
Heart disease is one of the biggest threats to senior health. To avoid heart disease, you will need to eat the heart healthy foods listed in the diet recommendations above and engage in cardio exercise five to seven days a week for at least 20 minutes per session. A brisk walk, swim in the community pool or time on an exercise machine in the gym can help you burn calories and strengthen your heart.

Invest in a Heart Rate Monitor
As you mature, you need to accurately gauge if an activity is too strenuous for you since it’s important to challenge your heart without stressing it too much. A heart rate monitor is the best way to evaluate your effort level because it will tell you exactly how hard your body is working.

Many factors affect how hard your heart has to work, including weather conditions, elevation above sea level and your current health. There’s a huge difference in effort level required on a hot humid day at a higher elevation compared to a cool, breezy day at sea level. When your body is worn out by other factors such as illness, your heart has to work harder when you exercise. With a heart rate monitor, you can be sure to work hard enough without pushing yourself too far. Heart rate monitors come in a variety of forms, most of which read off your heart rate on a watch-like contraption you wear on your wrist.

• Previous Page
• 1
• 2
• Next Page