As a Health & Fitness Professional, I constantly hear, “I am too old for exercise” or “I need to get in shape before I can exercise”. If your heart is pumping your blood and your lungs are exchanging air, then age has no bearing on exercise. Many seniors are afraid that physical activity will harm them or they are intimidated by thinking they may have to join a gym. The list goes on of reasons seniors think exercise is not for them, as they may relate the word exercise with jogging, running or doing step aerobics. This is a mindset that will put limitations on physical activity; whereas the truth is seniors can do some form of physical activity without leaving their house. The benefits of exercise can be obtained in your own home, which include keeping your independence, improving your balance, increasing your flexibility and strength and helping your heart and lungs stay healthy.

Exercise can be a threatening word for some, so let’s call exercise “Movement”. With movement we move from the living room to the kitchen or from the living room to the car and then to the store, movies or a restaurant.

The movement of walking is a heel to toe movement. By letting the heel touch the floor first, followed by the toes will make it easier to walk, with less effort in each step. A walking pattern can be made in your home, so this movement of walking can be done anytime at your convenience. It is recommended that a pattern be set at a convenient time, so this becomes part of your daily routine. By walking, you will improve your balance, strength and endurance, so you will have more energy to engage in more physical activities.

Now that you are off the couch, your goal and focus can be good health, so small amounts of Functional Fitness or movements will provide huge benefits. It’s time to put the Fun into Functional Fitness.

Some Activities to help you stay younger and feel better:

• Clean the house
• Clean out the refrigerator
• Put the groceries away – 1/2 gallon of milk and the can of coffee help build your strength. Going up on your toes, reaching those high shelves, will help improve your balance
• Water the plants in the house
• Do the laundry, putting the clothes away
• Take out the garbage and the recycle bins
• Tend to a garden, plant some flowers or vegetables
• If you have a dog, take the dog for a walk

Research has shown that adding an half hour of moderately physical movement can help with heart disease, diabetes, depression, stress reduction, sharpen your mental function and sleep better. Remember that your muscles do not know how old they are. So today is the day to take control of your health, become physical and enjoy a better quality of life. You deserve it.