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seniors biking

Healthy Aging and You: Finding Your Voice, Making Your Contribution to Life

/16 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

When we reach a certain stage of life we are confronted with the reality – and question – of how we have lived that life. Did I care passionately about something? Did I care about my own unique contribution to life and if not, what DID I care about? How has my life mattered in the grand scheme of things? These and other questions have occurred to me since I first sat down to write “Healthy Aging & You” just before my 60th birthday in 2006. I have noticed as the years have passed since that moment that I have become acutely aware of the power of my thoughts, words and choices.

I feel liberated now from my past and not concerned about the uncertainty of the future because I am now part of the “flow of life” – living in the present. As I have become inspired to write again, I am feeling blessed to be able share with you the lessons I have learned along the way that enabled and empowered me to find my own voice and arrive at a place I call CLARITY. Being clear on WHO you are, what you BELIEVE to be true, and WHY you are here makes life seem so simple – and yet exhilarating – and surprising. I feel alive and hopeful and grateful each morning when I wake up. With this idea in mind I enter each new day with a passion I cannot diminish in any way.

What can you expect from today? How will you BE in life today? How will you respond to the challenges that come your way? Finally, what choices will you make today that WILL influence your tomorrow? I will share three key ideas with you that will help you answer these and other important questions that most certainly will arise as you “grow older – and not old”.

Thoughts

In my spiritual philosophy one of the principles we learn is that “thoughts are things” – meaning they are REAL – and from them springs forth our reality in form. Each of us is the vehicle through which our reality forms based upon our thought patterns and biases. What we entertain mentally has a profound effect upon how our lives unfold. Thoughts are creative. They form the foundation of our contribution to life itself.

The thought that I needed to write again occurred to me when I became aware of the ideas I was thinking about this past week. The article on learning to value oneself was the first one that had been present in my consciousness. Today my focus is on helping you “find your voice” and so this article is now “front and center” in implementing my new choices. I respond to these – and other thoughts – the same way as I have over the past decade – by taking specific ACTION – with purpose.

Since writing is a part of what I consider to be one of my natural gifts, I will express these ideas in written form today – and as a speaker at a later time. My purpose is to help “change one thing in one person’s life today” as I have alluded to on my new website (healthyhappyfit.com). This process repeats itself quite easily for me now because I have become “responsive” to life’s urgings within me and I no longer question the process. I just DECIDE and follow my thought patterns to my next step and then wait patiently for my next thoughts to emerge. This is HOW life unfolds if we allow it to BE in our lives.

Question: When do you schedule time to “listen to your thoughts” and let them find expression in form in your life? Something to consider.

WORDS

Words are the form our thoughts – and subsequent ideas – take when we allow them to move forward in our consciousness. Consciousness is nothing more than a “state of awareness” and without coming to a place of awareness we cannot grow from where we ARE to where we want to BE. I am very careful to choose words that are hopeful, loving  and filled with a sense of gratitude for when we are grateful for what we have – more of the good of life can be added to our experience.

I want more in my life of all that is good – and that I finally know I deserve.  Some of this good is recognizable to all of us and includes inner peace, prosperity, abundance, friendship, health (both inner and outer), harmony – and many others too numerous to mention here. You get the idea! I no longer want to “fight” for I want in my life because fighting implies opposition to something and I am no longer in opposition to anything. I have decided to “reach out by reaching within myself” and let my gifts do my work for me.

If your words DO indeed have power within them then CHOOSE them wisely. As Thumper’s mom said to him (Bambi) “if you got nothing nice to say then don’t say nothing at all”! That sentiment seems to work fine for me so remember your words are the vehicle through which your thoughts become “real” so choose them wisely and you WILL rewarded in kind. Your life will have become so much more meaningful and fulfilling just by simply letting your thoughts be heard in the kindest and most loving way. “Getting” becomes “giving” and this is where life expands to “meet the thinker”!

CHOICES

Making choices represents the REAL power of living life ON PURPOSE. It is in making choices – from the simple ones to the complex ones – that we set in motion the outcomes we will experience in the future. Being “in the present” means NOT staring at your phone 24/7 or not “looking up” to acknowledge another human being with a smile – and a greeting. I see this everyday in my life and it is MOST disturbing to me. Technology “runs” our lives and we have become oblivious to our surroundings – or the people that inhabit them. We CANNOT succeed in life if there is no longer a present because we are living in the past – or preparing for a future that has not yet come.

Choices reflect our priorities – or lack of same. I never want to NOT think about my choices because I know they establish my path forward. Writing and speaking come naturally to me and I want to “embody” my choices because I want them to represent me in the BEST possible way. I am always going to choose that which will enable me to be “the best example of the change I wish to see in the world”. How about you? What is your best look like to you? THINK about WHO you ARE today and ask yourself: Am I choosing wisely and if now why not? You WILL BE rewarded in kind for your “thoughtfulness”!

IN CONCLUSION

Our thoughts, words and choices reflect WHO WE ARE today. Are they helping us or hindering our progress? Finding “our voice” means that we know WHO we are and WHY we are here. Let your thoughts speak volumes FOR you through the words you choose and the choices you make. Let the world “see” the REAL you and know within yourself that you not only CAN but ARE making a difference by your very presence in the world. Leave your regrets behind and never have to live with guilt again. Be free to live the life you always dreamed of living and START TODAY! Don’t wait for tomorrow for we may not get tomorrow. Believe in your power and express it with love, authority and clarity! You will be amazed at what happens next! Travel well.

Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.

Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.

If you need help in designing a fitness plan, you can contact Nicholas Prukop via email at runningnick@sbcglobal.net or read his inspiring book Healthy Aging & YOU.

health-coaching-wordglobe

You Need a Coach

/11 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

You Need a Coach.

This is a subject I am REALLY passionate about.

As most of my readers know, I’m writing to you from the perspective of a weight loss, nutrition, and fitness coach.​  

I own my own facility coaching others like you. 

And I have a coach. 

You need a coach.

You see, despite being a highly qualified coach myself across multiple areas, I hold a deep belief that everyone needs a coach in their life.

I have a business coach that I speak to 2 times a month, and it’s been a powerful investment I’ve made in myself.  I love the personal growth that comes from it.  There is tremendous value in being coached.  She tells me yes when I say no and vice versa. 

So what area of life should you look for a coach in?

Anywhere you are struggling, really.  Struggling with weight loss?  You need a coach. Struggling to make major decisions in life?  You need a coach.  Struggling to transition careers?  Hire a coach. Looking to improve athletic performance?  Hire a coach.

Think about it…there are not many people (if any) who reach high levels of success in life without a coach.  It’s too hard to go it alone, to know what to do, to see things in life objectively.

​The number one reason I hear from people for not hiring a coach is cost.

How many times have we tried to “do it on our own” and failed?​ Here’s the thing…we can’t afford not to.  We need accountability, support, guidance, advice, etc.

I’ve been there and fallen off the wagon.  I’ve given up and stopped believing in myself. 

But, the difference is that when you’ve got someone to bring you back to reality and pick you back up, life just gets easier and less lonely.  We all need an objective eye on our lives, someone who sees things entirely from an outside perspective.

So, if you have a goal that you want to achieve, stick to for the long run, and you believe investing in yourself is a top priority, hire a coach.  Go on that journey. Change your life, in whatever aspect you seek change.  

You’ll gain more than you ever expected.

Originally published on MoveWell Fitness. Reprinted with permission from Maurice Williams

Maurice D. Williams is a personal trainer and owner of Move Well Fitness in Bethesda, MD.

Disabled Man with family practicing yoga outside.

Patient Activation Network Interview with Alene Brennan

/6 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

Matt Cavallo, MPH, patient advocate, author and speaker, interviews Alene Brennan, a Nutrition Coach, Yoga Instructor, Personal Trainer and Natural Food Chef.  Alene overcame debilitating migraine headaches through diet and lifestyle and is now once again using a “Less Pharm, More Table” approach is managing her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

Since receiving her MS diagnosis and seeing first-hand the power of using diet and lifestyle to create a healing environment in the body, she dedicated her virtual nutrition coaching practice to helping people with MS and autoimmune take back control of their health. She connects with clients around the world via phone and video chat to help them transition to a healing diet and lifestyle and manage the symptoms of chronic illness.

Listen to the podcast from Patient Activation Network:

 

Our health is truly the only thing that connects us. Whatever your age, gender or background, health is the great equalizer. The Patient Activation Network was created by patients for patients to accomplish real change in healthcare. Visit patientactivationnetwork.com for more podcasts.

Matt Cavallo, MPH is a patient experience speaker, author, and podcaster who motivates audiences worldwide with his personal patient experience and genuine storytelling style. At age twenty-eight, Matt was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Seemingly overnight he went from a fully-functioning, healthy man to someone who was numb from the waist down and unable to walk. As a result of his diagnosis, Matt has dedicated his life to improving the patient experience. Matt is the founder of PatientActivation Network. 

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Losing Weight with Yoga

/5 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

Yoga offers many of benefits to the body, but one, in particular, is that it can help facilitate weight loss. Many experts will agree that doing yoga is one of the best ways to lose weight.

While it is true that yoga is not as fast-paced as some cardiovascular exercises, yoga poses can help in promoting body detoxification at a certain level. There are also some poses, specifically vinsaya flow and power yoga, which combine the benefits of both strength-training and cardio exercises.

How Often Should I Do Yoga to Lose Weight?

Now that you know that yoga does offer plenty of weight loss benefits, you may be wondering how much yoga you should do to reap weight loss benefits. How often should you do yoga to lose weight?

The truth is, you can do as much yoga as you want. At least, as much your lifestyle will allow you too. Some people do 30 to 60 minutes of yoga 3 to 5 times a day. But this is not the magic number. You can do 10 to 20 minutes of yoga every day if that is more suitable for your schedule.

Aside from practicing yoga on a regular basis, what other things can you do to make the most out of the weight loss benefits of yoga? Well, it seems like there are plenty! These are as follows:

Prioritize the mind/body connection.

The main purpose of yoga is to establish the connection between the mind and the body. It is also one of the reasons yoga can help people lose weight. It is only through maintaining a balance and connection between these two that you can make the most out of your workouts, curb your unhealthy cravings, and practice mindful eating.

So, before you focus on doing more difficult and more calorie burning poses, it’s important that you practice meditation first.

Do poses that use large muscle groups.

Yes, yoga is not as calorie burning or as athletic as some exercises are. But you can boost the calorie burn in your yoga sessions — choose poses that utilize large muscle groups. Aside from increasing the calorie burn, it can also improve the fat burning, muscle toning, and fitness benefits of the yoga session. Examples of these poses are lunges, warrior one and two.

In addition, you can also try the Vinsaya flow which requires you to be constantly on the move. To help you focus more on the core, you can also try the boat pose.

Try gentle and restorative yoga from time to time.

While it is true that Vinsaya yoga may be the first option for weight loss with yoga, there are also times when gentle and restorative yoga can also support weight loss.

This type of yoga can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. As a result, the digestive and respiratory systems are regulated. In fact, even the hormonal balance in the body is maintained. Once the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, you can easily control your hunger pangs and unhealthy cravings.

In addition to that, gentle and restorative of yoga can help to slow you down mentally. As a result, it would be easier for you to prevent eating caused by emotions.

If you are a newbie, this is also the perfect kind of yoga to start!

Do it regularly.

It takes commitment before you can experience results. It’s important to invest time in doing yoga on a regular basis. No matter how effective poses, if you don’t do it regularly, you won’t see the desired results.

Don’t forget your diet.

Keep in mind that diet and workout go hand in hand; it’s a must that you pay attention to your diet too. Luckily, practicing yoga can help you make healthier food choices!

Conclusion

For decades, we have known that yoga comes with plenty of health benefits — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

With the tips mentioned above, you can surely be able to reap the fat and weight loss benefits that yoga is known for. Try out these tips, and for sure, you can be able to get rid of that excess weight and fats in no time!

Emily Brathen is founder of BodyShape101.com, a blog where she and her associates talk about exercise, fitness, and yoga. Their aim is to help people like you to achieve perfect body. BodyShape101 is concentrated on exercise & fitness tips, and making the most out of it. She is also a mother of one and she tries to find balance between her passion and her biggest joy in life.

cereal-banana-oj

Breakfast is for Champions

/3 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

I don’t have time, I’m not hungry in the morning and I’m on a diet are three common excuses for missing breakfast. Unfortunately, athletes who skip breakfast generally suffer needless fatigue. They tend to have trouble concentrating later in the morning, and they work or study less efficiently. They can easily overeat at night and gain undesired body fat. Clearly, breakfast is a very important meal of the day!

If you are a breakfast skipper and routinely miss this energizing meal, try this experiment: Eat breakfast for three consecutive days and observe the benefits: more energy, less hunger, better nutrition. You’ll quick­ly discover breakfast is a key meal for champions!

Here are solutions to some breakfast barriers:

I don’t have time

You really do have time to do what you want to do. If you can make time to exercise, you can also make time to enhance your exercise program by appropriately fueling your muscles. You’ll discover:

  • you can think, work, and recover better if you eat breakfast within an hour of your morning workout.
  • you’ll have much more energy during an afternoon workout if you have eaten a substantial breakfast.

If you won’t eat breakfast at home, then simply eat breakfast on the run: a bagful of raisins and granola at the bus stop, a bagel with peanut butter on the way to school, or a yogurt and almonds at work. You don’t have to eat breakfast immediately upon getting out of bed. Your morning break can be more than just coffee!

I’m not hungry in the morning

Most often, athletes who lack a morning appetite ate their breakfast at bed­time, the night before. Too many evening snacks can easily ruin your morning appetite and also contribute to weight gain (if you overeat), dietary deficiencies (if you displace healthful breakfasts with “junk food” for snacks) and muscle fatigue (if you eat high-fat evening snacks—such as chips, chicken wings, ice cream—that inadequately refuel your muscles). Plan to rearrange your meal pattern so you eat a heartier breakfast, fewer evening snacks—and wake up hungry.

I’m on a diet

The most successful diets start with a substantial breakfast and end with a lighter dinner. A wholesome, carb-protein breakfast both fuels and builds your muscles and also prevents you from get­ting too hungry. When too hungry, you are less likely to care about what you eat and more likely to indulge in sweets and treats. Research suggests athletes who under-eat during the day have more body fat than those who eat adequately during their waking hours. Remember: You are going to eat the calories eventually; you might as well enjoy them in the morning in the form of quality food that keeps you feeling well-fed.

What’s best to eat?

Any breakfast is better than no breakfast, but some choices are better than others for your sports diet. You can easily boost your energy with some of these breakfast foods that fuel your muscles and your brain: oatmeal, whole grain cereal, whole-grain waffles, French toast, bagel, English muffin, banana bread, grits, fruit, juice, or whatever carbohydrate-based foods that might be readily available. Add some protein to build and repair muscles: eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, nuts, and peanut butter.

One quick and easy “breakfast of champions” is iron-enriched cereal with lowfat milk, banana, and orange juice. This simple meal provides important nutrients that support your athletic program:

  • Carbohydrates: the best source of muscle fuel. Carbs should be the foundation of every sports-meal. A breakfast with whole-grain cereal, milk, fruit, and juice is an easy way to help meet that goal!
  • Iron: a mineral important for carrying oxygen from the lungs to your working muscles. An iron-rich diet reduces your risk of becoming anemic and experiencing needless fatigue during exercise. By enjoying orange juice along with iron-enriched cereals, you can absorb more iron. Note: the “all natural” cereals such as granola or Kashi, have no additives, hence no iron added. Combine them with enriched brands.
  • Calcium: from milk or yogurt eaten with the cereal. Calcium is important for strong bones, as well as for helping muscles contract properly.
  • Potassium: a mineral (electrolyte) lost in sweat. Bananas, OJ, whole grain cereals are potassium-rich.
  • Fiber: to promote regular bowel movements and reduce the risk of unwanted pit stops during exercise. If plagued by constipation, select raisin bran, bran flakes, All-Bran, or any type of bran cereal. If diarrhea is a problem, reduce fiber intake!

Summary

A carbohydrate-based breakfast that also includes some protein is a critical energy booster that helps athletes fuel and repair their muscles. Without this morning meal, you are likely to run on fumes, per­form less effectively, and reduce your intake of nutrients that contribute to health and top performance. Try these meals for a high energy day:

  • Bran cereal, banana, chopped almonds, and lowfat milk.
  • Whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, and a latte.
  • French toast, ham, orange juice, and Greek yogurt.
  • Greek yogurt with granola, almonds, and berries.

Reprinted with permission from Nancy Clark.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her best selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook and food guides for marathoners, cyclists and soccer players offer additional information. They are available at www.NancyClarkRD.com. For her popular online workshop, see www.NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.

fast food

Fast Food Genocide

/2 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

In his latest book, Fast Food Genocide, Dr. Fuhrman details the shocking role diet has played in derailing the American dream for large segments of our population. He explains how these foods destroy not only our physical health, leading to cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease — he also explores the previously overlooked association of diet’s influence on behavior, emotional health and intellect. The fast and processed food industries keep people hooked on their unhealthy, highly addictive products and that has led to a national health crisis. This tragic and far-reaching epidemic of inferior nutrition can be turned around, and Dr. Fuhrman offers hope, explaining the powerful way a Nutritarian Diet can solve what has become a national health crisis. It is an eye-opening book all of us need to read and share with our friends. Below, Dr. Fuhrman answers what motivated him to write this book and some of the questions surrounding it.

How Can Fast Food Be Genocide?

Genocide — the deliberate destruction of a population — is the most accurate way to describe fast food’s devastating effects on our society. Processed, nutrient-barren products are designed by the food industry to be highly addictive, cheap to produce, and highly profitable. These products do not contain the nutrients humans need to thrive, and in those using them as a primary food source, it has created an explosion of disease, much suffering and death. Fast food and processed foods also damage our genes, which we pass on to our children and grandchildren, and we are seeing dangerous increases in autism, learning disabilities, allergies, autoimmune disease and childhood cancer. This must be stopped.

Which Foods Are The Most Dangerous?

I define fast food in two ways: First, it is the food served at commercial chain restaurants, where processed meats, pizza, burgers, French fries, pretzels, soft drinks, and rich desserts are made in an assembly-line process, with commercial ingredients that are duplicated and dispersed all over the world. Second, it is any commercially-made convenience food that includes artificial ingredients, processed grains, sweeteners, salt, and oil, all with high-caloric concentration and minimal nutrient content. These foods have now become the majority of calories consumed in America.

Why Are These Foods So Damaging to Our Health?

A person who eats fast food, fried food and processed food has an increased risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disease, depression, and mental illness. Even moderate use of fast food is dangerous. For example, one serving of commercial French fries per week is linked to an over 25 percent increase in risk of developing breast cancer. The World Health Organization has declared that processed meats are a class 1 carcinogen in humans, which places them in the same category as asbestos and cigarette smoking. Fake food produces cancer-promoting signals, damages blood vessel and builds plaque. The food is most often high in calories and fattening. Weight gain has its own dangerous consequences. Body fat produces pro-inflammatory signals, raises blood pressure, drives insulin resistance and secretes growth signals that promote cancer.

How Does Fast Food Contribute to Depression and Mental Illness?

The scope of the effects of fast food on the brain is not yet known, but based on what we know so far, we greatly underestimate these effects, especially the effects on the brains of children. A single episode of elevated blood sugar has been shown to have negative effects on attention and memory. Eating commercial baked goods and fast food is primary causative factor in mental illness and major depression, and brain imaging studies have suggested that elevated blood sugar impairs the brain’s ability to process emotion. For young children, fast food, candy and soda consumption are linked to behavior and attention problems, and depression and suicide in teens. Mental illness now affects one in five in America, and our poor diet is at the foundation of this epidemic.

Why Isn’t This Information More Widely Known?

Some reasons why we are ignoring the devastating health crisis that is right before our eyes is that; we believe food industry propaganda and easily misled by conflicting information; we develop a desire for become addicted to these toxic foods; and we believe in the heavily promoted dogma that modern medical care can save us from nutritional-induced tragedies.

Food companies have discovered how to feed the most people in the most efficient and cost-effective manner to maximize profits. While the marketing spin promotes moderate consumption as safe, and encouraged by social norms. Scientific studies demonstrate otherwise.

REGISTER for Dr. Fuhrman’s upcoming webinar on this topic, Fast Food Genocide: How Processed Food Are Killing Us and What We Can Do About It. Watch live or recorded! Register now >

Joel Fuhrman, M.D.Dr. Fuhrman is a board-certified family physician specializing in nutritional medicine. He is President of the Nutritional Research Foundation and the author of 6 NY Times bestselling books, including The End of Heart Disease.  Visit him at DrFuhrman.com

Jodi Chair Dancing

Are People Still Chair Dancing®?

/28 March 2018/ All MFN blog/

Many years ago in what feels like a land far, far away, my dance career was interrupted by a foot injury which slowed me down but it didn’t stop me.  I was determined to stay active. So began the creation  of, Chair Dancing®. This was over 25 years ago when the term didn’t quite bring to mind what you’re probably thinking about now which leads us to our updated name, Chair Dancing® Fitness and I’m still in business.

I am often asked if there is still a market out there for Chair Dancing® Fitness and after 12 Fitness DVDs, numerous TV appearances and thousands of orders, I am happy to say we are still a viable product. A lot of this is due to the changing demographics – we have people who are living longer and are more active than they used to be. Admittedly, aren’t you more active than your parents and even your grandparents?  I know I am. I can’t tell you how many letters and phone calls I receive from wonderful customers who purchase one of our DVDs then write or call to tell me about their experience.

Ms. C. Lawrence of Middleton, NY wrote me this beautiful handwritten letter to say, “I am so grateful that you took time out to think and design these videos…I attend classes at the senior center but what they don’t know is that I have at least nine of your videos at home from which I can practice at my leisure.”

We are also a nation of people who are bigger than we used to be and that extra weight puts a lot of pressure on those joints yet we still want (and must) stay active. We have helped many start and continue their exercise journey as they battle food and weight loss goals. Some of our customers are those who are turning to bariatric surgery for extra help and our videos give them an entry-level exercise opportunity they can comfortably do at their current size and continue as their fat melts away.

There are customers who, like me, were injured and still want to stay active but need to sit from time to time. Those with arthritis, fibromyalgia or other health issues want to continue their exercise but may need to be seated during some part of their exercise. So, on your seat or on your feet, our programs still work for many people who want an indoor exercise solution that they can do anytime anywhere.

I still chair dance with people all over the country of all shapes, sizes and ages using Chair Dancing® Fitness. My personal and professional goal is to give the gift of better health and fitness; when I hear people use the word FUN in the same sentence as exercise I am filled with gratitude.

Thank you Ms. M. Melnickon of Nebraska who recently share in a 5 star review, “She sure does make exercise fun…”

When inclement weather has people indoors, we offer an entertaining exercise solution and way to get the blood pumping.

Ms. Joan from Pennsylvania said with 10 degree weather she is so very happy to stay indoors and exercise with us. She now happily has six of our 12 DVDs!

Thank you for continuing our mission to provide fitness fun for all. Share a DVD video with a friend, try our slimbell weights, or try a new DVD using the code at our site, www.chairdancingfitness.com. Use code CDForMe25off and get 25% off of your order or sample a snippet of one of our videos from our website.

Jodi Stolove is the CEO and creator of Chair Dancing® Fitness Jodi Stolove is the CEO and writes of her fitness and life adventures. Email her directly at, jodi@chairdancing.com.

Senior Woman Holding Fitness Sign With Family In Background

3 Benefits of Exercise for Seniors

/27 March 2018/ All MFN blog/

It’s no secret that seniors tend to fall into the trap of a sedentary lifestyle. This happens because most of them are disillusioned with the direction their well-being is headed towards. Nevertheless, getting back on your feet has incredible benefits on that front. Contrary to popular belief, it’s never too late to start exercising again.

When you pass a certain point in life, sedentarism almost becomes a given. Few people actually keep being active once they retire because they believe the resting promotes good health. However, that’s only half true. While it’s important to relax and recover, it’s also equally essential to stay fit.

Therefore, a steady exercise routine should be kept up even when you’re well into your sixties, seventies, eighties and so on. Here are the three most important reasons why seniors should work out at least 30 minutes a day.

1. Disease Prevention

When it comes to senior exercise, misconceptions run amok. The most common myth surrounding the concept is that taking up a workout routine later in life is pointless. Many people over the age of 60 think that there’s no point in trying to prolong their lifespan after they’ve passed a certain point. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, plenty of illnesses characteristic to old age can be prevented through regular physical activity. These include heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and arthritis, to name but a few. And even if you’re already struggling with one of them, exercising still helps by alleviating many of their unpleasant symptoms.

In the case of cardiovascular health, such a routine regulates blood pressure and promotes circulations. This means that your body becomes a lot more efficient in this department. As for type 2 diabetes, being active also keeps blood sugar levels at bay, which is beneficial. Last, but certainly not least, bone and joint wellness are also a positive outcome.

As little as 30 minutes of exercise each day makes for a better musculoskeletal system, which in turn means less risk of developing osteoporosis or arthritis. But if you already have one or the other, much of the pain caused by these conditions can be relieved by a mild workout. Although it might feel difficult at first, soon enough visible recuperation will follow.

2. Improved Mobility

As you grow older, the musculoskeletal system weakens and decays. While this might not always lead to the aforementioned conditions of osteoporosis and arthritis, it will trigger a loss of mobility at some point during your life. Fortunately, adopting a regular exercise routine is an excellent way to counterattack.

Working out increases bone density and range of motion, thus promoting better health in this department. Furthermore, it also helps restore balance and strength to the body, meaning that you will be less prone to collapsing than in the past. As for your muscles, stretching does an outstanding job in keeping them flexible and impeding wasting and shortening.

If you’re over the age of 60, chances are you’ve been experiencing a decrease in your coordination abilities. While this is something that is seen as a natural consequence of aging, it is actually more of a side effect of sedentarism than anything else. And guess what is useful in resolving it? Yes, you’ve guessed it, physical activity.

And on top of that, it’s also a worthy ally in sorting out issues with posture. You don’t have to become the canonically ridiculed image of the hunched down old man or woman when you’re elderly. Many workouts do an excellent job of rearranging the spine properly.

3. Better Mental Health

Last, but certainly not least, a sustained regimen of physical activity works wonders for mental health. It’s no secret that, as you age, you tend to lose much of the sharpness of mind you use to possess in your youth. Your memory becomes worse and worse, and this creates a gateway for neurogenerative disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Exercising doesn’t only prevent them, but it also boosts mood. It’s a natural source of endorphins, fueling your body with enough of the happiness hormones to last you for a good while. By replenishing your reserves, anxiety and depression will also be kept under control, and sadness will become a thing of the past.

Furthermore, regaining your strength and being more capable of handling yourself in day to day life will be a great confidence boost. Good self-esteem is essential to mental health, but many of us tend to forget about that as we age. Fortunately, exercising is an easy way to regain it.

And while we’re on the chapter of mental health, it’s also worth noting that working out adjusts your sleep cycle. If you’ve been struggling with fatigue and insomnia, taking up jogging or even brisk walking can correct that. Not only will you fall asleep faster, but the slumber will be of a better quality and you will wake up feeling rested and refreshed.

Final Thoughts

A regular exercise routine prevents diseases that are specific to aging, improves mental health and provides those who adopt it with better mobility overall. Therefore, if you’re past a certain point in your life, you might want to consider it. Positive results will become visible in no time at all.

Luke S. Mitchell is an MS Undergraduate in Sports Journalism and manager of ExerciseBikesExpert. He is interested not only in the mind-body relationship and how motivation shapes our bodies, but also in how we draw energy just from one simple yet powerful thought. You can find him on Facebook and Twitter.