Healthy Aging Archives - Page 12 of 46

Disrupting All-or-Nothing Thinking

Michelle Segar/15 August 2022/ All MFN blog/

If you’ve ever found yourself ditching your healthy eating or exercise plan when it bumps up against a challenge that prevents you from doing it as intended – you’ve likely fell prey to “all-or-nothing” thinking.

Aging and Exercise

Megan Johnson McCullough/12 August 2022/ All MFN blog/

Time dictates so many aspects of our lives. When beginning this article, I thought to myself how much time controls my day from the seconds, minutes, and hours. And of course in relation to this piece of writing, it is the measure of our age. The aging process is unique to each of us. But ultimately, it does impact our life decisions, and that includes our exercise choices. So let’s take a look at the relationship between aging and exercise.

Naturally, activity level changes when we get older. As one of my long time clients put it, “Man, I don’t just roll out of bed anymore ready to go”. This isn’t to say that one is less motivated, rather, the energy expenditure levels are different. This is mainly due to the fact that, “A major fraction of total daily energy arises from resting metabolism, and it is thus important to note that resting metabolism decreases with aging, by about 10% from early adulthood to the age of retirement, and a further 10% subsequently.” (1) Adding to this, “One reason is the loss metabolically active muscle mass and parallel increase in metabolically inert depot fat. In later old age, there may also be some overall reduction in cellular metabolism.” (1) When muscle mass decreases, this can cause body fat to increase. Keeping the excess pounds off can get harder. As such, “Your body fat can increase by up to 30 percent, which leads to a loss of lean muscle tissue and can affect your sense of balance. This can make it difficult for you to perform exercise activities you once enjoyed.” (2)

We need to continue a strength training program in order to not let our bodies replace muscle with fat at the rate it would like to. Not to use a scare tactic but here you go: “Strength peaks around 25 year of age, plateaus through 35 or 40 years of age, and then shows an accelerating decline, with 25% loss of peak force by age of 65 years.” (1)

Exercise becomes so extremely important as we grow older. We tell ourselves that we used to be able to eat whatever we wanted and still look fabulous, but now the odds aren’t necessarily the same anymore. We have to take care of our bodies, and we can help prevent certain diseases with exercise. For example, “Your bone mass begins to decline once you enter your thirties, putting you at risk for conditions such as osteoporosis. If you are concerned about developing this condition, perform more weight-bearing exercises, such as running and tennis. Regular cardio activity will also help you control high blood pressure and high cholesterol, as well as ward off type 2 diabetes and some kinds of cancer.” (2)

As I always say, there is no can’t. That word is not allowed in my studio. There are modifications for so many exercises, and I will be by your side as we run, walk, or crawl to get it done. If we don’t use it, we lose is, right? Not every day is a peak performance day, but we do we can. As long as we are active, we are being productive to our bodies. Running a marathon might not be in the future, but what about making to your training session twice a week and keeping that commitment to your body? Goals should be realistic. Remember the glory days fondly, but know that you are keeping your mind and body in better condition and sticking around longer for your family and friends by maintaining an exercise program. Fitness is a way of life and the destination involves progress not perfection so just keep going one rep a time, one day at a time, and with every age of your life.

Originally printed on the Every BODY’s Fit Blog. Reprinted with permission.

Dr. Megan Johnson McCullough, owner of Every BODY’s Fit in Oceanside CA, is a NASM Master Trainer, AFAA group exercise instructor, and specializes in Fitness Nutrition, Weight Management, Senior Fitness, Corrective Exercise, and Drug and Alcohol Recovery. She’s also a Wellness Coach, holds an M.A. Physical Education & Health and a Ph.D in Health and Human Performance. She is a professional natural bodybuilder, fitness model, and published author.

References

Stop Sitting: It’s Time to Take a Stand!

Jacqueline Gikow/10 August 2022/ All MFN blog/

We probably know that sitting can be bad for our health. In fact, sitting has been called the “new smoking.” So, if you’re laid out on a couch, or plopped in a chair right now, you might have the most common health problem in America today — Sitting Disease. That might sound silly, but prolonged sedentary living plays a substantial role in a lot of the health concerns of our time.

The U.S. is a world leader in sloth. Seventy-five percent of the population of the United States fails to meet even the minimum government recommendation for daily exercise. And latest statistics shows that the highest rates of inactivity remain among those ages 65 and over. This epidemic is not confined to any region of the United States either. It is ubiquitous in both rural and urban communities and both the wealthy and the poor. (1) (2)

Chronic diseases are major killers in the modern era, and physical inactivity is a primary cause of most of them. Depressing, huh! Well, it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. Increasing our physical activity can result in substantial increases in both the number and quality years of life. Adults who are physically active are healthier and less likely to develop many chronic diseases than adults who aren’t active — regardless of their gender or ethnicity.

Physical activity/exercise is also the primary way we can slow down biological aging, as well as prevent or delay premature death from 35 chronic conditions, including: low cardiorespiratory fitness, obesity, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, depression and anxiety, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, balance, bone fracture/falls, many cancers, erectile dysfunction, and pain. (3)

Get Up and Move

It’s time to take a stand! Get on your feet and out of the computer-typing, cell phone using, freeway-driving position you find yourself in all too often.

Of course, it can be tough to schedule time to exercise when you want to see the hottest thing on Netflix, there’s Haagen-Dazs in the freezer; actually, if you’ve got anything better to do with your time. For a lot of us, the most pressing question about exercise is: How little can I get away with?

It turns out, doing anything is better than doing nothing. This means you can get the same health benefits as people who work out in a gym but spend the rest of their time sitting. Staying active throughout the day results in similar benefits to doing a rigorous workout.

We can reverse three to four decades of inactivity by performing easy, bodyweight, multi-joint movements that use more muscles. Even doing twice-a-week leg exercises strengthens them. And small gains in leg strength make a big difference in everyday life. It can get easier to get out of that chair, climb stairs, and carry groceries. Incorporating exercises for leg strengthening into your regular workouts may also aid in fat loss. And you’ll improve your balance. (4)

So, What’s the Drill?

Most government guidelines define physical inactivity as anything less than 150 minutes of walking or moderate physical activity per week. Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving — not just traditional exercise. The process of adding activity to your busy life can be difficult, but it can be done. Even lifelong exercisers had to start somewhere.

150 minutes each week may sound like a lot of time, but the good news is you don’t have to do it all at once. You can meet this goal by breaking it into smaller chunks of time during the day to. Take a 10-minute brisk walk and repeat it three times a day, five days a week. By adding structured, planned, intentional movement to your days, you can reap additional life benefits, increasing the health of your heart and lungs, improving muscular and bone strength, and increasing flexibility. (5)

Look for ways to be active that are fun and work for you. My vision is to guide you to live, work, and play actively, no matter your age, where you live, or your ability.

Jacqueline Gikow, whose holistic, health and wellness practice centers on pain relief through better movement, is the owner of Audacious Living NYC™. She is certified through the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM), the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBCHWC), the Functional Aging Institute (FAI), Medfit (MFN), and the Arthritis Foundation (AFAP/AFEP). Her fitness practice includes in-home and remote, one-on-one fitness training and coaching in New York City. Visit Jacqueline’s website at audaciouslivingnyc.com, or on Facebook.

References

4 Simple Ways Your Fitness Routine Can Benefit from Self-Care

Sheila Olson/27 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

When you think of taking care of your health, exercise is one of the first things that comes to mind. You know you need to stay active and stay in shape to protect your body, but what you may not realize is that you also need self-care to protect your mind. Combining self-care and fitness is the best wellness move you can make. Here are some ways to do it.

Start Working Out More at Home

Sticking to your fitness goals is important. If getting to the gym causes you stress or interferes with your schedule, though, you may want to think about building a gym at home. It’s easier than you think, and can make getting those daily workouts in easier on your schedule. You can use any extra space you have, whether it’s your garage, a spare room or a basement, and quickly set up a workout space in your home. The equipment you fill it with will hinge on your needs and the amount of space available, but for most people, basic workout equipment, like a jump rope and dumbbells, is enough to get a good workout at home and stick to their budget.

Consider Holistic Wellness Practices

A regular fitness routine will help keep your body in shape. Working out can help enhance your mood as well, but it’s not really enough to manage your mental health. You also need to find ways to help your body recover after all that effort, which is where holistic self-care practices come in handy. Incorporating practices like acupuncture, Pilates, massage and chiropractic treatment can be beneficial for relieving stress and helping keep your emotions in balance. Yoga is another practice that complements most physical fitness routines, and it improves strength and flexibility in your body. Runners can use beginners poses such as downward facing dog and pigeon to help build more muscle and keep joints flexible, all while reducing stress.

Treat Pain Through Self-Care and Exercise

If you suffer from chronic pain, you can combine self-care and fitness to find relief. The trick is to find simple workouts that get your body moving while helping your mind feel calm.

Yoga is also a good choice here, but you can also try doing tai chi. This slow, intentional practice is especially effective for seniors looking to decrease pain symptoms and decrease their fall risk.

You can treat more than arthritis with exercise and self-care, though. Studies have also shown that regular physical activity can help Alzheimer’s patients, and exercise may even play a role in preventing this debilitating condition. Research around this is still limited, but one thing that’s for sure is that adults who exercise are less prone to other chronic health conditions. Heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers can all be prevented with the right fitness routine.

Help Yourself Age Well with Fitness and Self-Care

Older adults who are looking to stay in their best shape also need to factor self-care into the equation. Without self-care, you are leaving your body and mind vulnerable to the effects of chronic stress. Consistent levels of high stress can leave older adults struggling with heart disease, anxiety and other health issues. Staying active is a great way to care for your well-being, but you also need to make sure you are taking time to really enjoy life. Practicing daily mindfulness can help all adults live more fulfilling lives. Being mindful means taking time to pause and reflect on your life, and to be thankful for the things that make you happy. In between workouts, take a 15-minute break to meditate or to write down what you’re grateful for.

Physical fitness can go a long way in preserving your overall health, but it’s not the only wellness habit you should commit to for a better life. Finding ways to work self-care into your fitness routine and your everyday life can change your body and mind in many positive ways, so make time for more self-care, and keep working toward those health and fitness goals.

Sheila Olson has been a personal trainer for five years. She created FitSheila.com to spread the word about her fitness philosophy and encourage her clients to stay positive. She incorporates mindfulness and practices for reducing negative talk into her sessions.

References

How the Human Body Changes As It Ages

Jill Roberts/20 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

The human body undergoes a lot of changes during its lifetime. From infancy to old age, there are biochemical processes in the body that define these changes.

Some of them are visible externally, such as the greying of hair, skin becoming less supple, etc.

But beneath all of this, some processes happen to make all of this possible.

Why Seniors Might Want to Walk Their Way to Fitness: Backed by Research

Chad Alexander/13 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

Research indicates that walking can help seniors live longer, healthier lives. Regardless of your current fitness level, walking has multiple health benefits that are backed by peer-reviewed research.

Let’s jump in!

Strength Training is a Secret to Longevity

Jonathan Ross/8 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

Strength training boosts a key longevity hormone more than aerobic exercise does – so we love ‘em both. No need to have a favorite.

Once You Lose Weight, Can You Keep It Off?

Nancy Clark, RD/6 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

“I lost 10 pounds and vowed to keep them off, but no such luck. I’m so discouraged.”

“I reached my goal weight, then BOOM, I regained it once I stopped dieting.

“This is my 3rd time losing 40 pounds…”

If any of those stories sound familiar, you are not alone. Research suggests dieters tend to regain lost weight within five years, if not sooner. This includes many fitness exercisers and athletes who struggle to stay at a goal weight.

If you are fearful of regaining your hard-lost weight, this article will help you understand why maintaining lost weight takes effort. Paul MacLean, PhD, Professor of Medicine & Pathology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, has carefully studied weight regain. He notes three reasons why dieters regain weight: biology, behavior, and environment.

Biology: The body has a strong biological drive to regain lost weight, as noted with increased appetite and a slowed metabolic rate. As backlash from dieting, the body learns to store fuel very efficiently as fat.

Behavior: After three to nine months, dieters tend to be less strict with their low-calorie diets; they often report they have hit a weight plateau. Despite self-reported claims they are diligently dieting (yet only maintaining weight), these dieters can become discouraged and less adherent. (Note: Diligently dieting anecdotes are hard to verify.)

Environment: We live in an obesogenic environment with easy access to ultra-processed foods, a sedentary lifestyle, and chemicals that contribute to weight gain including those found in upholstered furniture, pesticides, cosmetics, and who knows where else. Weight is far more complex than self-induced over-eating and under-exercising!

When adding on exercise, some people lose weight and some gain weight. Exercise alone does not guarantee fat loss. Exercisers who lose weight tend to keep the weight off if they stick with their exercise program. High levels of exercise are linked with greater success. That’s good news for athletes who train regularly! That said, a fine line exists between compulsive exercisers (who exercise to burn off calories) and athletes (who train to improve their performance). Fear of weight gain can impact both groups.

Questions arise:

Is weight maintenance more about being compliant to a restrictive eating plan than to exercise?
Do those who comply with a strict diet escape weight-regain?
Are exercisers more likely to stay on their diet?
Does exercise create metabolic adaptations that favor maintaining lost weight?

Research with rodents

Finding answers to these questions is hard to do in humans because of biology, behaviors, and environment. So MacLean turned to studying formerly obese rodents who had lost weight by being put “on a diet” and then were allowed to eat as desired for 8 weeks. Some weight-reduced rodents stayed sedentary while others got exercised.

Fancy cages accurately measured the rodents’ energy intake and energy expenditure. MacLean was able to see how many calories the rodents burned and if they preferentially burned carbohydrate, protein, or fat for fuel.
The exercise reduced-obese rodents ate less than the sedentary rodents and they regained less weight. Exercise seemed to curb their drive to overeat, meaning they felt less biological pressure to go off the diet. With exercise, their appetites more closely matched their energy needs.
Exercise promoted the burning of dietary fat for fuel. Hence, the exercised rodents converted less dietary fat into body fat. They used carbohydrate to replenish depleted glycogen stores. Note: Carbohydrate inefficiently converts into body fat. That is, converting carb (and also protein) into body fat uses ~25% of ingested calories to pay for that energy deposition. To convert dietary fat into body fat requires only ~2% of ingested calories. Given the calorie-burn of exercise plus the metabolic cost of converting carbs into body fat, the exercised rodents regained less weight.
The sedentary rodents ate heartily and were content to be inactive. Their bodies efficiently converted dietary fat into body fat; they used carb & protein to support their limited energy needs. They easily regained weight.

The Depressing News

When followed over time, the longer the rodents were weight-reduced, the stronger their appetites and drive to eat got. When allowed to eat as desired, they quickly regained the weight. “At least people, as compared to rodents, can be taught to change their eating behaviors to help counter those biological pressures,” noted MacLean. For example, people who have lost weight can stop buying fried foods, store snacks out of sight, limit restaurant eating, etc.

More depressing news. Most of MacLean’s data is from reduced-obese male rodents. Exercised males showed less weight regain than did exercised females. The female rodents seemed to know they needed extra energy to exercise, so they ate more and regained weight. MacLean states we need more research to understand the clear differences in the biological drive to regain weight.

A glimmer of hope

The best way to maintain weight is to not gain it in the first place. Yes, easier said than done (as stated upfront), but at least athletic people who maintain a consistent exercise program can curb weight regain. We can also change our behaviors to minimize weight regain by prioritizing sleep, curbing mindless eating, and choosing minimally processed foods.

Ideally, the sports culture will change so that athletes can focus less on weight and more on performance. It’s time to acknowledge that athletes, like dogs, come in many sizes and shapes. Some athletes are like St. Bernards, others are like Greyhounds. A starved St. Bernard does not become a Greyhound, but rather a miserable St. Bernard.

By fueling your genetic body type and focusing on how well you can perform, you can enjoy being stronger, more powerful—and likely can still meet your sports goals. When being leaner comes with a life-long sentence to Food & Exercise Jail, you might want to think again?

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for more info.

Increase Core Strength by Improving Your Breathing

Jacqueline Gikow/29 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

“Core strength” is a popular fitness buzz term, but what’s the big deal all about? Core strength is essential for all our movements. The core is a collection of muscles that stabilizes the central muscles in our torso and spine. As our body’s center, our core has the big task of holding us upright. A strong core makes everyday activities easier to do.

You might think core training is all about lying on a yoga mat doing interminable “crunches.” But there’s way more to core training than aiming for a flat tummy or a “six-pack.”.

Importantly, you use your core when you put on shoes and when turning to look behind you. Likewise, reaching that box on your top kitchen shelf, or sitting in a chair are activities rely on a strong core. In fact, you might not notice a weak core until these activities become difficult or painful. Significantly, a strong core is also how you avoid back pain as you get older.

Breathing Helps Build Core Strength

The key to building core strength is by employing stomach-based, diaphragmatic breaths, so that our torso and ribcage expand forward, back, and to the sides. Breathing in is bodyweight exercise that lengthens the transverse abdominis muscles and obliques, which helps build core strength. Breathing correctly can increase flexibility and lower the risk of exercise-related injury. Also, a strong core helps with things like balance, and, oh yeah… it makes you look thinner.

4 Common Breathing Problems

1.Your neck, chest, and shoulder muscles feel tight. If you carry a lot of tension in the muscles around and under your neck, those muscles may feel painful or tender. Poor diaphragmatic control can cause neck and shoulder muscles to become short and tight. Slouching means you’re not activating your diaphragm when you breathe.

2. You sigh, or yawn frequently. If you must take a deep breath, sigh, or yawn every few minutes, it’s a sign that your body isn’t getting enough oxygen when you breathe.

3. You breathe with your mouth open. Unless you have a sinus infection or congestion that prevents you from breathing through your nose, your mouth should be closed as you breathe.

4. Your resting breath rate is too fast. A normal, resting breath rate should be about 12-20 breaths per minute. If the number of times you breathe each minute is too fast, your breathing is probably shallow. A normal respiratory rate keeps the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide even in the body.

4 Ways to Practice Correct Breathing

1. Keep your shoulders still. Sit in a chair that has arms on the side. Support your arms and elbows by the arms of the chair. As you inhale through your nose, push down onto the arms of the chair. Exhale while you purse your lips and release any pressure on the arms of the chair. The purpose of this exercise is to keep you from elevating your shoulders as you inhale, which can cause upper chest breathing.

2. Slow your breath. Pursing your lips forces you breathe more slowly. Start by creating as small an opening as possible in your mouth when you breathe. Imagining you’re blowing through a straw or blowing at a candle only hard enough for it to flicker, but not blow it out. Breathe in through your nose for 2-4 seconds, then breathe out for 4-8 seconds, keeping your lips pursed. Repeat this for about 3-5 minutes.

3. Use upper chest resistance. Lie on your back, place a hand on your upper chest, apply slight downward pressure to the hard bone (your sternum) in the middle of your chest and maintain that pressure while you inhale and exhale. This will force you to “bypass” your chest while breathing and start to breathe from deep within your belly.

4. Blow up a balloon. When you blow up a balloon, you activate your abdominal muscles, align your spine and pelvis, and contract your diaphragm. Blowing up a balloon works your deep core muscles. It also requires all your mid-section muscles to work together. Sit on a chair with a straight back, or the floor against a wall, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground without leaning against the chair back or wall. Inhale deeply from your nose with your mouth closed, pushing your belly out. Then exhale by blowing slowly into the balloon, exhaling as much air as you can. Your deep abdominal muscles activate as you blow into the balloon.

References