I am amazed at how much better I feel when I consistently exercise. I spent my summer off school making sure that I walked at least one mile every day. Most days, I was well over that one mile. Now that I am back in school, some days it is all I can do to get that mile in. The point though is that when I walk every day, I can tell it.
Last winter, that awful, horrible winter from hell when it was negative 50 and four feet of snow for five months. Okay, I may have exaggerated a little, but I didn’t get outside to walk for months. I am a person who really doesn’t like the treadmill. I try to avoid it as much as I can. Needless to say, I didn’t get a lot of walking in last winter and could tell it by how I felt.
I’m not real sure why it took me so long to jump on the fitness bandwagon, but it really did. I was in my fifties. I am ashamed now to say that. What a jerk I was. I wish I would have started a lot sooner than I did. It would have made a lot of things easier, especially as I was getting older. I’m just glad I realized how worthwhile this whole fitness journey is.
Since I started trying to be fit, I have done a lot of reading about exercise and diet after 50. I read a good post the other day about the benefits of exercise and fitness after 50 on helpguide.org. If you are thinking about starting to workout and about what you are eating, this post might help you. Maybe you are in the same boat as me and already on this journey. Wherever you are on your journey, this post may help to keep you motivated.
Physical health benefits of exercise and fitness over 50 ◾Exercise helps older adults maintain or lose weight. As metabolism naturally slows with age, maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge. Exercise helps increase metabolism and builds muscle mass, helping to burn more calories. When your body reaches a healthy weight, your overall wellness will improve. ◾Exercise reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease. Among the many benefits of exercise for adults over 50 include improved immune function, better heart health and blood pressure, better bone density, and better digestive functioning. People who exercise also have a lowered risk of several chronic conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and colon cancer.
◾Exercise enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance in adults over 50. Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and posture, which in turn will help with balance, coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Strength training also helps alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.