Exercise can be a feat that looks as hard as climbing Mt. Everest; especially in a senior lifestyle.  The challenges that everyone feels about exercise- it’s too time consuming, there aren’t enough results, you don’t know how to start- is doubled with the challenges of being a senior. Whether you are afraid of the physical consequences like falling, getting over a challenging illness or having problems with a chronic health disorder, exercise will actually make the recovery process and life in general more enjoyable and lead to a healthy senior lifestyle.

Exercise is a major factor in becoming and staying independent in a senior citizen lifestyle. People who exercise are more able to stay out of wheelchairs and use of walkers for a longer amount of time. The physical movements keeps your muscles stronger and more flexible. It also helps with balance. This allows the muscles in your body to be in use for more strenuous activities as you age.

Still not sold? Heard too many horror stories of people developing heart problems or being in too much pain? A lot of stories we’ve heard  aren’t actually true. Here are excuses about exercising people use to avoid exercising, but in reality benefit seniors lifestyles.

Excuse: Exercising is a chore.

In Reality: No, it’s not. Not if you choose the right kind of exercise. If “back in the day” you ran track in high school but now your joints are bad and running causes too much pressure, try swimming. There are countless ways to find programs that are fun. Working out does not just mean running or using weights. Think about fun low-impact sports/activities.

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Excuse: There’s no point to exercising; I’m going to get old anyways.

In Reality: Getting old is one thing, acting and looking it is a different matter. Exercise actually helps your body stay younger, and it shows in your physical appearance. Besides being skinnier and more toned, you will feel younger as well because it gives you added energy. Physical activity also helps lower your risk for certain physical conditions like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, colon cancer and high blood pressure.

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Excuse: I’m too uncoordinated/balance is too off

In Reality: There are plenty types of physical activity that hand eye coordination and balance are not needed. As previously mentioned, swimming-or working out in the water-is a great way to stay in shape that doesn’t require any sort of balance. Also, walking around outside or inside at a mall really helps keep the blood pumping and body in shape. Many malls adapt to the senior lifestyle and open early, allowing seniors to power walk in a temperature controlled atmosphere.

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Excuse: I’m afraid I’m going to fall or hurt myself

In Reality: This is a very legitimate fear many older people have. However, regular exercise, by building strength and stamina, prevents loss of bone mass and improves balance, actually reducing your risk of falling. Start your exercise regime with a class that has professional supervision. Gyms and retirement communities usually offer many different types of classes for all different levels of exertion.

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The physical benefits of incorporating exercise into seniors lifestyles is only part of the advantages of physical activity. There are also the mental health benefits that exercise adds.

Not only does it help people lose weight, help reduce the impact of illness and chronic disease and increase mobility, flexibility and balance in seniors, but it also helps seniors sleep better, can improve your mood and boost self-confidence. Whether or not you want to call helping the brain a mental or physical advantage, the truth of the matter is that exercise can help keep the brain stay active, help prevent memory loss, and decrease cognitive decline and dementia. There are also studies supporting the hypothesis that exercise can actually help prolong the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

There are many types of exercises that are good for the senior lifestyle. A lot were previously mentioned in this article, but here is an easy to read format for the senior lifestyle, as well as a brief description of each.

• Walking – This is self explanatory and doesn’t need any equipment. Walking can be done anywhere and is already a part of your daily routine!
• Senior Sports/Fitness Classes – Joining a class can help you relax, release stress and give you added motivation because you are sharing the exercise atmosphere (and usually paying for it).
• Water Sports/Aerobics – Water aerobics reduce stress and strain on joints, but adds resistance so calories are lost at a quicker rate.
• Yoga –Yoga uses combinations of breathing and poses to help with flexibility, balance and strength and can be adapted to incorporate multiple types of physical disabilities.
• Tai Chi and Qi Gong – This martial-arts inspired movement improves ability of daily activities, gives better balance, and increases strength.