Fitness Tips For Those Who Are Retired

Just because you’ve hit the age of retirement, it doesn’t mean that you have to surrender your physical health. Many men and women over the age of 55 enjoy staying fit and feeling good about their bodies. Here are some of our best fitness tips for those who have officially entered the life stage of retirement.

Elderly Black woman smiling after a workout.

Get The Go-Ahead From Your Doc

Sometimes individuals don’t find the commitment to an exercise regimen until retirement comes. If you fit into this category, it’s best to get an exam from your doctor first. Simply set up a wellness exam. Expect your doctor to ask you multiple questions and don’t be shy about asking your own questions regarding their recommendations for a fitness program.

Just consider this a green light check to make sure your body is ready to handle something new. If you’ve been following a fitness regimen for years, consider having a wellness check regardless. Establish that there are no underlying problems that you should be aware of.

Check Into Senior Center Programs

There are tons of free workout programs out there to choose from in your local community. Senior centers are one of the most popular locations to get a supervised workout experience.

The goal is to have low-impact cardiovascular exercises for 30-60 minutes a day. Senior programs are ideal for this age demographic, because you will have peers working at your pace, along with staff present in case there is an adverse health situation unfolding. Physical therapy clinics will typically offer weekly or bi-weekly classes for activities such as swimming, aerobics, or even engaged walking. Take a day and check into these local areas throughout your town to learn of free and low-fee workout programs to join.

Pick An Activity That Meets Your Needs

There are many different ways to exercise. Each comes with its own benefits for your body. It’s important to take these into account when choosing what type of exercise regiment you’ll be following.

For example, if you’re looking for an activity to do that helps alleviate pain from arthritis, then a low-impact swimming program can be right for you. If you’re looking for an activity that involves stretching to relieve lower back pain, then yoga is a good option. Take a moment to consider your own needs when determining what type of exercise program you want to follow.

Choose An Activity That Excites You

One of the biggest reasons for not following through with an exercise regimen is choosing an activity that is not exciting. Everybody likes different things and gets excited about various activities. Do yourself a favor and really consider what’s going to be an interesting activity for you.

Some examples include weight lifting, cardio, yoga, tennis, golf, swimming, and walking. If you want to increase the intensity a little bit, then consider a weightlifting program. If you like to compete, see about joining senior sports games in your area. It’s a good idea to have two to three different activities picked out. This way, you can try each one and see what you want to stick with for the long-term.

Always, Always Monitor Your Progress

Keeping involved in your exercise activity of choice is much easier to do when you track your progress. This is going to look different for each person as their chosen activity will likely vary from the next person’s. However, all you need to do is to consider what you can viably track for your activity to show your progress over time.

If you have decided to try yoga, you can keep track of the poses that you’re learning and how long you’re staying in them. If you’ve chosen weight lifting, you can record the increase in repetitions or load for each workout. It’s important to remember that physically seeing progress written down gives us a sense of accomplishment. It keeps us going back for more.

Consider Hiring A Trainer

If you want to get fit in your retirement years but don’t know where to start, a trainer can be a great asset. They are knowledgeable in knowing what activities are safe and effective for you to do. They’ll even tailor a fitness program around your interests.

When choosing a personal trainer, you should opt for one that specializes in handling senior citizens. These individuals will have experience incorporating modifications into existing programs and will focus on areas like enhancing bone strength and protecting against muscle deterioration.

Exercise Helps Mental Health Also

One of the biggest areas of concern for those in their retirement years is mental health concerns. With less physical interaction, mental illnesses like depression can develop. Exercise is a great way to combat mental health issues. It’s been shown to enhance sleep, boost your mood, improve your self-confidence level, and overall, keep your brain more active. Exercise helps you to fall asleep faster and get deeper sleep.

It works to alleviate stress and produces endorphins that reduce feelings of sadness and loneliness. Just the fact of multitasking during exercise works to prevent cognitive decline, memory loss, and dementia.

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