From: Judy Griffin
December 01,2007
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So another year has gone by. It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?. Did you notice that we are not getting any younger? Each time another holiday season and New Year’s rolls around, it means we have another year under our belts. The march of time continues—there is nothing we can do to reverse it—but it is within our power to slow it down.
Some older adults take the attitude, “I’m just getting old and there is nothing I can do about it.” They don’t exercise. They eat whatever they want, whenever they feel like it. They may still smoke, despite decades of information on the hazards. They don’t interact with other people on a regular basis. Mind you, there are a few that have the right genetic makeup who will stay as healthy as a horse and live to be 99 despite their unhealthy habits. But they are the exception, not the rule. For the rest of us baby boomers, doing nothing will shorten our lives and ruin our quality of life for the years we have left.
By the time you reach 50, you may think you’ve made all the New Year’s resolutions you’d ever want to make. It’s actually very beneficial to take stock of your life once a year, to review where you’ve been and where you’d still like to go. Hopefully, your 2008 resolutions will include regular exercise. By “regular” I mean the ACSM guidelines:
Can you make that kind of commitment to yourself? You won’t regret a minute of it. That regular exercise will help you feel better, as well as look better. It also will strengthen your bones and increase their density. It will lower your blood pressure and strengthen your heart. It will help you sleep better and at the same time give you extra energy. Surely you have 30 to 40 minutes per day that you can block out as “Your Time.” That’s what exercise is—“Your Time.” If you have the money, it’s worth the investment to either join a club or purchase equipment to work out at home. I recently had a woman tell me, for her 55th birthday, her gift to herself was a treadmill and a personal trainer. She shared that it was the best money she’d every spent.
So what if your funds are limited? Going to a mall and walking for 30 to 40 minutes is free; so is going to a nearby school track (on a nice day). A stability ball is worth the investment of $30. You can use it for sit-ups, push-ups, and sit on it to watch TV (which will continue to work on your core muscles). Use the ball as a weight bench and add some weights—maybe cans of soup or chili? For under $15, you can add a rubber tube with handles. These too will add resistance to your workout, which in turn will strengthen those muscles. So, a small budget is no excuse to skip a regular workout.
In addition to exercise, you need to commit to making healthy food choices EVERYDAY. Stick to fresh fruits and veggies and limit your carbohydrates and fats. Note I didn’t say “eliminate” carbs and fat; I said “limit.” They can be excellent sources of energy—just consume them sparingly. A good rule of thumb is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store and stay out of the aisles in the middle as much as possible. The perimeter is where you’ll find produce, eggs, protein and dairy. The majority of it is unprocessed and much better for you than the junk food lurking in the aisles of your grocery store.
You need to get enough sleep—at least 8 hours a night. Planning regular social events is important to your emotional health. Check into a class or group that you’ve always dreamed about attending. Belonging to these classes or groups is about the time spent with other people socializing as much as it is about participating in the activity.
There is at least ONE MORE resolution I’d like each of you to make. Select something that you’ve always wanted to do or try. Write it down and after it write: ”will happen in 2008!” Somehow, putting it in writing makes it seem more real and you’re more likely to stick with it. Plan to go skydiving or backpacking or snowboarding or anything that challenges and excites you. Once a year, we need to try something new. If you’ve never done that before, make 2008 the year to start!
Here’s to a healthy and happy New Year! |
