Never Too Old To Be Fit!

Posted by Brian on with 2 Comments

One of the most common reasons people say they can’t start an exercise regime is because they think they are too old.

If you believe that then you are lying to yourself.

Athletes like Brett Favre and Cal Ripken, men who didn’t let age stop them, can be role models to everyone.

The older you get, the more that exercise becomes important. Keeping your bones strong, your weight at a healthy level, your muscles toned and your heart beating what is essential. As you get older, it becomes more difficult.

AT HOME EXERCISE IDEAS TO START

Simple Strength Exercise

Sit in a chair with your back straight.

Keep feet flat on the floor and even with your shoulders.

Hold hands straight down at your sides with palms facing inward.

Raise both arms to side, shoulder height.

Hold the position for 1 second.

Slowly lower arms to the sides. Pause. Repeat 8 to 15 times.

Rest. Do another set of 8 to 15 repetitions.

Simple Balance Exercises

Walk heel-to-toe. Position your heel just in front of the toes of the opposite foot each time you take a step. Your heel and toes should touch.

Stand on one foot. Start by holding for five seconds and switching feet. Gradually increase until you can stand for 30-45 seconds on each foot.

Simple Stretching Exercise

Hold one end of a towel in your right hand.

Raise and bend right arm to drape towel down back. Keep your right arm in this position and continue holding onto the towel.

Reach behind your lower back and grasp bottom end of towel with left hand.

Climb your left hand progressively higher up towel, which also pulls your right arm down. Continue until your hands touch, or as close as you can comfortably go.

Reverse positions.

Repeat 3 to 5 times each session. Hold stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.

Simple Endurance Exercises

Taking a 15 minute brisk walk

Swimming for fifteen minutes

Gardening, mowing, or raking the lawn

Cycling on a stationary bicycle for fifteen minutes

Bicycling outdoors on a level surface for fifteen minutes

It’s important not to overdo it when you are just getting back into the fitness scene. Take it slow and work your way up to where you want to be. The exercises above are a great starting point. Once you have mastered them, move on to a higher level.

Never Too Busy For Exercise!

Posted by Brian on with 1 Comment

Have you ever had a day from hell and the last thing you want to do is exercise? Or does your work require you to travel a great deal, and you just can’t find the time to fit your daily physical workout in?

Quick and Easy Traveling Exercises

Leg Raise


Lie supine on a mat or padded carpet, feet flat on the floor to help maintain the proper pelvic tilt while you press the lower back into the floor and keep it flat on the floor throughout the exercise. Inhale as you extend one or both legs out and then return your knee(s) back towards your chest. Repeat 20-30 times



Rearward Lunge


Stand with feet shoulder width apart, arms at your sides. Inhale and take a large step backward with the left foot to a point where your left knee is a few inches above the floor (or as close as you can comfortably go) and your right knee does not extend past the toes of your right foot. Your hands remain at your sides, gaze forward. Exhale and step forward with the left leg returning to the starting position. Finish all reps with the left leg before repeating with the right. To make the movement less difficult, alternate legs from rep to rep. Repeat 10 to 20 times

A Day From Hell Exercise

If you had a day from hell then you need something to help you unwind. Sitting on the couch moping or eating a pint of ice cream is not the answer. Release your pent up energy in a healthy way.

Take a brisk thirty minute walk. The exercise and fresh air will renew you.

Use your energy to harden your abs. Ten to fifteen hard sit ups will calm you.

If you have a gym membership, then a date with the punching bag is perfect for you. Head on down and unwind!

Regardless if you are traveling or just having a bad day, there is never any reason for skipping exercise.

Exercising daily trains your body to be the best it can be. When you break a date with your body, your body is what loses out. If your body fails you, nothing will save you.

How 60 is the New 50 and 50 is the New 40!

Posted by Brian on with 0 Comment

Senior Couple Resting After Exercise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you think today’s 60 year olds are looking more 50 than 60, and you think today’s 50 year olds look more 40 than 50, you’d be right!

The baby boomer generation – those people born between the years 1946 and 1964 – are a lot younger than those of generations before them.  And it’s because they are very conscious of living well.  The baby boomers want to enjoy life to the max, and that’s why they embrace things that make them look good and feel good.

And the same goes for doing things that make them appear more youthful.

Let’s focus our attention on…

…Celebrity Boomers!

In recent years, we saw former US Presidents George W Bush and Bill Clinton turn 60.  Actress Demi Moore also turned 47 late last year.  But you simply wouldn’t know it!  Demi looks ever youthful, and the former presidents are hard to keep up with, when it comes to how active they are.

Bush is an active lover of fitness – running on average about three miles, four times each week.  It’s also been noted that he is a routine cross-trainer with an elliptical trainer, free weights and swimming.  In 2001, according to website Doctor Zebra, he could run a mile in about 7-8 minutes.  His own physicians put him in the top 2 per cent of men his own age, when it comes to cardio fitness.  He’s in great shape.

And take a look at Madonna!  She is into her 52nd year and has an incredible fitness and nutrition regime.  She consumes a macrobiotic diet (vegetables and protein-rich foods) and works out not just once a day – but all throughout the day.  Exercise for her may include cycling, swimming or martial arts.  In addition, she practices Ashtanga Yoga and will do Pilates daily as well. 

It’s really hard to believe these celebrities are in fact the ages they are, because they certainly do not look it!

And you don’t have to be a celebrity to make yourself younger!

According to Dr. Robert Butler of the International Longevity Center, there are things we can do today to be more youthful.  He recommends stopping smoking completely, cutting down on alcohol, paying attention to portion control and exercise.

And he knows a thing or two about this, given that he is a doctor, but also because he is now into his 80’s, yet works 60+ hours a week, exercises daily, has a very active family life and still sees patients who insist on seeing him.

“I love what I’m doing and I just can’t imagine being retired,” he was quoted as saying on Agingresearch.org.  “There’s too much to do.”

So if becoming younger is something you’re keen on doing, be sure to read the articles I have coming up.  We’re focusing on ageing and how you can reverse the trend to live your life to the full – no matter what year you were born!

Beginner Weight Training 101

Posted by Brian on with 4 Comments

dumbells

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that you know all about cardio exercise and how great it is at helping you to burn fat and lose excess weight, it’s time to talk to you about weight training and its benefits.

As a personal trainer, I help people to get the balance right when it comes to combining cardio exercise with anaerobic exercise such as weight training.  As you know, there are many activities that come under the banner of anaerobic exercise, but for the purposes of today’s blog article, I’m focusing on weight training.

Put simply, weight training is a type of strength training.  It involves exercises that help us to increase our muscles and ultimately, our physical strength by using weights.  Although cardio exercise will burn more calories than weight training, by getting the muscles working as well as the heart and lungs, you will reach your weight loss goals faster – and improve your health in the process.

Here are a few things that always get people excited about weight training:

  • For every extra pound of muscle you gain, your body will burn an additional 50 calories every single day of the week:   The more muscle you gain through weight training, the more calories you will burn.
  • Regular weight training can increase your Basal Metabolic Rate by up to 15%:  If you were to burn 2500 calories per day, weight training on a regular basis can help you burn an extra 375 calories per day.  That’s more than a chocolate bar – every day!
  • Weight training has many health benefits:  Research has proven that weight training helps improve your resting metabolism, blood pressure, gastrointestinal transit time, reduces body fat and positively affects insulin resistance.  It also reduces the likelihood of you suffering from heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

In other words, the muscle will help you keep the weight off and keep you healthier.

To enjoy the benefits of weight training, I recommend just three 30 – 50 minute weight sessions per week.  This is in line with what ACE has found. 

If you are totally new to weight training, here are a few pointers:

  • Start slowly and gradually increase the level of difficulty
  • If you don’t have a weight machine, improvise with baked bean tins, telephone directories and even some moms use their children
  • Work all muscle groups, doing 8-12 repetitions (reps)
  • Determine a suitable weight to lift by ensuring the last rep feels like hard work or that you can only do 1 -2 more reps more
  • Don’t overdo things – leave a day or two between your weight training sessions and rest easy knowing that your muscles will grow even while you are resting

For more advice on how to introduce weight training into your week, feel free to drop me a line! Let us know what you think!