Never Too Old!Written by Louise Roach
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1. Dream big and set realistic goals. If you’re not use to exercise don't try to run a marathon right away. Create a step-by-step plan to increase your stamina, strength and stability. Too much, too soon can end up causing injuries. Gradually work up to your dream achievement, such as participating in Senior Olympics or climbing Pikes Peak. 2. Exercise daily. Create your own special time for exercise every day. Whether it’s a morning jog through neighborhood, a mid-day walk with dog or an afternoon swim at your local gym, daily exercise is much more effective at reaping healthy benefits than “weekend warrior” approach. Exports recommend 25-30 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise every day just to maintain your current weight. If you are trying to loose weight, extend your workout time to 60 minutes. 3. Be aware of your body. If you feel soreness or a slight achy feeling in your muscles, that’s OK. Your body is responding to a good workout. Use ice therapy to ease small aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation. A few 20-minute sessions with a cold pack and you should be ready for your next daily workout. Never use heat on stressed or strained muscles, as it will increase pain and swelling, slowing recovery time. Heat is appropriate to relax tight muscles. If you experience serious problems such as extreme pain, fainting, numbness in arms or legs, or chest pain, seek medical attention immediately. 4. Stay well hydrated. Always a consideration for any athlete, dehydration can pose a serious problem in older athletes as aging bodies contain less body water. Sweating and exposure to heat can easily deplete body of fluids. Drink plenty of liquids before, during and after your workout. 5. Be a health leader! Encourage others through example and participation. Be positive and motivated. An enthusiastic attitude is contagious! It will also keep you going running through puddles on a rainy day; surviving aching legs on a downhill descent; or arriving at finish line of your first race!Keep in mind words of 90-year old Jack LaLanne, “I work at living, not dying”. Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in event of a serious injury.
Louise Roach is the editor of on-line health and fitness newsletter, NewsFlash*SnowPack, http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash/ She has been instrumental in the development of SnowPack, a patented cold therapy that exhibits the same qualities as ice. Louise is 47 years old, an avid hiker, exercise enthusiast and recent running convert. For more information visit: http://www.snowpackusa.com
| | NotOneOunce -- The Run-up To ThanksgivingWritten by Will Clower, Ph.D.
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Long term problem You stomach is completely adaptable, and responds to what you put in it. If you put it too much food, you are simply training your stomach to receive more and more food at next sitting. This long term problem comes back at you down road by increasing your tendency to overeat in future. Just as you can train yourself to eat smaller over time, you can train yourself to eat and overeat gigantic portions. Now what do we do? Begin preparing for T-day now. Put away your large plates and replace them with medium sized ones. When you do this, you will put less on your plate than you normally do, and you can begin to train your body to expect less food in long term. Make that amount last through entire meal (about 20 - 30 minutes). When T-day does arrive, you will eat on your smaller plate, consume less food, and be only groan-free member of your family on post-dinner couch!
Dr. Will Clower is the award-winning author of The Fat Fallacy and founder of The PATH Curriculum, The PATH Online, and Newsletter. The PATH: America’s weight solution. Dr. Clower can be reached on his website www.fatfallacy.com.
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