WASHINGTON, DC, June 17 — When we were young and in good health it seldom, if ever, occurred to us that one day we would be too old to dance the night away. We were full of vim and vinegar. No one had to tell us that we needed to get more exercise; we were always in motion from the time we woke up in the morning to the time we called it a day — sometimes in the wee small hours of the next morning. And then, one day, we realized that it was time to slow down.
So we took off our dancing shoes, put on a pair of house shoes and passed the time on a comfy couch reading a book or watching TV. But, just as we began to accustom ourselves, friends, family and our doctors sounded the alarm, telling us that we needed to get more exercise. Go for a long walk, they said. Go to the gym and work out. They were right, of course: as Sir Isaac Newton put it, “A body at motion stays in motion; a body at rest stays at rest.” And, too much rest, can lead us to a final resting place.
Indeed, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians ‘Exercise is an important part of nearly everyone’s everyday health, including older adults. Experts say seniors should be as active as possible. If you are an older adult, exercise can help you live a longer, healthier life.’
We Baby Boomers tend to be nonconformist individualists, as someone once put it, and a goodly number of us may not be the type to engage in organized workouts. But we do prefer an active lifestyle. That means we like to keep busy and we like to engage in systemic activities in our daily lives — activities that keep us on the go in ways that burn energy. So, does that count as “exercise?” The consensus is that it just might.
National Academy of Sports Medicine [NASM] says “Absolutely, cleaning your house is exercise. While you may not be in a gym pumping iron or running on a treadmill, it is still exercise and requires you to work and burn more energy than being sedentary. Cleaning the house is an example of moderate intensity activity, the kind the NASM and health experts recommend that you perform daily to maximize health and fitness. Daily chores like cleaning your house, mowing the lawn, cleaning the car, shopping for food and other things are all examples of moderate exercise, which helps improve health and fitness.”
As always, says the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC], when it comes to matters of health, it’s always a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider. So rather than “guessing” that your daily chores provide the exercise you need, make a list and check it with your doctor.
Most of us boomers do have an active loosely organized health care routine to our daily lives that keeps us fairly healthy. It’s the disruptions in that routine that derails our routines and gets us in trouble. It’s very easy to not get back to those activities that kept us healthy. Walking, yard work, volunteer work, cooking, playing with the dog, grand kids, etc. It’s usually 4 – 6 weeks before the surgeons let go of us and we have relished sleeping in and not doing so much. I’m retired, I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to. And even if we wanted to often we will not be able to gain the same level of physical performance we had. But I believe at least for me I need organization to get off my lazy backside and get back into the game. Every day accomplish a simple goal – wake up and get out of bed by 0800,walk a mile, stretch, lift a 10 lb dumb bell. Use the physical therapy offered after a set back to get back on track. You may not be the man you use to be but you are the man that you are. Be reasonable, do what you can and live what you feel is an active life.
i lost 60 pounds jogging over lying dems in two weeks.
Thanks for this article ☺️
The older we become, the less calories that are needed to maintaining your health. Sensible exercise, walking/running, chores around the yard and house, and eating right will help with a person’s longevity.
Yup, I’m a Boomer, definitely a non-conformist and prefer an active lifestyle. If cleaning house is exercise, then building decks for a living is certainly exercise. (Not to mention, that I’m strikingly handsome and look much younger than my age! LMAO!)
Exercise. Simply walking is better than nothing.