Overhaul your Activity Level

Consequences of Living Your Life on the Couch

The unfortunate result of common aging in sedentary people is weight gain and aging. Studies have shown that by the age of 65 we are burning approximately 500 less calories per day. That equates to 52 pounds worth of calories A YEAR! Medicine has a name for this muscle loss, it’s called “sarcopenia”.

Why Activity and Exercise is Worth Your Time

Scientists have found that you can virtually eliminate age-related muscle loss by just getting in the gym and lifting weights two or three times a week. As a matter of fact, after putting senior citizens who had lost tremendous amounts of muscle on a regular exercise program they were able to improve their strength to that of a person 20 – 30 years younger.

First Step to Getting Active

If you have become a couch potato and you want to begin the path to an active lifestyle begin simply by increasing your motion all day long. A pedometer can keep you honest about your activity level by counting your steps all day long. Your goal is to shoot for 10,000 steps every day. After you are moving again, you can begin to move faster and faster through a structured fitness program. Whenever you are trying to increase your activity it is critical that you make only small changes! As you make those changes you will sleep better, your mind will function better, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol will begin to normalize, you will literally feel 20 years younger.

Strength Training – How to Get Started

As I mentioned, strength training can offer huge benefits to the aging body. If you are currently sedentary and looking to get started with exercise I would suggest setting up a few sessions with a personal trainer to learn the exercises. A good trainer should be able to explain proper exercise technique and be certified by a reputable certifying agency (such as ACE or NSCA) in the fitness industry. You should start with just one session per week for the first 2-3 weeks followed by 2-3 sessions per week thereafter. If you happen to love it and want to lift weights every day well then more power to you! Just make sure to alternate body parts to allow the body to repair and rejuvenate between workouts. If you live near Owings Mills, Maryland, visitwww.personaltrainingrx.com for a personal trainer recommendation.

You can significantly decrease your risk of developing such diseases as diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, depression, cancer, obesity, and the list goes on and on. Almost every condition known to man can benefit from a proper exercise program, so get started where you stand today! If you have not had a physical in quite a while just start with 15 minutes of walking daily until you get the green light from your doctor. Then you can pursue a more aggressive exercise program.