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The Best Activities for Healthy Aging


 Posted by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA – Vice President, Worldwide Sports Performance and Fitness  0 Comment

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Water Aerobics Can Keep You Fit As You Age.

There are many benefits that are associated with living a healthy, active lifestyle. Reduced stress, improved body confidence and improved cardiovascular health are just a few.

Regular physical activity is important regardless of your current age and fitness level. It’s never too late to get started with a new exercise routine.

Dedication to living a healthy, active lifestyle as you age can help to counteract aging effects, such as muscle loss, decreased bone density and decreased joint mobility. Yet, many people believe that as we age, our need for activity diminishes. The truth is that as we get older, we need to focus more on staying active to maintain a good quality of life, perform daily tasks and maintain good overall health.

It can be difficult to understand what exercises are appropriate for your current age and level of fitness. Quite often, it’s not until after someone gets injured that they realize they were performing exercises that were too advanced. I believe that following a balanced and varied exercise routine that slowly progresses as your fitness level and strength improves is the best approach for people of all ages.

Understanding a few basic fitness terms can make a big difference in the way you approach your routine. Here are four modes of fitness that you should consider doing as part of your routine:

Low-impact exercise involves movements that place minimal direct force on the body. It is typically the best type of exercise for people who are just getting started with a fitness plan, or those who have taken time away from exercise. It is also often recommended for people who have physical limitations due to injury. Examples of low-impact exercises include walking, cycling, swimming and using a rowing or elliptical machine.

High-impact exercise is any activity that places a direct force on the muscles and joints of the body. It generally involves having two feet off the floor at one time. Jumping, hopping and running are all examples of high-impact exercise. Performing this type of exercise is essential for building strong muscles and bones. However, you should be cautious of doing too much too soon, especially if you are new to exercise or have a significant amount of weight to lose. High-impact activity places stress on joints, and you should slowly build up to including this type of exercise in your routine.

Low-intensity exercise refers to working out at a lower level of exertion. Intensity levels and exercise are closely related. When you are exercising at low intensity, you will feel as though you could carry on a conversation and stay within 60 to 70% of your max heart rate.

High-intensity exercise refers to pushing your body to work hard. Exercising at a high intensity has become increasingly popular in the fitness world. This type of training used to be reserved for athletes; however, there are many benefits associated with it, so lots of people incorporate high-intensity training into their weekly routine. High-intensity training sessions tend to be shorter in duration, making it a practical option for people who want to get results but have limited time available. It’s important for people to check with their health care provider to ensure that they are healthy enough to participate in high-intensity exercise.

Mixing up your exercise routine and combining several types of training into your routine may help you to avoid overuse injuries and get the healthy aging benefits you desire.

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Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA – Vice President, Worldwide Sports Performance and Fitness
Samantha Clayton is responsible for all activities relating to exercise and fitness education for Independent Herbalife Members and employees. Through in-person training sessions, educational tools and materials, and her blog (www.discovergoodfitness.com), she ensures that the important role of exercise as part of a healthy, active life is understood by all. She also helps create, organize and promote employee fitness programs and activities as an integral part of the company’s corporate wellness program. A native of Liverpool, England, Samantha initially worked as a consultant for Herbalife for two years and led the Herbalife24-Fit program, the company’s first comprehensive fitness training program and DVD series. Before joining the corporate ranks, Samantha was a professional athlete. She represented Great Britain in the 2000 Sydney Olympics in both the 200m and the 4x100m relay events. Prior to the Olympics, she won two medals in the Olympic AAA trials – a silver medal for the 200m and a bronze for the 100m – as well as a silver medal in the 4x100m relay during the European Junior Championships in 1997. Her personal records include 11.40 seconds in the 100m and 23.02 seconds in the 200m. Samantha is a personal trainer and group exercise coach through the American Fitness and Aerobics Association (AFAA) and International Sport Science Association (ISSA).


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