Staying Fit and Active in Your Sixties
How Do I Stay Active In My 60’s?
For most, your sixties can be one of the more transitional times in your life unless you took early retirement. In general, most people end up having more free time once the retirement bell sounds. Staying moderately active at least 2.5 hours a week has been directly linked to dramatically reduce the likelihood of early-onset death from any condition. This comes as no surprise considering that humans are meant to move. Our joints and muscles tense up when we aren’t active, and it plays true to the old saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
Staying healthy in your sixties can be a learning curve at first, but these five simple tips can make a big difference in following through to meet your goal.
5 Tips For Seniors Starting in The Gym
Exercise with a Buddy
Having a workout partner can be a great motivator when you’re not feeling your inner Richard Simmons. Plus the friendly competition can lead to healthy rivalry and a more fun environment in the gym. If you’re just starting in the gym, bring a buddy to keep you accountable and energized to keep crushing your goals together!
Have a Plan
Working out without a plan can be like trying to find a new destination without a map. A lot of time can be wasted if there isn’t a coherent and deliberate plan. That’s why setting goals and routinely progress checking can be a great way to ensure precious time isn’t wasted.
Keep Track of Nutrition
Whether we like to admit it or not, we are what we eat. Boosting activity and making healthy, nutritious, food choices is a much more effective strategy than only activity. Whether you’re seeking to gain weight or lose it, the nutrition factor will be crucial either direction you go. Certain people thrive off of strict, intermittent fasting, and others want their same three meals a day. How that’s structured is what works best with you.
Pick a Convenient Gym
This one sounds straightforward, but picking a convenient gym can mean the difference between going to the gym twice a week vs. four times a week. Consistency is one of the most important determinants of reaching the goals you set, which is why lowering as many barriers to entry as possible is key for success.
Know Your Limit
Odds are this is a new thing. A lot of people in the gym who all know what they’re doing before they get to the gym can be intimidating. Prior to lifting at all you should be stretching, this will help range of motion, reducing the likelihood of a pulled muscle. Have your workout planned out before you show up, be familiar with form, and don’t lift heavy when you’re starting out.