Friday, May 8, 2009

Middle-Age Fitness is Not that Difficult

By Thong M. Dao

There is without a doubt fitness over 40 is a matter of discussion in most doctors' offices, social groups and between friends. People may sound off as they can no longer climb stairs due to tender knees.

Everyday, either an acquaintance or a friend will speak about the diseases of the heart or elevated cholesterol or even say that someone was diagnosed with diabetes or raised blood pressure.

Fitness over 40 programs and routines will help to lessen your risk of stress and age related illnesses. Increased physical fitness will help to produce the muscle strength to support joints and decrease pain related to arthritis.

Sadly, only 40% of individuals in the US get the suggested amount of exercise and 75 percent are sedentary. This statistical data is gradually increasing as is the number of those who are suffering stress induced illnesses such as cardiac disease, strokes, increased cholesterol levels, raised blood pressure, and blood sugar disorders such as diabetes.

Fitness over 40 program should not be limited to the gymnasium, it needs to become a life style. Remember any physical activity that raises your coronary rate and breathing for at least thirty minutes at a time is a worthwhile work out. There are several things you can do to get fit such as taking a 30 min walk outside or getting on a treadmill, a bicycle ride, rowing a boat, using one of those work out balls or if you dare, try a trampoline.

The first real step for a fitness over 40 program is to address lifestyle changes that might affect your ability to start a program with things like dieting and nutrition.

Including extra fruits, whole grains and vegetables into your diet is an essential part of anyone's fitness over 40 plan. You may possibly achieve from assistance of a weight consultant who can guide you one step at a time to a life style change in the way you are eating.

Five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables, 8 - 10 glasses of water and decreasing the amount of white flour in your daily diet will go a long way to improving your health.

Exercise is always important, but you also need a firm foundation of nutrition, dieting, and new habits that will make you healthier. Those over 40 should include cardiovascular and strength training in their daily routine.

Cycling, jogging, swimming, or many other types of physical exercise can be considered cardiovascular developing. You will more than likely stick with the physical exercise if you and a friend do it together, have fun and put some variety in it.

When doing strength training you will want to skip every other day so that you won't pull any muscles.

Two to three days per week, strength training can be done at home with hand weights or at the gym. Not only will strength training improve your figure, it will also increase the strength of your joints and diminish your chances of getting osteoporosis.

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