Alicia Jones has seen firsthand the positive effects daily exercise and taking care of your health can have on older women. Growing up, she watched her grandmother’s health decline rapidly after years of smoking and not prioritizing her health. Meanwhile, Jones’ mother, Thaia, now in her mid-70s, is healthier than ever thanks to efforts to make short, daily exercise a habit later in life.
“By no fault of her own, my grandmother grew up in a time when her one unhealthy habit took her energy, her health and her strength away from her,” Jones told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “On the completely opposite end, as my mother surpasses my grandmother’s age, she does more than women half her age.”
While getting fit can be a challenge for folks at any age, it can be even more difficult for women who are over 50 as their hormones, strength, flexibility and cardiovascular abilities dramatically change, says Jones, who has spent more than 16 years as a certified fitness trainer focusing particularly on helping older women. Her biggest recommendation for those who are just getting into exercising or coming back to it? Focus first on strength training.
Strength training exercise key for older women
“Strength is such a huge predictor of quality of life,” she said. “My biggest recommendation is to start with weight training two to three times a week because it is a lot less taxing for many who have trouble with more intense cardio activities.”
In addition, it doesn’t take a lot to add these strength exercises into your daily routine. It can be as simple as, when getting up from a chair or the couch, sit back down again and stand back up a few times before heading to the restroom, or to the kitchen for a snack. This creates strength and endurance in your leg muscles, Jones says. Similarly, when you’re lying down and you sit up, lie back down again and then sit up again a couple times, as a way to work the muscles in your core and your back.
“These are just really simple things you can do that over time create a lot of muscular strength,” Jones said.
Take five and dance
When you’re ready to incorporate more into your routine, take a 10-minute walk around your neighborhood after a meal to help rebalance your blood sugar, or spend five minutes dancing around your house to your favorite song. Gardening can be an excellent source of strength training as well, she notes.
“Anything that gets you moving — from joining a bowling league to attending a walking tour with a friend — can help you stave off some of the effects of aging,” Jones said. “People always think exercise has to be such a chore, but there are so many ways to incorporate it into your life that can bring you joy and feel fun.”
Editor’s note: Home Sweet Home is a feature appearing Mondays in McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. The story focuses on a heartwarming, entertaining or quirky happening affecting the world of home care. If you have a topic that might be worthy of the spotlight in Home Sweet Home, please email Liza Berger at [email protected].
