As I approach my 60th birthday, I am reminded by what I read in the paper, view online or in my fitness magazines, that in a few years there will be more than 40 million adults aged 65 and over living in the United States, and within the next 40 to 50 years, that number will double. As the last of the boomers turn 50, they join 104 million of us who have passed this milestone. These are impressive numbers certainly, but how many older adults know what they can do to ease the aging process?
We boomers boldly face major changes in our bodies. Many vagaries are a result of our bodies having been weakened by various circumstances over our lifetime. While some of us age gracefully, as my husband has, it’s impossible to completely negate the forces of nature we have been exposed to in the past.
There are also other physical and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, etc. that can creep up on us as we age. A round of multiple medications can interfere with our balance or simply exacerbate other issues.
No surprise that when it comes to maintaining quality of life, exercise is right up there with nutrition and other wellness activities. Temporary inactivity may be a minor setback for young people, but for seniors it can result in losses in muscle mass, endurance and functional range of motion. As the body ages, the muscles become slower and weaker, most significantly affecting speed, balance, coordination or ability to recover from joint replacement surgery. Even with therapy, we can’t hope that we are suddenly going to move as we did in our 30’s.
As a fitness professional, I am well aware of many of the benefits of exercise in preventing chronic conditions. However, physical activity offers much more than prevention alone. Exercise can also be a powerful complement to traditional medical intervention and, in many instances, may allow a physician to significantly reduce a patient’s drug dosage or eliminate the need for medicine altogether. I love to work with clients and their physicians to develop fitness programs to meet this challenge.
Join me for a phone consultation or an in-person assessment to see how you can start a safe, reliable program today, before another birthday goes by!
To learn more about Lori Michiel Fitness services, or presentations available to your organization or The Lori Method train the trainer course, you’ll find more information on our website at www.LoriMichielFitness.com or you may email us or call us at 818-620-1442.
Email us to LoriM@lorimichielfitness.com