boomerhealthandfitness.com

This is a repost of an article from May.

eMaxHealth had a great suggestion in their online article, Spend Your Economic Stimulus Checks Improving Your Health.

“While some people will use the 2008 IRS stimulus checks making house and other bill payments we say, if you can, buy yourself fitness equipment, a health gadget that can stimulate your health, or something like Wii Fit.”

I’ll admit I didn’t have a clue what Wii Fit was and had to Google it. I’ll also admit there’s not a chance in hell that I’ll buy it, however, this article did make me reconsider my plan to use my entire stimulus check to pay down debt and/or beef up savings.

There are several small fitness related purchases that I’ve been thinking about and am definitely going to consider now. I have enough weights so, although the article suggests some nifty and colorful Valeo neoprene dumbbells, I’m leaning more toward some Nordic walking poles, workout DVDs or a downloadable exercise program. I’d love to get a great road bike, but $600 won’t cover THAT expense. Besides, I still intend to use the bulk of my check for the debt/savings two step.

Here’s what I’m considering:
DVDs
Jillian Michaels, 30 Day Shred
DVD workout programs normally turn me off with the exception of yoga DVDs. The flow of a yoga session is enhanced when I don’t have to fumble through a book for the next movement. The 30 Day Shred caught my attention because it has lots of favorable reviews and I like the fact that it has 3 different workouts. Plus, it combines strength, cardio and abs in a circuit format.

You might also consider a yoga or Pilates DVD. You can’t go wrong with a Rodney Yee yoga selection or, if you’re a beginner, I like Yoga Zone.

Fitness Equipment
Pull Up bar
Jump Rope (scroll down and check out the video review of this jump rope)
Yoga mat and strap
Nordic walking poles
These items are self-explanatory, but I want to say a few words about Nordic walking poles. Nordic walking and hiking are growing in popularity. Using Nordic poles while you’re walking or hiking exercises the upper body and core as well as the legs and lower body and increases the caloric burn rate of the activity. You’re using more muscles so you’re burning more calories. Of additional benefit to seniors is the extra stability the poles provide for those who have issues with balance. You can download an ebook on Nordic Walking here. Some of the poles can be pricey and, unless you intend to do a lot of Nordic Walking, I’m not sure they’ll be worth the investment.

And if you really want those Valeo neoprene dumbbells, you can check them out here. Pretty, aren’t they?

Downloads
Turbulence Training
6 Minute Circuits
Fat to Fit

These are all circuit training workouts which provide several benefits. One, training time is reduced by combining strength and aerobic/anaerobic moves in one workout session. Two, they don’t require a lot of equipment. They incorporate body weight exercises or may require just a couple of dumbbells. Three, they can be done just about anywhere, including a small space in your house or a hotel room.

Turbulence Training is the most well known of these, but they’re all the same price (about $40 last time I checked which was 2 minutes ago). Get on their email lists and you might receive an offer for a special package or reduced price.

Magazines and books
Although I could probably order dozens of magazines or books, I’m looking at Focus on Healthy Aging and Experience Life magazines. I’ve never read either one of them before, but the first is applicable to my situation and the second looks interesting and different for a health and fitness magazine.

The U.S. government has the printing presses working overtime to create those dollars they’re sending us. Why not use the cash for something that can improve your health? You don’t have to spend a lot of money. A small investment can pay big dividends for your health and fitness.

I’ve been reading Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s book, “You Can if You Think You Can.” It started me thinking about a couple of things:
1. my own recent fall off the exercise wagon
2. others in the baby boomer age demographic who have not exercised much or at all in their lifetimes.

This isn’t the first time I’ve failed to maintain my exercise program and I know I’m not alone. Getting back on the wagon is similar, in approach, to beginning a program. You first have to make the mental commitment which brings me back to the Peale book and its message that belief that you can accomplish something is paramount to success.

I hear people younger than me complaining about how they’re too old for this or too old for that. That’s nonsense. They make themselves feel older than they are by constantly reminding themselves that they’re X number of years old, as if that tells the entire story.

I’m 57. How is 57 supposed to feel? Am I supposed to relegate myself to sitting on the couch doing nothing? Am I supposed to get up every morning and think about aches and pains? Am I supposed to stop enjoying life because I’m too old?

Like anything else, age related decline is affected by how you THINK about it. My mom celebrated her 77th birthday last June. As a gift to her, we went to Disneyland as part of a summer road trip. She had never been there, but has always been a fan of Mickey and friends.

Before we arrived at Disneyland, we spent a week visiting my sister and her boy friend in Colorado. Then, on the way to the Grand Canyon, we visited Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Grande, Arches National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, and Four Corners.

We did a lot of walking at most of these sites and it frequently involved hills. After a few days at the Grand Canyon, we drove to Southern California arriving in the afternoon at our hotel near Disneyland. Continue Reading »

Mary Fariday is an 88 year old dance teacher in Lakeland, FL. Yes, that’s right. She’s 88 and she still teaches dance! She looks wonderful and is sharp as a tack. I sure as hell am inspired by her.

Check out Mary’s story, courtesy of Rick Runion, here.

Rick is a photographer for the local paper in Lakeland and he’s started a monthly series called “Ageless Aging”. Per Rick, “Ageless Aging is a visual series on senior citizens who refuse to ‘go quietly into the night.’ Those profiled have gifts and dreams they refuse to give up. Although everyone who lives into his or her later years is special, these seniors have talents and stories that will inspire, inform and entertain people of all ages.”

What a great idea for a series!

Baby boomers represent a huge and fast growing segment of our population. For the next 20 years someone will turn 50 every 8 seconds. The current generation of middle aged and senior citizens is the most active in history. The combination of longevity, labor saving devices, medical breakthroughs, and disposable income have contributed to a unique opportunity allowing us to pursue fitness goals into advanced age. Additionally, the general sedentary nature of our lives forces us to become active in some way if we wish to preserve our health and independence into our golden years. This situation is one that was certainly not available to our grandparents and, only in more limited ways, to our parents.

Increasingly, fitness clubs geared toward seniors and the boomer generation are springing up around the country. Although fitness centers often intimidate older adults who aren’t accustomed to exercising, senior fitness programs are specifically designed for this age group and fitness professionals can now be certified as senior fitness instructors or senior personal fitness trainers.

Senior fitness programs provide classes that focus on improving strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. They are targeted to accommodate a wide range of physical abilities, fitness levels, physical limitations and conditions such as arthritis, loss of strength and loss of flexibility. Study after study has shown that seniors are not only capable of strenuous exercise, but can vastly improve their health, strength, mobility and independence, using exercise as a tool. Continue Reading »