The joys of growing older...

As we age we can do more than just hope for a strong, mobile body.  The myth is that as we grow older we get much weaker and suffer more aches and pains. We've been told that losing muscle and gaining fat are just part of the natural aging process. The fact is that many of the symptoms of old age are really the symptoms of inactivity---of using our muscles less! Muscle weakness, bone loss, and sluggish metabolism are changes that accompany aging but are not solely caused by it.

Use it or lose it! We have heard this phrase before and it’s a perfect one to describe what happens to our bodies as we age.  We can slow and possibly reverse many of the symptoms associated with aging by increasing our strength and flexibility. They still haven't found the fountain of youth, but maybe through strength training we can come closer to turning back the clock. I like that thought!

Strength training is extremely important in combating the age-related declines in muscle mass, bone density and metabolism. It is an effective way to increase muscle strength and to shed unwanted inches. Strength training also helps to decrease back pain, reduce arthritic discomfort, and help prevent or manage some diabetic symptoms.

Physical inactivity causes an average muscle loss of 5-7 pounds per decade. This muscle loss leads to a metabolic rate reduction of 2-5% per decade. Calories that were previously used for muscle energy are put into fat storage, resulting in gradual weight gain. One study on older adults showed that a 3-month basic strength-training program resulted in the exercisers adding 3 pounds of muscle and losing 4 pounds of fat, while eating 15% more calories!

Researchers at Tufts University have recently  found that strength training can add bone density. Prior to this research, it was thought that women might be able to slow their bone loss, but not increase their bone density. This new study shows that strength training at any age can actually add bone, not just slow its loss!

According to Tufts, sensible strength training may be one of the best ways to get relief from your arthritis. Not only will it help to lubricate and nourish the joint, strength training will also strengthen the muscles around the joint, providing it with greater support.

As people age, glucose sensitivity decreases. Poor glucose metabolism is associated with Type II diabetes. One study found that after 4 months of strength training, there was an average increased glucose uptake of 23%!

Strength training involves briefly working your muscles, on a regular basis, a little more than they are accustomed to working. This causes your muscles to become stronger and more toned. Also, your tendons, ligaments and bones will be strengthened. This strengthening will make your joints more stable and less prone to injury. Everyday tasks will become easier, such as picking up grocery bags or grandchildren, getting up from a low sofa or going up stairs.

Fortunately for me (since I’m living in a 24’ RV—no room for dumbbells, a weight bench, etc.) exercise bands are an effective tool for strength training. When you strength train, your muscles exert a force against some type of resistance. It doesn't matter if this resistance is from machines, dumbbells, or rubber tubing---your muscles, connective tissue, and bones will respond by getting stronger.

A research study found that older adults who used exercise bands for 12 weeks on a moderate program increased their strength an average of 82%. Exercise bands are inexpensive, compact, easy to use, and a convenient means of strength training. They also allow for training muscles that dumbbells can't train in a seated position, such as the chest and mid-back. Because an exercise band only weighs a few ounces, it is very portable and compact.

So, here’s the bottom line: If you want to stay fit, trim, strong, mobile, and physically independent as you age, then you should be strength training for 30 minutes, twice a week. There isn't another investment that pays off as well. 

What happens to flexibility as we age?

Yes, that would be a question for someone my age. Here's what I read at one site on-line.

"You guessed it. It decreases. The good news is that some studies, but not all, show improvements in function when individuals engage in exercise programs that involve stretching exercises. Unfortunately, the studies on flexibility in the aging population aren't as complete as they are for studies of strength and endurance, but the studies do suggest that significant improvements in the range of motion of various joints (neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle) can occur when stretching exercises are prescribed. It's just that it isn't clear how much flexibility training older adults should do to maintain good range of motion, function, and health."

My dear husband and I like to save money and so every 2 years we take a defensive driving class on-line for a discount on our car insurance. This year about an hour of that class dealt with the importance of flexibility when you drive and they went through a variety of stretching exercises old people (or soon-to-be-old in my case :) should do every day. I have my good days when I do some good stretching but  then I can go weeks without doing any stretching at all. So  this month's competition has been good for me. My goal is about 10 minutes a day--not enough to stretch all those body parts listed above--but I get to all of them over the course of a week. 

I'd love to hear how some of you fit stretching into your busy days and what your favorite stretches are to do.

February Winner

Congrats to Jean for awesome self control! Jean is the winner of February's calorie consumption competition. Add an extra 20 points to your running total score.

Warm Weather!

Don't get me wrong. I've really enjoyed the snow we've gotten lately. But today was the first day of warm, non-windy, dry weather that we've had in quite some time. So we took advantage and had a wonderful Sunday family stroll. Benjamin got out on his bike and showed marked improvement from the last time, which is a little amusing considering it has been a couple months since the last time he touched it. Boy is he growing up fast.

I was pretty happy to get out for a walk to test out my new FitBit as well. With some extra money from trading in unused electronics, I was able to get the FitBit that I've been wanting. I even got a fun pink with some nice colors to occasionally trade it out with. And with the walk today, I got most of my steps in for the day just during that time frame. Side note about my FitBit--apparently I am so restless during the night, it never figured out that I was sleeping. I knew I was a poor sleeper, but I suppose I never actually realized how poorly I actually sleep.

So Happy Spring Everyone! Get out and enjoy some family time and wonderful warm weather.

Stretch Yourself

In preparation for March's competition, I'm putting together some things that I've come to learn about the flexibility. First off, everyone can participate in this challenge! If you feel like you're not flexible, then you should spend even more time on this month's competition than otherwise. Flexibility improves mobility (especially with age), improves circulation, and mitigates negative effects of sedentary occupations. And that's just according to WebMD.

So now here are some common myths/misconceptions about stretching:

1. You have to hold a stretch a long time in order to benefit.
• There are actually two general types of stretching: static and dynamic. Static stretching is holding a stretch for 15-30 seconds at a time. As long as you don't stretch like this until it hurts, it is indeed beneficial. But dynamic stretching is actually more important. Remember one of the main benefits of stretching is increased mobility? This is primarily achieved through dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching is moving your body into a stretch but not holding it. It is NOT bouncing. Remember slow and steady wins the race. 
• Here is a great article about dynamic stretching and some examples.
2. You should stretch before you exercise to prevent injury.
• In 2004, the CDC published a study showing that static stretching before working out actually did not prevent injuries. This can in fact increase the risk of injuries. The most important thing you can do before a heavy workout is some light cardio followed dynamic stretching. Even better is doing dynamic stretching that incorporates the movements you will be doing in your exercise routine (think lunges and leg lifts if running or air squats if doing barbel squats). However, static stretching after a workout is very beneficial as circulation to the muscle groups has been increased leading to more natural flexibility. And then there's always yoga!
• Here is an article about dynamic stretching before a workout.

So now that we've covered the basics of what stretching is, here are some thoughts about some specific stretches and routines.

• Think about the muscle groups you want to stretch. Remember that even if one muscle group is sore, the source of the problem may be a neighboring muscle group. For example, lower back pain may actually come from tight hip flexors. Here is a site that helps you find stretches targeting specific muscle groups.
• If you have a sedentary job, stretching on the job is more important than stretching in conjunction with your work out. Anyone else seen the headlines about desk pandemic in the US? These are some stretches that you can do on the job to help you out.
• Of course, full body stretches are also important. You want to make sure that you are limber in general. Here is a site that goes through a full-body stretching routine with pics as well as explanations. And here is a just a simple graphic of several full body stretches.
• And I think everyone knows that I'm a big fan of yoga, which incorporate flexibility as well as some strength training. If you are new to yoga, this is a list of 12 yoga poses for not yet flexible people.

But really, find something that works for you and build it into your routine. Plan to have it be part of your routine for the rest of your life. You don't have to go to the gym. You don't need special clothes or equipment. But regularly stretching can make such a difference. Hopefully this competition will be one that helps all of us find more energy as well as peace and time for meditation.

Calories...do you know what they look like?

 

I might be the only one in the competition without a smart phone, but if you need to count calories the old fashion way, I like the site: Calorie King. Lots of options to figure out how many calories you ate. And it has an easy/free “how many calories should I eat?” tool. (It said the same thing as our health insurance company, so there’s my “in the mouth of two witnesses…”)

In the past I have used a food journal to record my calories and that is what I am doing again. It’s really easy for me to eat something mindlessly and then forget to add those calories at the end of the day (or to think “I really haven’t eaten much today” and then when I really think about it, I discover “oh yes, I have!”) Keeping a food journal makes me more accountable for what I have put in my mouth. I keep it close by throughout the day and keep a running total of the calories. Once I’m in the groove of counting calories, I usually wait until just before dinner to add up all the calories and then base what I eat on how many calories I have left. (I try to keep a few very calorie options on hand for those days.) A couple of years ago I was very faithful in keeping a food journal and I lost weight—even on vacation—then I got complacent and the pounds slowly crept back on (ugh!). So as I begin again, I do so knowing it needs to be a lifelong commitment to my health.

One of the best parts about counting calories to aid in weight loss is there aren't any “forbidden” foods...I can eat whatever I want knowing that at the end of the day my calories have to be below a certain number.

But really, whose idea was it to make calorie counting the competition for February? Valentine’s Day is in February, remember? So for our romantic dinner out (can it really be romantic if you take your 19 year old son with you??) I ate a kale and Brussel sprout salad for dinner and then shared a crème brulee (with 2 others) for dessert and it was worth every delicious calorie!

January Winner

Congratulations to C0rran05 and Freddy for getting in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every single day of January. You guys rock!! And you each earned 20 points for winning January's competition.