Optimum Fitness for Middle Age - Part 2
With all exercise programs mentioned in this section, and part
one, you should exercise smart, not hard, and you should never
push any joint to lock out. By exercising for longevity you want
to maintain your body, prevent injury, and take care of any
previous injuries.
Pilates is a modern "cousin" to Yoga and has received much well
deserved publicity, in the past decade. Many Pilates exercises
are similar to Yoga practice. The founder, Joseph Pilates, was a
practitioner of Yoga, martial arts, and other fitness systems.
He was an innovator, inventing physical rehabilitation equipment
during World War I, and a health maintenance system that honors
his name.
Much like Yoga, movement is generally low impact, slow, safe,
and thorough. Although Pilates is well known for toning the core
muscles, it is a complete health maintenance system for the
body. There is no meditation practice, in a traditional Pilates
class, but focus on breath is a "corner stone" of Pilates
practice.
Walking has so many benefits, for a simple low impact exercise,
and yet it is often ignored. The average walker will live longer
due to the fact they have less problems with stroke, diabetes,
heart disease, cancer, and other life threatening conditions.
Like many other forms of exercise, walking is subject to many
studies. It has been found that walking two miles per day
contributes to longevity. In the January 8, 1998 issue of the
New England Journal of Medicine, there was an article about a
Honolulu Heart Study with 8,000 male participants. This study
took 12-years and it was found that walking two miles per day
reduced the chance of death by nearly half. That study alone
makes walking an exercise worth participating in, whether you
choose to walk indoors or outside.
Cycling is a good, low impact, and aerobic workout. You can also
build strength, in your legs, with a little intensity. Depending
on the level of intensity you can burn 250-400 calories per hour
or more. Just like walking, you can cycle indoors or outside,
but there are safety guidelines to be aware of, for outdoor
cycling. If you do bike outside, be cautious, observe the rules
of the road, wear safety gear, and use bike trails when
possible. Stay aware, at all times, when you are biking outdoors.
Dieting and nutrition are major factors in fitness. Your meals
should be moderate in size, and spread out over the course of
the day. You should make it a point to eat nutritionally dense
meals, take a good vitamin / mineral supplement, and drink
plenty of water every day.
Habits to avoid are eating too much takeout food, eating at
restaurants, eating large portions, and unconscious eating. So,
make it a point to carry fresh fruit, vegetables, and healthy
snacks with you. This will stop you from impulse buying at the
next drive-thru, and over consumption of food, at a single
sitting.
In the next and last article of this series, we will discuss
more nutritional tips and more low impact exercise options.