Aging and Exercise- no more excuses!

We all have excuses that keep us from exercising and taking care of ourselves.

What are yours? Some common concerns and myths are listed below:

1.You are afraid you will not be able to do the exercises correctly.

2. It will hurt,.

3. There is not enough time in the day.

4. You don't have the money.

5. You have a fear of falling.

6. Getting older means getting weaker.

7. Falling is normal when you are older.

8. You never exercised before, so exercising will not help now.

9. Exercise is not fun.

Put your fears to rest and listen to the good news!

Everyone has different weaknesses and strengths. Your exercises can be adjusted specifically to your needs. Bring a friend to a class. Having someone to motivate you and do the exercises with can do wonders for starting up a program, and helping you stick with it. Make the time! Take care of you. There are many low cost and even free programs. Check with your local senior center or community/recreation center to see what programs they offer. If you have a fear of falling it is important that you follow up with a physical therapist. You may need to build your strength and improve your balance before you start a class. Not addressing a fear of falling can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, weakness, increased risk for falling and depression. There are different screening tools that can be used to address your fear and track your progress so that you can get back to doing the things you enjoy. Aging does not mean you have to get weaker, and falling is not a normal part of aging. You can improve your strength and balance just like anyone else. It is never too late to get started. Exercise can be incorporated into your daily routine, so you hardly even know your doing it. It should be something you enjoy. Throw a ball with the grand kids, walk a lap around the park while your waiting for the game to start, or go to that big box store and walk up and down the aisles. Get moving so you can keep doing what you enjoy and stay out of the doctors office!