Читать книгу Personal Finance After 50 For Dummies - Eric Tyson - Страница 50

Exercise makes you feel (and look) better. To keep your heart healthy, try to walk about 30 minutes daily and get at least one hour of sweaty activity, such as an aerobics class (ideally, you’d break that hour into three 20-minute sessions) weekly. You should get your heart pumping up to about 80 percent of its age-adjusted maximum (220 minus your age) for extended periods of time during your workouts, according to these two docs.

If you like to jog, keep the following pointer in mind: Besides having to dodge SUV-driving lunatics yammering on cell phones, running on hard asphalt isn’t good for your body. The older you get, the more careful you should be about the stresses and strains you’re placing on your joints. You should go for low-impact activities, such as swimming, cycling, or using an elliptical trainer to elevate your heart rate without stressing your joints.

Exercise also has other benefits. As you age, your sense of (and ability to) balance slowly declines. Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death among the elderly. More than one in three adults age 65 and older fall each year in the United States. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. They’re also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and traumatic hospital admissions.

Naturally, many people who fall develop a fear of falling. This fear may cause them to limit their activities, leading to reduced mobility and physical fitness and increased risk of falling.

To improve your balance and develop some strength, try the following activities:

 Crunches: Performing crunches on an unstable surface, such as on a stability ball, forces your body to balance.

 Light weight lifting: Use dumbbells instead of weight machines, because dumbbells force you to balance the weights better.

 Standing exercises on one leg at a time: Doing these exercises helps you develop better balance.

 Step-type moves: Activities such as lunges or step-up moves require you to balance your weight.