Fitness Over 40

Senior exercise routines can dramatically improve a senior's health, happiness and independence. More and more controlled studies are finding that adding regular, moderate exercise to a senior's life can reduce the risk of disease and improve many markers of health and happiness.

The 76 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. are well-known for their active, busy lifestyles. They are the generation that is redefining aging in our society by continuing to work and stay active well into their golden years.

You've probably heard by now that physical inactivity is associated with an increase in risk for a wide range of illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers among others.  Unfortunately, the rates of inactivity go up the older you get. According to survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2008 32.7%--almost a third--of adults 65 and over reported NO leisure-time physical activity within the prior month.

For me, one of the best things about getting older is getting your priorities straight. You begin to know from experience what you really value and how important it is to act on those values. When it comes to my fitness routines, I'm happy to report that the older I get, the less I care about the size of my clothes, the number on the scale or how hot I look (I'm afraid that horse has left the barn).

“Fitness” has many definitions and there’s no single, established threshold of fitness. In fact, athletic fitness involves many different components, from endurance and agility to power and speed. As we age, though, most of us think about fitness in terms of our overall wellness and our ability to manage the activities of daily living: buying groceries, keeping the house and yard tidy, playing with the grandchildren.