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 Getting
Back in Shape After 40
Generally, Americans over 40 are not very physically fit. Many of
them believe that exercise at their age is too tough, too risky,
or that it's too late for them to start. However, nothing could
be further from the truth. Just a modest increase in your present
activity level can lead to significant improvements in overall health
and fitness; not to mention the quality of your life.
Whether you're beginning a fitness program for the first time or
trying to get back in shape after a long hiatus, there are some
very important steps to follow to avoid the inevitable pitfalls
by trying to do too much too soon.
6 Steps to Getting on the Right Track:
(1) Get a physician's clearance.
This is very important, especially if you have not exercised for
over a year. In addition, there are special guidelines for individuals
with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, etc.
(2) Evaluate Your Current Fitness Condition.
Do you have any injuries that need special attention? What kind
of shape are you in?
(3) Gear up for Success.
Get yourself a good pair of walking shoes or cross trainers.
(4) Choose an Activity that You Like.
Your Primary Activity should hopefully be something that you like.
Walking, jogging, aerobics, stairmaster, stationary bike, etc. This
you will do three times per week to begin.
(5) Schedule Your workout.
Make an appointment with yourself. Choose three days and block off
an hour as your workout time. Try and keep the days and times consistent
each week.
(6) Whole Food Supplementation.
Whole food supplementation is critical to maintaining good health
and to prevent disease, especially in today's fast pace convenience
society where we don't always make the time to eat the recommended
6-9 servings of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. Here are two critical
reasons why whole food supplementation is critical, especially for
the older population:
- The Framingham Study demonstrated that people who eat 6 servings/day
of fruits and vegetables have 44% less risk of stroke; 9
servings/day yields a 66% reduction!
- A large study published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA), showed that 5 servings/week of green, leafy
vegetables cut the risk of macular degeneration, the most
frequent cause of blindness in people age 65+, by 43%.
The National Cancer Institute recommends 5-9 servings/day of raw
fruits and vegetables to help prevent lung, breast, colon, prostate
cancers (by 50% or more)!
Learn more about whole
food supplementation.
Your Program
Weeks One to Three:
Do your Primary Activity for 15 to 20 minutes, three days per week.
Don't worry about going as fast as you can, take your time. And
if you only last for 5 minutes, don't worry about that either.
Week Four:
Do your Primary Activity for another five minutes, totaling 20 to
25 minutes.
Week Five:
Increase your time to 30 minutes.
Week Six:
Do your Primary Activity for 30 minutes, then add a light weight
training routine to your program for 10 to 15 minutes. Feel free
to purchase my book, Del's
10-Minute Total Body Workout: When all you've got is ten minutes
to spare. This will teach you simple weight training exercises that
you can do at home with some light hand weights.
Each week you should try and decrease the time it takes you to get
to the half mile mark, then the one mile mark, etc.
Important Tips
Warm Up...for about 5 minutes before stretching, and always
stretch out before exercising; this will prevent pulling a muscle.
Cool Down...for 5 minutes after working out.
Moderation is the Key...You should be able to maintain a
casual conversation while exercising, otherwise, you're over doing
it.
Sticking to your Exercise Program
- Have very Specific Goals.
- Work out on the same days, at the same time each week.
- Anticipate Trouble. If you feel miserable and discouraged at
the three week mark, you're right on track, keep going.
- Throw out the scale. Measure your progress by how your body
is changing, not by how much you weigh.
- Use Variety. Doing the same things over and over again gets
boring. Try something new at least every four weeks.
- Change your Eating Habits. To see the results of your hard work
you MUST change your eating habits.
- MAKE IT FUN! Make a tape of your favorite music, or listen to
some favorite books on tape, or watch a favorite TV program during
your exercise; it will make the time go by much faster.
RESOURCES
1) Video:
Get
Off Your Seat and On Your Feet with Del Millers
(Get a FREE copy with the purchase of any book-while supplies last)
2) Books:
Simply
Delicious: Quick & Easy 10-Minute "fit" Recipes and Nutrition
Guide.
Del's
10-Minute Total Body Workout: When all you've got is ten minutes
to spare.
Dancing
with God: Make Exercise a Playful Adventure of Body and Soul.
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