For a pleasurable retirement, the secret is senior fitness. Many Gerontologists, who study physical, mental and social changes in people as they age, say that the common senior is happier and healthier if they maintain a steady physical activity program.
Most seniors know that aerobic activity is essential for heart health but they neglect the fact that even at advanced age weight training is still needed. Alongside that, many seniors who do regularly perform aerobic activity don't take the time to stretch before every workout leading to increased injuries.
A fit and active 75 year old can be as strong and athletic as an unfit 35 year old. According to one report, an active person will physically decline by no more than �% a year in comparison to a sedimentary one who will decline by almost a full 2%. This is due to we lose 3% - 5% of our muscle mass every decade, after about our 40th birthday, we are able to still continue to increase muscle strength and speed with regular exercise.
Being truly a fit senior can even enhance your mood. Research has shown that 14% -18% of seniors are depressed. It has been shown a regular fitness activity can even give close to the same effect as antidepressant medication, without the negative side-effects.
Even the easy act of walking can greatly increase your happiness during retirement. In a Honolulu Heart Program study the death rate of men who walked one mile or less was almost twice that of seniors who walked a lot more than two miles each day. Another study conducted between 1990 and 2001 showed that senior's who walked over 30 minutes each day had few deaths at that time frame than those who did not.
Even if fit after 60 out of a shape or haven't exercised in years, a custom program can be designed for you by way of a senior conditioning expert. Don't make an effort to replace years of not exercising in one day. Start slowly and work the right path up, for example: Start walking and build your time up 5 minutes each day one week, ten minutes a day another so on and so forth, and when you obtain bored walking start speed walking using the same time frames. Walk, Speed walk, Jog, Run - Don't just start running. Starting quick can injure you and even make it so you're burned out no longer want to workout.
Remember you're "only as old as you are feeling" and being truly a fit senior will assist you to feel young.