Seniors and Grandparents: Starting an Exercise Program


As our society continues to grow older, expect to see more senior citizens participating beside you at your local gym or fitness center. The Baby Boomers, who were born between 1946 and 1964 continue to make up the largest portion of our population. As these people get older, they are focused on staying more healthy and fit than their parents did. Of course, as they get older, staying active and exercising becomes more difficult due to health concerns or physical problems.

It's important for this group to stay active, but there are some things you should know before starting an exercise program or increasing your current level of activity.

  1. See your doctor. Meet with your healthcare provider to make sure you are ok to start an exercise program. Share the information from your doctor with your personal trainer or fitness instructor.

  1. Pick a form of exercise that is right for you. It's important that you choose something you like to do and you're capable of doing. You may have always wanted to play tennis, but since you had two hip replacements, tennis may not be your best option in the beginning. A walking program maybe a better form of exercise for you.

  1. Start slowly. If you're new to an exercise program, then start slowly. If you start to quickly, you'll be really sore and you won't enjoy it, or worse yet, you'll get injured. Know your limitations and determine what is best for you. Start out with 15 minutes and increase by 5 minutes a week. Small steps have big rewards.

  1. Workout with a friend. Find someone you can workout with. Maybe it's someone to play golf with or someone you can meet at the park for a walk. Either way, find someone to exercise with. It holds you accountable and makes the time more enjoyable.

  1. Set some goals. If you want to walk, think about a 1 mile walk or 5 K walk in your community you would like to participate in and set a goal to be able to complete the walk.

  1. Join a health club. If you need some motivation or you're not sure where to start, join a health club. Health clubs now offer a lot of programs for Seniors that are fun and rewarding.

  1. Get a personal trainer. If you think you need even more help, get a personal trainer. A personal trainer can get you on track and show you the best ways to exercise and stay fit. Usually, you will only need the personal trainer for a few months until you get on a schedule that works for you. Once you get too comfortable with that program, you can always contact your trainer and they can help you modify your program to make it more challenging.

  1. Join a class. Visit your local recreation center or church and see if there is a class you can sign-up for. Most centers and churches have activities or classes for seniors. If they don't, ask if they would consider adding one.

  1. Get good shoes. Your shoes are what keep you going in exercise. If you have the wrong shoes, everything on your body will hurt. Invest in the right shoes and you'll start out on the right foot.

  1. Participate in events. Sign-up for local events. It might be a golf outing, walk, bowl-a-thon, dance program or cycling tour. Whatever it is, get out to these local community events and participate. It helps you set your goals, you'll have fun and you may even meet a new friend.

  1. If it hurts, don't do it. If something hurts, stop! You don't want to hurt yourself. If it's something you want to do, you may need to talk to your doctor to find out why you're in pain when doing a specific exercise.

  1. Keep an exercise log. Keeping a detailed log is so important. It allows you to see what you're doing on a daily basis and how you can change or increase your exercise plan as you improve. I find it to be one of the most useful tools in helping me stay fit and on track with my training.

  1. Mix it up. Remember to change your exercise program as you go. Don't stay with the same program, route or training schedule for too long. Once you mix it up, you'll see you're body getting more toned and stronger in different areas.

  1. Celebrate. Once you've been in a program for a while and you see it working, reward yourself with something special. I usually treat myself to ice cream, but it can be a new pair of shoes, a vacation some place or just a nice dinner at your favorite restaurant. Whatever the reward may be, make sure you recognize your accomplishments through the reward. You deserve it!