How can it be that we believe that as people get older they should do less and less physical activity avoiding it like the plague wherever possible? We sit them in a chair and wait on them hand and foot never letting them exert themselves like somehow we expect that they will break if they do something that requires even a smidgen of strength. We could rightly say "we are killing them with kindness". When we encourage this sort of behavior in our seniors they are jeopardizing their strength which determines their level of mobility and ultimately their independence. When muscles and bones grow weak they are unable to hold up the skeleton, balance is affected and the risk of falling increases. Unused muscles are attached to brittle bones as without strong muscles pulling on them there is no reason to stay strong and brittle bones break easily. The joints that separate the bones become stiff and painful without enough movement to keep them lubricating themselves. Arthritis sets in to unhealthy joints and movement becomes more limited. As more and more muscle tissue is lost metabolic activity declines and less fuel (calories) are used as energy output slows and fewer hormones are produced. The generation of heat is reduced and last but not least, the quality of life declines. Yet is does not have to be like this. During our lifetime our strength increases for only a relatively short time. This is followed by a long period where the opposite occurs and strength is lost if we do nothing to stop it. From age 25 to the end of our life we can lose up to 50 percent of our muscle tissue if we do not take care of it with proper exercise. We used to believe that this was a natural part of aging and nothing could be done about it. But now we know that it is caused by adults becoming less and less active as they get older thinking that they do not need to bother with proper exercise. People tend to think just by pottering around the house or garden that this is all they need to do. Yet it is a drop in the bucket to what we really need to stay strong. Although muscle loss and general body weakness really take their toll on an older person it is something that has been happening for decades. Because of our modern sedentary lifestyles (we sit up to 80 percent of our day) we start losing our muscle much earlier in our life. People in their 40's and 50's can be well on the way to weakness and frailty. The way to put the brakes on is to start a muscle building and maintaining program and never stop. Just 2-3 sessions each week is all that is needed of a proper strength training program. The time and effort involved is so tiny compared to the health benefits an adult of any age can enjoy. Not only increased strength which helps in every single thing we do in our everyday life but increased energy, better sleep, feeling happier, and better disease protection can all be had once strength and lost muscle is restored. Do not wait until the affects of muscle loss catch up with you when you are in the last third of your life as if you wait till then you will be in trouble. Getting older and muscle loss is not a good combination for a high quality of life. It is up to each of us to take care of business and part of our business is not allowing our strength to disappear down the gurgler so we are less likely to have to rely on others for our care.
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How can it be that we believe that as people get older they should do less and less physical activity avoiding it like the plague wherever possible? We sit them in a chair and wait on them hand and foot...
Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body, regaining lost vitality and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook ''I Have Found the Fountain of Youth - Let Me Show You Too!" http://www.over50looking30.com Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who in her nearly 30 years of fitness and bodybuilding competition experience she has helped thousands of people start their journey towards losing weight, becoming strong, fit and youthful at any age. Sign up for her free newsletter on Weight Loss Tips http://FitnessWeightloss.com and get her free report ''Discover ‘Secrets That Most People Will Never Know About To Really Lose Weight".
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