A recent article in The Times claimed that just a couple of decades ago the fitness levels of the over 50’s were “woeful”. Interestingly (and thankfully) this trend has reversed and we are now seeing the over 50’s embrace fitness and healthier lifestyles with amazing results. In fact, after many years pushing the middle aged and older groups to increase their exercise, the fitness levels of the over 55’s has surpassed the pre-pandemic levels.

Active Ageing for the over 50’s
Sport England have focussed on improving the fitness of the over 50’s by working in partnership with groups such as Age Uk. These agencies have concentrated on improving health and fitness of the over 50’s by introducing initiatives such as walking toolkits and community support.

These initiatives have really hit home, todays over 50’s are more aware of how important staying active is as they get older and have embraced exercise and fitness. In order to maintain independence in our senior years we need to look after our bodies by continuing to perform functional exercise and eating healthily. Our cardio health, balance and flexibility all decline as we age and although fitness and diet are not a magic pill to reverse these effects of ageing, they do put us in a stronger position and help reduce the rate at which they decline.

Group exercise has been shown to be fantastic for improving fitness and mobility in older people - the building of community and friendship alongside the physical benefits help to reduce the demand on health and social care as well as helping older people remain independent.

In order for fitness regimes to be successful it’s vital you choose activities you can fit into your daily routine and ultimately, activities you enjoy. For some that might be weekly boot camps and for others it might be daily walks, cycle rides or swimming.

According to Leigh Breen, exercise and health theme lead and professor of translational muscle physiology at the University of Birmingham, daily squats are a great way to help prevent muscle decline in the lower body.

You can carry on playing your favourite sports into old age - if you start to feel like it’s too much then try a lower intensity version such as walking football.

Strength training twice a week (minimum) to help reduce the decline of muscle mass and improve balance and stability. If you haven’t done strength training before, then you can build up your strength by gardening, heavy lifting and using resistance bands. Check out Amanda’s resistance band workout videos here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW67mWC5hh0

Research shows that it's never too late to get fit - you can see positive results from being active in your 60’s through to your 90’s, so there really is no excuse not to focus on your fitness. Always speak to your GP or health care professional before embarking on a new exercise programme or diet and remember to build up slowly to avoid injury.

If you want more information on joining one of Smart Fitt’s classes or you’d like to find out more about Amanda's' 1-2-1 training sessions, contact Amanda.

The 15th to the 21st May is Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 and this year, The Mental Health Foundation has decided to focus on anxiety - a feeling many of us will be familiar with.

With this in mind, now is a good time to look at the positive impact exercise can have on our overall well being, including our mental health.

How does exercise help mental well being?
We are all aware of the positive effects that exercise can have on our physical health - from improved heart health to stronger bones and joints - but exercise is also great at improving our mental health in a variety of ways:

Improved Sleep
Not getting enough good quality sleep can be detrimental to our well being but regular exercise has been shown to help improve sleep problems and increase sleep quality by reducing the time it takes for us to fall asleep.

Feel Good Hormones
When we exercise we produce endorphins and hormones such as dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, that help us feel good and regulate our mood.

Clear your head
Many of us feel better if we can get outside for some fresh air (and sun if we’re lucky). Getting out into nature for a walk, run or cycle can help clear away the cobwebs and reduce feelings of anxiety.

Relax your mind and body 
Exercise doesn't have to be high intensity cardio - gentle and restorative exercise, such as yoga or pilates, is a great way to destress and clear your mind.

Divert your attention
When you’re focussed on exercising it helps to divert your attention away from the thoughts that are making you feel anxious.

To get the full benefits of exercise it’s important to choose an activity you enjoy, that way you are more likely to stick with it. Any exercise that raises your heart rate counts, including household tasks such as gardening and cleaning.

Exercising with friends will help keep you accountable as well as giving you access to emotional support. Group classes are a great way to meet like minded people and get fit, or you could arrange to meet up with friends for a weekly walk where you can get things off your chest while you workout.

Start Slowly
If you are feeling anxious or struggling with your mental health it is important not to put pressure on yourself. A bit of exercise is better than none at all, you could start by just walking to the shops and then build it up over time.

If you find some days harder to exercise than others, don't feel guilty about taking a break until you feel ready to exercise again.

Try to eat a healthy, balanced diet and try to reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake.

Speak to a medical professional if you are starting exercising for the first time or if you are struggling with mental health issues.

Mind has helpful advice on improving your mental well being here.

From daily dusting and vacuuming to an annual Spring clean, there’s no getting away from the chore of housework. It can feel like a bit of a burden but with a bit of creative thinking you can turn each task into an exercise to help improve strength, stability and fitness.

Adding some wearable weights, such as wrist or ankle weights, will help increase stamina, stability and strength.

So choose some of your favourite music to workout to, crank up the volume and get fit while cleaning up!

Dusting
When dusting surfaces try to use circular motion (in both directions). This will give your triceps and shoulders a gentle workout. Dusting the house requires us to squat and crouch to reach low areas such as skirting boards, and stretch or stand on our toes to clean higher up areas. These are all fantastic to promote joint health but do take care not to overstretch or risk injury.

Vacuuming
Using the vacuum can give you a great all round workout, making use of your legs, core and upper body. Get extra benefits by doing walking lunges while vacuuming, taking care to engage your core. Avoid twisting your body and be careful to maintain good posture. To add extra resistance, use the brush tools to clean your upholstery/stairs.

Sweeping and Mopping
Like vacuuming, sweeping and mopping is all rounder. Engaging your core and making use of your arms and upper body as well as your legs for a full body workout. Try to swap arms so you work on both shoulders and and avoid twisting or overstretching.

Window Cleaning
Use circular motions to work your shoulders and triceps. Stand on your toes for a calf stretch as you do the higher parts. If you have glass doors or full length windows/mirrors you can add in squats to do the lower parts of the glass. Always swap arms to make sure you work on both sides.and ensure you engage your core.

Gardening
Now is a great time to tidy the garden and start planting. Weeding, sweeping and watering plants gives you a great workout all with the added benefits you get from being outside.

Try to combine a few tasks to get the most benefit, maybe dusting and vacuuming one day, mopping and cleaning the windows another day. Combining everyday tasks like housework with your usual exercise classes or routine will help strengthen your body, improve your balance and fitness. Taking a tea break between tasks? While you wait for the tea to brew you could try these standing exercises from Move It Or Lose It!

Please contact Amanda if you would like more advice on exercising safely.

📷 Credit: Sunflowers grown by a Move it Or Lose It Fitness class member, working out in the garden during Lockdown 2020.