Easy and better exercises for seniors to stay healthy after 60

Age slows down us all. It is not uncommon to see seniors getting tired after a simple physical activity like climbing stairs or standing a little longer in a queue. Loss of bone strength, muscle mass, reduced metabolism rate, comorbidities, the reason can be anything, aging is the de facto that interferes with an elder’s energy level.

Increased metabolism rate is the key to staying active. Also known as the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is nothing but the number of calories your body needs and burns to accomplish a daily activity. But aging takes it away from seniors by reducing the rate at which a senior produces energy and puts it to use.

If your senior is complaining about their energy levels constantly, it’s probably time for them to get back to physical activity. It may sound ironic, but seniors need their body workout to get their daily work done and it improves their mental wellbeing.

Stay with us until the end of the blog for some simple tips to maintain healthy weight, best diet for muscular strength, simple exercises for seniors, and health checks for elders. If you are a senior or have a loved one above 60 at home, you wouldn’t want to miss this blog.

What are the tips to maintain healthy weight as a senior?

Being healthy at any age starts by covering three important aspects of life. One should be careful about what they eat, how much physical activity they get, and periodic health checkups that identify and prevent future health issues. They also can consider engaging activities for seniors where it helps them mentally and physically sound with specially curated activities and programs.

Before you dive into the three important aspects, if you are worried about your aging parents, Athulya Assisted Living can be the right place for your elderly loved ones! Every day is filled with activities for seniors for daily living where they have yoga for seniors for a healthy mind and wellbeing!

Balanced diet tips for seniors: Getting all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other nutrients should be the prime motto behind every meal. It’s okay if you cater to your cravings by having a dessert every now and then but try to avoid sugary, salty, fried, and baked items completely. Include seasonal fruits, vegetables, and lots of leafy greens for your daily vitamin and mineral needs. For proteins, depend on plant-based protein sources like soya, peas, pulses, and grams. You can also have eggs and lean protein sources like chicken breast and fish. But completely avoid red meat.Not just what you eat but how you eat plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy weight. Reduce your portion size but increase the number of times you eat food. Instead of eating a full meal three times a day, consume it 6 times by splitting each portion into two. Maintaining a track of what you eat everyday helps you in numerous ways to be healthy.

Simple physical workouts for seniors: Hitting the gym, lifting heavy, cycling for some odd 40 kilometers per day or jogging a staggering 10 kilometers is not a thing of many seniors and no, we are not suggesting them either. Instead, seniors might want to focus on simple yet impactful exercises that benefit the most instead of causing a workout injury.

• Take it slow:  If you are just realizing the benefits of senior workouts and starting, take it slow. Start with a bit of walking every morning and evening. Simple workouts like squats, step up, bird dog, hip bridges and lying circles use only your body weight but counteract issues like muscle atrophy.
• If you are feeling discomfort:  If you are concerned about your joint pain or feeling discomfort while regular walks, try water-based workouts for seniors. Aqua jogging, leg lifts, arm curls, and flutter kicking not only boost your balance and stamina but also reduces workout friction between joints.
• Exercises you should avoid: Mainstream workouts do more harm than good if you are working out post your 60s. Avoid weights, crunches and presses completely. Take your doctor’s advice if you insist on power-training, deadlifts, high-intensity interval training and other heavy workout routines.

Medical checks at regular intervals: Did you know what’s the best mode of healthcare? It's preventive health. It goes without saying, medical health checks for seniors play a crucial role in that regard. Get yourself screened at regular intervals, check your metabolism rate, weight, and BMI. If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, or any other chronic condition, undergo all the regular health checks prescribed by your doctor.

Leverage advanced medical solutions like homecare and community living for seniors who offer prescribed medical test services at home. Seniors can now avail a wide range of medical tests at the comfort of assisted living facilities. This includes both prescribed and regular preventive health checks. Athulya assisted living in Chennai is the best example for preventive health checks for seniors.

Taking care of your health as you age should be a responsibility rather than a burden. Of course, it is hard to cope with physical and mental changes as a growing senior. But every exertion extended would be rewarded in good health and spirit.