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Taking It Easy Can Make Old Age Hard
As you grow older you may be tempted to "take it easy" which may be the worst thing you can do. The more you use your body the better it will work--no matter what your age. Most people know they should exercise more but few actually do so. About 40% of Americans are completely sedentary, and 40% exercise below levels that impart health and fitness benefits.

Our Greatgrandparents Were Fit

Before the introduction of the car and all our modern appliances, most Americans were physically fit. Our daily routines required considerable energy and activity. Technology has made our lives are much easier now, but it has also eliminated many of the activities that kept us in shape. Today, most of us are inactive at home and at work. We sit all day in front of our computers and then sit at night in front of our televisions. Driving has become more common than walking and elevators are used more frequently than stairs.

Being Fit is More Important as you Get Older

As you age, being physically fit becomes even more important. Unfortunatley, most people become are less physically active in later life. Older adults who are physically fit are less likely to have limitations in necessary activities such as carrying groceries and doing household chores.

Just Get Off the Couch

Staying fit and healthy does not require joining a gym or buying expensive equipment. Instead you can put activity back into your life by making small lifestyle changes. Simple changes in activities, such as climbing stairs instead of taking an elevator or walking more, can improve health.

One study comparing the effects of a lifestyle physical activity program (e.g., raking leaves, taking walks) to a more traditional structured exercise program. The lifestyle intervention was as effective as a structured exercise program in improving physical activity, cardio-respiratory fitness, and blood pressure. (Dunn, et. al. JAMA,1999)

Another study examined the effects of a 16 week structured aerobic exercise program versus an increase in lifestyle activities (e.g., taking walks, doing household chores) on 40 obese women ages 21 to 60. All of the women were put on a 1,200 calorie diet. Over the 16 week study, both groups lost about 18 pounds. However, a year later researchers found that the aerobic group was more likely to have regained weight than the lifestyle group. (Andersen, et. al. JAMA,1999)

You are Never to Old to Become Physically Fit

Even the very old (age 90 and older) respond to exercise with a marked and rapid improvement in fitness and function. Staying fit will slow the functional declines so common with aging and can actually reverse loss of capacity. Simply walking rapidly for about 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week can turn back the biologic clock about 10 years in terms of cardiovascular and aerobic function. Of course, the magnitude of these improvements depends on your initial fitness status, age, and type and amounts of training.