Combat the aging process with proper nutrition and exercise

Can you believe it? Summer has come and gone like the wind, and kids are back in school. This comes with mixed emotions of joy, sadness, excitement and new schedules to manage.  Sometimes this time frame can detour us from treating our health and fitness programs like the priority they truly are. Please remember that no matter how much your schedule changes, or how busy you get, removing exercise and good nutrition from the routine as priority, should never be an option. I now challenge you to plan ahead, and be prepared to make adjustments along the way so that your new, unfamiliar schedule will soon become one that is normal, includes exercise and comfortably fits into your daily routine.  
 It has been my experience that “back-to-school” can be a great time for many mature adults to focus on themselves and improve their health, nutrition and fitness programs. With a large portion of the American adult population approaching their 40s and 50s, and fifteen percent over the age of 65, there is no better time than the present for mature adults to take advantage of the benefits of better health through exercise and proper nutrition.
 Why should mature adults be concerned with the effects of aging, you ask?  Here are just a few things to be aware of:
• Body weight stays the same or decreases slightly, but the percent of body fat weight increases.
• Muscle mass decreases because your muscle fibers, size and numbers decline.
• Bone mass decrease occurs which is closely linked to a rising incidence of osteoporosis.
• Respiration and circulation are affected because lung capacity and maximal respiratory are decreased.  Alternately the need for increased respiratory frequency is greater, which makes it more difficult to breathe normally.
• Psychomotor control tends to decrease, which means you have a decline of balance and slower reaction and movement time.
 As you know you cannot control your chronological age, so our best choice is to focus more on how we feel, our current fitness status, and our physiological age! Age is only a number. This is good news because it is fact that with regular activity the rate of these changes can be slowed down significantly.  I have faith that you are a good candidate who will reap this benefit, because it first starts with your choice to stay knowledgeable in areas related to your better health. You are taking a positive step right now by reading this article, so keep up the good work; you are absolutely on the right track! You can not do fitness long enough, wrong enough to fail. Just stay in the game, knowledgeable and apply with action and consistency the things you learn, and your next “win” or health goal will soon be attained.
 Mature adults may benefit from regular activity regardless of their past physical activity history. Even previously sedentary people can increase their functional capacity with exercise training. An active 70 year old may tolerate more vigorous activity than a sedentary 30 year old.  So the challenge for good health includes everyone. Everyone can do this! Adopting a solid health and wellness program can increase cardiovascular health and muscular strength, and improve joint mobility, flexibility, balance, daily energy and coordination. These benefits are definitely worth the effort.
 Until next time please go out and make it a great fitness day.