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The importance of self-care increases as we age. While we cannot overcome natural physical and mental changes that come with growing old, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and an upbeat outlook can have a major positive impact on your standard of living. In this article, Pilates with Scott explores three useful habits you can implement to make the most of your golden years.
Stay Physically Active
Engaging in regular exercise translates to better physical and mental health. Additionally, for women over 60, it provides an array of benefits such as:
Reduces the risk of diseases by boosting immune function. Moreover, it contributes towards better cardiovascular health, helping individuals with heart diseases or diabetes to manage their symptoms better.
Strengthening of bones and muscles leads to improved balance and decreased risk of falls, which are some of the prominent causes of injury among seniors.
Here’s a list of exercises to include in your routine:
Taking a brief walk around your neighborhood
Climbing a flight of stairs once or twice a day
Full-body stretching
Practicing yoga or Pilates
Simple bodyweight exercises such as wall push-ups, chair squats, and more.
If you’re not interested in joining a class or a gym, you can use online and video tutorials for most exercises now. Pilates by Scott offers online group classes as well as personal training sessions.
Gardening can even be a great way to be physically active while doing something you enjoy. It has the added benefit of producing nutritious food for you to add to your diet, too. You may need to have some landscaping changed in order to create a raised garden in your yard. Removing old brush, dead trees, tree stumps are big jobs that should be handled by professionals. Look online for companies in your area that handle these tasks, and input some specific information for an estimate. Then, you can read the reviews and contact a few companies to find out the specific cost and timeline for your project.
Focus on Your Nutritional Intake
While the logic of eating a balanced diet still holds true, here are some food choices you should consider to keep your body and mind healthy:
Eat foods rich in vitamin D such as eggs, meats, soy, milk, and fish. This will help maintain strong bones and good balance.
The foods mentioned above also serve as a good source of vitamin B-12, which plays an important role in improving brain function, producing red blood cells, and reducing the risk of diseases such as Parkinson’s, osteoporosis, and more as reported by Snug Safety.
If you consistently feel low on energy, increase your intake of complex carbohydrates which can be derived from bread, pasta, rice, and cereals.
Take on New Challenges
Struggling to stay occupied post-retirement is a common issue faced by seniors. A sudden change from an active lifestyle to a passive one can lead to feelings of stress and dissatisfaction. One of the best ways to overcome this barrier is by taking on new challenges, such as starting a business.
As a senior, you have two strong advantages over others:
You have years of experience at your disposal.
You have ample time and resources to fully be committed.
While starting a business may feel challenging, various online platforms make it easy to plan, fund, and launch your business. These resources include:
SCORE: They have created a simple business plan template in line with industry expectations to help new entrepreneurs create strong foundations for their businesses.
Registering your business as a limited liability company is important to protect yourself from business-related liabilities. It typically takes five steps to form an LLC.
SBA: The Small Business Association, provides a variety of funding options for entrepreneurs such as short and long-term loans, funds to meet business expenses, and special provisions for senior business owners.
The best way to ensure you remain fit and active is to take control of your health. While regular check-ups and medication will remain an important part of your routine, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will allow you to remain independent and continue to enjoy all the things you cherish in life. Find an activity that works for your mobility and lifestyle, like online or on site classes from Pilates with Scott, and maintain a healthy diet. Together, these efforts will help you to feel healthy and strong for the years ahead.