Hi guys, Kris from Custom Fitness here, your personal trainer in Amarillo. Joint discomfort and fatigue and lower metabolism. Are these just things we have to deal with once we get older? Not necessarily. By using diet and exercise you can actually minimize or eliminate symptoms of aging. If you have questions about today’s topic or you would like to talk with our team of professionals about how you can start this process, give us a call: 806-322-3188.
What leads to fatigue or joint pain? Often it is dehydration. If you’ve watched our videos for a while or you’ve worked with me, you know I highly encourage drinking water. Water is key to finding your success. If you have noticed yourself feeling exhausted lately, a mid-day slump, or feel kind of achey (especially when the weather kicks up), try taking a hard look at how much water — regular, plain water, not mixed with packets, or sugar, or coffee — you consume everyday. Increasing that number could be your get out of pain free card.
Second up is protein. As we start to age we often neglect protein. Maybe cooking becomes too labor intensive, or the meat itself too expensive. While I understand the premise, not meeting your body’s need for protein will only hurt you in the long run. We are not providing our body the building blocks it has to have to create the muscles that we need. From there we omit exercises little by little from our routine. Shirking from protein and exercise is a sure fire way to keep you from living a strong and healthy life, no matter what your age is.
Other people are concerned with bone density issues. A majority of those ailments can be minimized by doing resistance style training regularly and eating a full palate of nutrients. You want a full plate of colors that is peppered with adequate protein, veggies, and healthy fats. You want to eat a balance of the rainbow everyday. *Granted some forms of bone density issues cannot be completely cured,but we can help minimize the effects.
We start to let our exercise and nutrition focus shift around mid-age. Where we once prioritized ourselves, we adjust to concentrating on making sure the kids get where they need to be, that bills are paid on time with hopefully money in the bank, or that the deadlines at work are met in a professional way. In other words, life gets in the way. Well, I am here to tell you as a personal trainer in Amarillo for almost two decades, you cannot do better than giving yourself the opportunity to thrive when you remember to eat and move in the way your body requires. It’s time to stop letting the schedule get the best of you and remember that you need things too. The earlier the better for this type of thing, but if you have had a hiccup, today is a great day to get back on the horse. Go ahead think through your eating habits through your exercise habits right now. What could you be doing differently to improve your quality of life later?
At Custom Fitness we have a variety of clients. We currently work with anyone ages 16 to 97 (or older if we can). The seniors are one of my favorite populations.They see such a big difference in their quality of life and they really give it their all when they come in. Recently we had the pleasure of onboarding a new client who is in her mid 80s. When we first met her she was having a lot of issues with balance and flexibility. She would need to sit down to put on her shoes or pants, getting out of the car took a lot of effort and time, and stairs were pretty challenging. In just 4 weeks her life changed and she felt so excited to move again. I love watching seniors get to be excited about their lives again. We don’t give them the same programs or nutrition plans we do to 20 or 30 year olds. We customize a program to them to make sure they are getting what they need as well as to to be able to accomplish whatever they want to do; even if it is just putting on their shoes while standing. If you know someone who would like to eliminate or reduce the aging symptoms, wants to move better or feel better, but haven’t quite found the fountain of youth, please refer them to us. We love helping people get the most out of their body. We offer a complimentary consultation where we sit down with prospective clients to see if we are a good fit for one another. No obligations.
If you are in that situation and you are looking for a way to enhance how your body moves, balance is key. Balance is a foundation of every movement you make. If you’re walking, between steps your body balances to keep itself upright. If you are moving groceries from one end of the counter to the other, you are balancing to maintain the movement.
One of the best ways to improve your ability to balance is to practice it. This will enhance your agility, your fluidity, and mitigate the mark of aging. When you balance, your body is stabilizing itself with a series of muscle contractions. Practicing balance will strengthen these contractions to keep you on your feet or at least in the position you want to stay in.
If you are new to this or feel a little unsteady, start by standing with your feet together and stare straight ahead. You can do this at the grocery store, while you’re on the phone, or at home. If you’re a little wobbly, don’t worry. You can do this next to a wall or chair to play the role of a safety blanket when you need it. Once you’ve got that, try doing it and closing your eyes. This will throw your balance off just a bit. Then, to make it more difficult, try standing feet together, gaze ahead, and lift the heel of one foot. If that’s too easy, try lifting the whole foot.
There are 3 key things to remember when you are practicing balance.
- Pick a non-moving focal point directly in front of you at eye level.
- Tighten your core
- If you are balancing on one leg, stand up tall and don’t lean into your hip and soften your knee.
You should apply these things to strengthen your base every time you are balancing in any position.
Now let’s say you have advanced past standing-still balances. If you’ve taken a yoga class you’ve probably seen how intense some of the balance poses can get when things are lifted in ways Jane Fonda could have only dreamed of. Yoga is a great choice if you’d like to practice solely on balance, but what if you want to incorporate it into a functional workout?
You could add a mechanism of balance to certain exercises like a one arm row. Where you are standing feet together, you lean the trunk of your body forward with a weight in one hand, bring the weight to your rib cage, and lift one of your feet up and behind you so that your head, butt, and ankle are all in one long line. You can also turn this into a rocking row as well to keep you on your toes (literally). Any time you balance, whether it is just standing feet together with your eyes closed or you are sinking into the Crow position in yoga, your body is working every muscle inside and out to keep it in position. The body has to more fully contract to
. You will benefit a lot if you can add balance practice throughout the day during your everyday routine. Adding balance to your workout routine is a huge bonus You want to find your level – what are you comfortable with doing that challenges your body in a tolerable way, figure out what works best for you, and incorporate it into what you are already doing. That’s all for today folks. If you have questions about balance, creating a well rounded workout routine, or not sure what to eat to give your brain a boost, let us know: 806-322-3188 or info@customfitness.biz. We would love to hear what plans you have for your body. At Custom Fitness we are YOUR personal trainers in Amarillo. Have a great day!