Older people
As you grow older, being overweight will affect your mobility
which, in turn, will affect your health and quality of life. If you
find you’re putting on weight, or are less active than you used to
be, don’t worry – it’s never too late to choose a healthier
lifestyle, so why not try some of the tips below:
How much should I eat?
As we age, we tend to become less physically active; and so we
need to adapt and adjust our overall food intake, accordingly. This
means eating less food than you may have when you were younger.
If you notice you are putting on weight, try having smaller
meals with nutritious snacks in between. Also make sure you drink
plenty of liquids. For more tips on losing weight visit the
weight loss page on this site.
It’s never too late to try something new, the
foodhall is full or great new recipes that you can try
today.
Staying active as you get older
No matter what your age or physical condition, the human body
responds positively to exercise, so it is never too late to start
increasing your fitness. As we get older, doing regular strength,
balance, and flexibility exercises protects our health and
independence, and helps prevent falls.
Balance
Balance is an important part of everyday activities, such as
walking, getting out of a chair or getting dressed. Exercise can
significantly improve your balance and reduce your risk for
falls.
To improve your balance, try these exercises two or three times
a week. They can be practiced at any time, as long as you have
something sturdy (like a kitchen counter) to hold onto:
- Stand heel-to-toe. Put your heel in front of the toes of your
other foot each time you take a step. Your heel and toes should
touch or almost touch.
- Stand on one foot (while washing dishes, brushing your teeth,
etc.) Change feet.
- Stand up and sit down without using your hands.
- March in place, slowly lifting each knee up as high as you
can.
As we start to get older, we can start to get out of the habit
of exercising – why not try some of these activities to get you
back in the habit:
Walking
Walking is probably the simplest and cheapest of all exercises.
You can go on your own or with a friend. Or alternatively join one
of the walking groups run locally. Find
a timetable here
Pilates
Pilates focuses on building your body's core strength and
improving your posture through a series of low repetition, low
impact stretching and conditioning exercises.
Yoga
Yoga involves the regular practice of different postures
(asanas), and breathing exercises (pranayama), to make the body
stronger and suppler.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese form of co-ordinated body
movements focusing on the cultivation of internal energy 'chi'. It
gently tones and strengthens your muscles, improving balance and
posture.
Chair based exercises
These are good because they minimise load-bearing and
reduce balance problems in those with particularly poor mobility or
balance. It is a good starting point for those unable to perform
free-standing exercise and improves the movement of joints and
increases muscle strength.
Take a look at the Activities
section of the website to find something for you in Hackney or
the City of London.
Get Motivated - Top tips for getting and staying active
- Find others who are interested in exercising, or are already
exercising, to help you stay motivated.
- Find ways to use exercise as a social activity
- Set personal goals for the short term (daily or weekly) and
longer term (monthly or yearly).
Start slowly, progress slowly, be consistent, and plan ahead. It
takes about a month to make exercise a new habit.