As you age, it is essential to stay active. Getting exercise on a regular basis can not only help keep your heart healthy but it can also help you control your weight. As an added bonus, it can improve the overall health of your joints while at the same time reducing your risk of falling by improving your sense of balance.

Best of all, you don’t have to spend all of your time exercising to enjoy these benefits. Instead, you just need to fit in about 2 1/2 hours of aerobic exercise each week. This can include activities like walking, hiking, or swimming. Additionally, you should try to incorporate strength training activities into your schedule twice a week to maximize your results.

Fun And Simple Ways To Get In Shape

You don’t have to spend all of your time sweating at the gym to get a great workout. Instead, you can try some of these fun activities:

* Dancing. Hitting the dance floor provides a great workout. You can dance by yourself or with a partner. If you really want to have a great time, consider signing up for classes.

* Bowling. Spending time bowling is a great way to stay active. Consider signing up for your local bowling league or setting a regular date to get together with your friends.

* Other types of sports. Is there a sport you played a lot when you were younger? If so, why not try playing it again? Whether you want to head out to the golf course or hit the tennis court, there are a lot of options available. You may even want to try incorporating a number of different sports into your routine to keep from getting bored and to work all of the muscles in your body.

* Spend time outdoors. There are a lot of fun ways to exercise outside. Whether you want to go for a bike ride, hike a local trail, or take a walk around your neighborhood, breathing in fresh air while you work your muscles can be both fun and rewarding.

* Go swimming. When it comes to low-impact exercises, few are as effective as swimming. It is ideal for people who have pain in their joints or who suffer from arthritis.

Build Strength And Improve Your Balance

Falls are far more likely to result in serious injuries as you get older. You can minimize this risk by working to improve your balance. Exercises like tai chi and yoga do a great job of helping you increase your muscle tone. As an added bonus, they also provide much-needed stress relief. This is why any good Senior Care Center will include it in their routine.

Stretching also can go a long way toward improving your flexibility and keeping your joints in good shape. Don’t forget to focus on strength training a couple of days a week, as well. If you don’t have weights at home, you can lift cans of food from your pantry or use a lightweight resistance band to build muscle.

Work Around Your House

You can get a great workout doing chores around your house. House cleaning burns a tremendous number of calories and helps you build muscle. The same goes for gardening or raking leaves.

As you age, you should focus on staying as active as possible. Getting regular exercise will help keep you healthy and strong for many years to come.