Month: March 2024

We all know the truth. We’ve heard it hundreds of times: some form of daily or almost daily exercise after 60 will keep both your body and your mind happy.

Yet getting into that routine can be challenging. Do you set exercise goals on January 1, filled with great intent and then quit on January 10? Here are some tips that may motivate you to keep going and develop an exercise routine for life.

Set Realistic Goals When It Comes to Exercise After 60

You want exercise to become a habit. You don’t need to do two hours a day to feel the benefits. If you haven’t exercised in a while, it’s unreasonable to think that you will suddenly start doing even an hour a day. Start out slowly: 10 minutes the first day; 15 minutes the next.

Work up to your desired goal over a two- to three-week period. This will also help to prevent injury. Do you want to walk for an hour a day? Does 30 minutes a day feel right to you? Listen to your body. Maybe you are an every-other-day person. Set a goal that matches your lifestyle and go for it.

Mix It Up to Get More from Exercise After 60

The same exercise routine all the time can get boring. Try a couple different forms of exercise. In the summer, I take the water aerobics classes at the local pool twice a week. It’s a great way to cool off and I feel like a little kid splashing around with all of the other ladies my age who attend the class.

I like to hike as much as I can in the warmer months, and I try to hit different trails or routes during the week. In the winter months, I attend a Pilates class in town. Hiking/walking is my mainstay exercise, but I break it up with other activities and that helps to keep me engaged.

Schedule Your Exercise

One of the things that I find beneficial is to build my day around my exercise. Do you set aside a specific time each day for exercise? Since I kept a daily calendar during my working years, I find that keeping one now works well too.

Committing anything in writing creates a little motivational push. I schedule my writing time and exercising time first, and whatever else I have going on, I fit around those two things. The idea is to keep exercise at the same time every day. This is a tool can keep you on track and help you to make exercise a habit.

Walk a Shelter Dog

Did you know that many shelters are thrilled to have volunteers who will walk or play with their dogs? Dogs make the best trainers and being in a park walking with them will exercise both of you. If you have a dog depending on you, you might be more inclined to show up and walk. If I don’t get out with my dog on a walk during the day, I feel very guilty!

The Right Equipment

For me, shoes are my important piece of equipment. You want to wear shoes that fit well and that support your feet correctly and comfortably while walking. Loose T-shirts, shorts and leggings do double duty for Pilates or walking.

Whatever you decide to wear, make sure that it is comfortable and unbinding. And don’t forget to dress warmly enough on these unpredictable spring days. I like to have an extra layer on me that I can remove if necessary.

Eat Breakfast

Yes, it’s still the most important meal of the day. Eating a little protein with vegetables is my favorite breakfast. Breakfast gives you energy and mental clarity and it will fuel your exercise. I like what I call breakfast salad: hard or medium boiled eggs on a bowl of chopped lettuce, tomato, peppers, avocado and a few sunflower seeds. I use a little vinegar and oil for dressing.

The True Rewards of Exercise After 60

Was it Newton who said that “for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction?” Or something like that. Exercising regularly deserves a little payoff at the end of the day, an opposite reaction, if you will.

Here are some favorites: a hot bath or shower. Sitting outside on the deck with a cup of tea and watching the sun set. A bowl of blueberries. A favorite TV show. Doing something nice for yourself and telling yourself that you did well. Self-encouragement and self-acknowledgement is a good way to keep yourself motivated.

As the weather turns warmer, it becomes easier to get outside and walk or swim. And if you need to be indoors, the local YMCA, recreational centers or a gym offer a wide variety of classes. Here in Ashland, Oregon the continuing education program at the college even offers walking classes for seniors. Many of these resources are free or quite reasonably priced.

Nothing wears as well or as classically on any of us as the look of health that comes from exercise. And who doesn’t appreciate the feeling of vitality and vibrancy created by daily movement and effort?

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What are some of the ways that you motivate yourself to exercise? Do you set aside time in your day for exercise? What are some of your favorite activities? What do you think are the keys to getting the most from exercise after 60? Please share with the community.

Amanda Batula’s Criss Cross Jean Shorts / Summer House Season 8 Episode 4 Fashion

If you’re on the hunt for the perfect pair of jean shorts, look no further. Because Amanda Batula wore a criss cross pair on Summer House last night and I promise they will be your go-to’s. I have the pants version and they are super comfortable for denim. So now that you know, you can criss cross shopping shorts of your to-do list.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to Shop Additional Stock / Click Here for More Stock

Originally posted at: Amanda Batula’s Criss Cross Jean Shorts

Click Here for Additional Stock in Her Top / Here for More Stock / Here for Even More Stock / Here for Even More / Here for Even MORE Stock

Click Here for Additional Stock in Her Pants / Here for More Stock / Here for Even More Stock / Here for Even More / Here for Even MORE Stock

Photo: @lindshubbs

Originally posted at: Lindsay Hubbard’s Denim Bustier Top

It may come as a surprise to learn, but we still don’t have a good understanding of why we sleep or what actually goes on while we are sleeping. One theory holds that the brain needs to “clean house” and restore itself (recharging). Another suggests that sleep is an adaptive strategy for conserving energy and slowing metabolism. Still another, quite practical one, suggests that sleep is a strategy for not being eaten by other animals.

There is so much we don’t know. We don’t know how much sleep we actually need. When we observe different mammals, sleep can range from months (think hibernation), to nano-seconds. Humans seem to sleep more when they are younger, a bit less after adolescence, and then in differing amounts at the later stages of life.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream?

We don’t know why we nap; but we know that napping is good for some folks and an indication of illness for others. We don’t know why some people are able to sleep during the day and not at night or why most people sleep at night.

And speaking of nighttime, we know that most of us dream. We know that because people report their dreams, and researchers can wire you up and see your brain waves shift in predictable patterns. But we don’t know why we..000 are dreaming.

What Do We Know?

We do know that quality sleep is essential to brain health at any age. This is especially true for those of us over 50. Maybe, like me, you were taught that eight hours of sleep a night was the gold standard. Turns out that this is the average. Some of us need less and some of us need more.

To confound that information, we don’t all need to get our sleep at once. I know people who sleep 3-4 hours at a time, then get up and do things for a couple of hours, and then go back to bed for another 3-4 hours. This is just perfect for them!

For others, a combination of short naps during the day lends itself to sleeping steadily through the night. Still others, especially those who are managing pain medications, find themselves sleeping 10-12 hours.

There is no single “right amount” of sleep for everyone. Finding what is “just right” for you can be challenging, but it’s important to keep in mind that your needs are the ones that you are targeting. And you are worth the effort!

Insomnia: The Scourge of Old Age

An all-too-common complaint for many of us as we age is insomnia. This is one of those experiences where worrying about being unable to sleep contributes to not being able to sleep. Telling someone to stop worrying doesn’t seem to work (who knew?). Finding out what is causing the sleep disruption is essential in deciding how best to treat it and getting you back to a regular routine.

Here are just a few reasons that contribute to poor quality sleep and may result in insomnia:

1. hunger,
2. diet,
3. lack of exercise,
4. being dehydrated,
5. too much light,
6. having screens on (TV, phone, iPad),
7. being in pain,
8. feeling anxious or depressed,
9. feeling sad,
10. being sick,
11. being excited or anticipating something good happening,
12. being scared or anticipating something bad happening,
13. change of environment,
14. change of sleeping partners,
15. sleeping with/without pets,
16. change of season,
17. noise (silence),
18. temperature,
19. weather

Some Tried and True Tips When Sleep Doesn’t Come Easily

You can see from the list above that lots of things can interfere with getting a good night’s sleep! Some of them you have control over and some of them you do not. To the degree you have control over your environment (light, sound, temperature), find your happy medium and do your best to maintain it.

If you do need to manage change, then cut yourself some slack and allow yourself time to adjust. When it is due to a physical issue (pain or illness), make good use of your primary care provider. When it is due to a psychological problem, reach out to a therapist and get support.

Here are things that all of us can benefit from using in creating good sleep habits:

• Stop eating a couple of hours before going to bed.
• Stay hydrated!
• Keep a regular bedtime.
• Sleep cool (between 60 and 65 F).
• No screens; turn off noise and lights.
• If you wake up, don’t toss and turn. Get up, move about a little bit (it’s like re-booting your phone), then repeat your going to bed routine.
• Cut yourself some slack. If you don’t sleep well for a couple of nights, that is okay.

If you find yourself having trouble falling and staying asleep on a regular basis (more than a week or two), contact your primary care provider and get a referral to a sleep specialist.

Take Home Message

Here’s the take home message: Ask yourself when you wake up, “Do I feel refreshed? Do I have energy?” If the answer is “Yes” to both, it really doesn’t matter how many hours you slept. If your answer is “No,” then pay attention to the different things mentioned above and see what needs changing.

Sweet dreams!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is your sleep routine? What factors influence your sleep? Are you an average sleeper, or do you need less or more than eight hours of sleep? Do you nap during the day? What do you do if you wake up at night?

Click Here for Additional Stock

Photo + ID: @drnicolemartin

Originally posted at: Nicole Martin’s Green Short Sleeve Midi Dress