Keeping up a healthy exercise routine can be tough when you’re working. Your commute alone takes up a lot of the prime times for exercise, but when you retire, not only do you have more time to stay active and get into shape, you’re at an age when it’s more important than ever to look after your health.
Beyond the age of 65, regular exercise helps prevent many of the health problems that affect seniors, including:
- Reduced muscle mass and strength;
- Trouble with balancing and coordination;
- Cardiovascular issues;
- Higher body fat levels;
- Blood pressure;
- Reduced flexibility and mobility.
Regularly exercising past the age of 65 is one of the best ways to make sure your retirement is a happy and healthy one. Try some of these tips for staying active as a senior.
Make the Most of Niagara
It’s easy to enjoy active adult living in the Niagara region, thanks to its abundance of beautiful outdoor recreational activities and amenities. There are tons of great outdoor places to visit and walk around. You’ll get your 10,000 steps in no time visiting attractions like the Botanical Gardens, the Centennial Lilac Garden, the Niagara Glen, and the Niagara River Recreation Trail.
Located at the edge of the Greenbelt, the natural beauty of Niagara is ideal for hikes and relaxed strolls. You can even wander from winery to winery if you’re looking for a way to enjoy Niagara’s excellent vineyards and culinary delights while burning off the calories.
Doing Group Exercises
Group exercises are an excellent way to stay active and socialize. By joining a morning exercise club or cycling club, you benefit from a set schedule to keep you on task, and you’ll look forward to meeting up with friends, as they’re also partly social events.
You can sign up for fitness classes or join a club that’s already active in your local community. It can also be a great way to meet your neighbours and get more engaged with the community.
Find a Great Walking Route
Whether you’re getting your exercise in by running, walking, or cycling, it’s a great opportunity to explore your community. Places like Niagara on the Lake and Ridgeway in Fort Erie have numerous areas to run or walk, including greenways, paths, and parks. You’ll enjoy your exercise routine best in outdoor areas that are safe for runners and pedestrians and generally separated from live traffic. The Niagara parkway has an amazingly long and scenic bike trail and in Ridgeway there is a fabulous trail called the Friendship Trail that is free of car traffic and very scenic. Or just go for walk along the beaches that front Lake Erie.
Sign Up for a Class
One of the barriers many people feel toward exercise is not knowing what to do. Signing up for an exercise class at the gym or the community centre is a great way to learn how to safely keep active and best protect yourself against common age-related ailments. There are 4 main types of exercise that benefit seniors, and it’s important that you learn how to safely perform while minimizing risk of injury:
- Strength to prevent muscle loss, such as bodyweight stretches;
- Balance to help prevent falls, targeted by exercises like tai chi;
- Aerobics for cardiovascular health, which you can accomplish with a class like Zumba or even a dance class;
- Flexibility to keep you mobile, something yoga is great for.
You can likely also find classes that are directed toward seniors, so you don’t feel out of your element surrounded by younger people. Many residents of Niagara on the Lake and Ridgeway enjoy the amazing facilities at White Oaks Niagara fitness resort and spa which has 40 different classes going on every week from cycling to yoga.
Swimming & Life by the Water
Another great thing about living in Niagara is that it’s surrounded by water. Located on the south shore of Lake Ontario and the north shore of Lake Erie, there’s an abundance of gorgeous beaches in the region, including Crystal Beach, only minutes away from The Oaks community by Blythwood Homes. Enjoy the gorgeous sand and crystal-clear waters of Lake Erie, where you can go for a swim, take out the boat, or just enjoy a pleasant stroll down the beach.
Hitting the Golf Course
While there may be more effective ways to get your exercise in, hitting the golf course may be better exercise than you would think. By some estimates, you can burn about 900 calories walking an 18 hole course. Golf also helps a little bit with strength training, balance, and concentration. So, if you love a game of golf, you don’t have to feel too bad about skipping the gym and hitting the golf course instead.
Enjoying Active Adult Living
Staying active both physically and socially is important in your retirement years. When Blythwood Homes builds adult communities, we’re making neighbourhoods where you can live life to the fullest with neighbours in your age group, in the amenity-rich Niagara region.
We build great homes in great neighbourhoods. A strong community starts with a quality location, and we’re incredibly selective in choosing sites for our neighbourhoods. When you’re enjoying the best of Niagara living, it’s easy to stay active and get involved, whether it’s by joining a team sport or an exercise class, or just thanks to hiking and strolling through the region’s gorgeous parks and natural landscape.