Exercise and diet for older people need special attention. For aging people, exercise becomes more about maintaining good health rather than looking good. Therefore, aspects of good health & fitness such as cardiovascular health, retaining strength, flexibility, and balance become more important with age.
Preventing disease and maintaining abilities to carry on day-to-day living activities are the focus of exercise as you age. Equally important is nutrition. Diet plays a critical role in aging healthily and keeping diseases at bay.
In this article, you will find valuable tips & guidelines on exercise & nutrition for 65, 70, or 75-year-old men & women.
Exercise For 65, 70 & 75
Aerobic Exercise
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), older adults make sure to exercise at a moderate intensity for at least thirty minutes three days a week. If needed, the exercise duration may be divided into three parts, each of ten-minute intervals.
The mode of exercise should be one that does not lead to orthopedic stress. Some examples of low-stress activities are walking, bicycling, and swimming.
Notes for aging persons:
(i) The mode and intensity of the exercise should be maintained in accordance with the individual activity level – that is, whether they are physically inactive or active (low, medium, or high).
(ii) Perceived intensity rather than heart rate method should be used to monitor the exercise intensity because the frequency of medications changes your heart rate response.
[Read here: Low Impact Aerobic Exercises For Seniors]
Resistance / Strength / Weight Training
Resistance training helps prevent sarcopenia, the muscle loss that occurs with age. For resistance training, the older adults should do 8 to 10 exercises that work on all the major muscle groups. The ACSM recommends beginning with a weight that feels moderately difficult, with which you can perform one set of 8 to 10 reps. Then, gradually increase repetitions and number of sets to 3 before increasing weight. Examples of the exercises that engage the large, major muscle groups are – chest press, lat pull-down, upright row, triceps pull-down & biceps curl, and leg extension & flexion.
[Read here: Resistance Training For Seniors]
Balance Training
With age comes the balance problem. Lack of balance is the major cause of falling, leading to fractures in old age. A senior’s exercise program should include movements that improve balance. Ninety minutes of balance training in a week can reduce the risk of falls for older adults. Even performing some simple exercises can help preserve your current balance.
Some examples of balance exercises are backward walking, toe walking, tandem walking, single-leg stands, and tai chi.
[Read here: Balance Exercise For Older Adults]
Flexibility
Maintaining a full range of motion and flexibility in joints and muscles can help maintain/improve your musculoskeletal function, agility, and balance. As you age, activities such as bending over become more and more difficult. However, if we work on flexibility maintenance, such activities can continue to be performed with ease. Include stretching in your exercise routine. Stretching should be done after the aerobic, resistance, and balance training portions of your exercise regime. Make sure to stretch all the major muscle groups and aim to hold each stretch for at least twenty seconds.
[Read here: Flexibility Exercises For Seniors]
Nutrition For 65, 70 & 75
As you get older, you must keep in mind the changing nutritional need of your aging body. For example, with age, our energy needs become lower. Also, certain foods can estrange certain medical conditions you have, like high cholesterol, diabetes, or arthritis.
In general, the elderly should eat a calorie-controlled diet containing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. While consumption of carbohydrates and protein should stay relatively the same, the intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals should be increased.
[Read here: Nutrition For Seniors]
About Author: Renu Bakshi, AKA Fitness Buffhq, is ISSA Certified Elite Trainer. He passed 
Personal Fitness Trainer Course, Nutrition Health Coach course & Specialist Exercise Therapy course from ISSA, USA obtaining + 97% marks. He shares his experience and knowledge about nutrition and effective workouts to get you in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you may be. The author says: “For me, age is just a number!”
