Too often people associate fitness with strenuous exercise or time spent at the gym, when actually fitness is any activity that gets you moving. Everyone, regardless of age or size, needs to enjoy a certain level of fitness in order to remain healthy. Most of us know the benefits of physical activity including better heart health, healthier body weight, increased energy levels, improved circulation and mobility. And, being outside surrounded by nature has benefits of its own like a reduction in stress and anxiety levels as well as a lower risk of cancer and other ailments which occur due to lack of Vitamin D. A mere fifteen minutes of sun exposure helps our body get the Vitamin D it needs to stay healthy and the sun also helps improve our mood which in turn benefits our overall health in many ways.

With warmer, brighter days, it’s time to enjoy the many benefits of not only being active but also getting outside.  It’s nearly impossible to separate the environment from a positive state of good health.  The two concepts are intimately linked and dependent upon one another and our connection to the natural world is fundamental to well-being. People are innately driven to experience the outdoors and this bond forms a direct relationship to our overall wellness.

Gardening alone can be a great boost for body and soul.  The calming benefits of planting, weeding, digging and mulching are endless.  Fresh air, improved mood and concentration, lower blood pressure, improved flexibility in your joints and strength in your muscles…well, the list goes on. But the simple satisfaction and delight derived from watching things grow and bloom and produce fruit is both unmatched and undeniable!

Come on, let’s get outside, have some fun and reap the benefits!

Susan Covey is the director of Health and Fitness at Acts Bayleigh Chase

There’s no better time than right now…TO START WALKING!!

Walking is considered the gold standard of exercise, since it uses around 200 muscles and is a safe, inexpensive, fun activity that most anyone can do. But, that’s not all!

Walking:
Increases your cardiovascular fitness
Reduces your stress
Gives you more energy
Tones your muscles
Enables you to get more restful sleep
Reduces your risk of developing many serious health problems
Helps you lose weight and keep it off
Enables you to maintain your current weight
Provides time to enjoy companions or to be alone, your choice
Makes you feel good!

Remember good walking posture: chin up, eyes forward, shoulders down, back straight, arms bent 90 degrees while pumping them back & forth. And always try to walk heel to toe.

Take a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby rails to trails and see what’s blooming this spring!!

Also, when you’re inside, remember to take the stairs if you are able…

Susan Covey is the Director of Fitness at Bayleigh Chase in Easton.

How about trying something new for spring?

My suggestion is boxing! Why? you might ask. Well, in a nutshell, throwing punches in the air is a fun mind-body workout without the risk of head trauma!

Boxing workouts are a combination of bodyweight exercises, speed training, agility, and balance. Boxing engages the entire body, focusing on muscle movement and memory.

As you age, you may find that your motor skills decline, meaning that your hands may not be able to perform tasks with the same accuracy and speed as when you were younger. According to recent studies, this happens due to age-related changes in the structure, function, and biochemistry of the brain. (Silver Sneakers)

Though aerobic exercises of any kind are associated with improved brain functions, boxing is known for improving hand-eye coordination because it involves reaching out to targets in space. This helps in real life by making it easier to respond to information from the world around us…picking something up off the floor or tracking a tennis ball.

All aerobic exercises have a neuroprotective effect that may help prevent cognitive decline and boxing requires you to constantly think. There are basic punches to remember, including their proper form.

Boxing will also help build total body strength because throwing punches starts at the feet. Power is driven through the lower body, up through the core, extending out through the arms. Therefore, you are working the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and glutes to provide a more stable foundation. This improved lower body strength will thus help prevent falls.

The speed and intensity are entirely up to you, a self-paced workout that can even be done in a chair. You just need to make those upper body movements big enough to keep your heart pumping!

Find a boxing class and have fun!

Susan Covey is the Fitness Director at Acts Bayleigh Chase

Heart disease kills an estimated 630,000 Americans each year.  It’s the leading cause of death for both men and women.  In the United States, the most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to a heart attack.  You can greatly reduce your risk for CAD through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication.  

Since 1963, February has been celebrated as American Heart Month to urge Americans to join the battle against heart disease.  Since 2004, February also has been the signature month for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women campaign and the message that heart disease is not only a man’s problem. This February the day falls on Friday the 4th.

So, why not celebrate by rocking your best red and embark on a quick energetic walk outdoors, culminating with a healthy red snack…raspberries, cranberries, strawberries, apples, watermelon, cherries, pomegranate, tomatoes, radishes, red peppers and how about a nice glass of red wine!?

Susan Covey is the Fitness Director Acts Bayleigh Chase in Easton. 

 

Just a few things to make sure the New Year starts off on the right foot.

1) Make it a habit to be grateful and help others.  Every day, write down three things you are grateful for and one thing that you’ll do for someone else.

2) Add an extra serving of fruit or vegetables per day.  Find a way to eat one more than normal.

3) Stay on top of preventive care.  Physical exams, vaccines, blood pressure checks, etc.

4) Add 10 minutes of exercise to your day.  If you don’t already exercise, aim for 10 minutes each day.  If you do currently exercise, add 10 minutes to your routine.

5) Mind your manners.  “Please” and “thank you” can go a long way when interacting with others.

6) Stay in motion.  At home, pace, march in place or sit down and stand up when you’re on the phone or watching TV.

7) Correct your posture.  Your posture can affect both your physical and mental health.  Work on keeping your back straight, shoulders back and head up, as if you were balancing a book on your head.  Avoid slouching!

8) Try a new exercise…switch it up for the new year!

Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one!!

Susan Covey is the Director Health and Fitness, Acts-Bayleigh Chase Retirement Life Communities

Anyone for a stroll on the beach?  I would say most people would find that appealing, but not everyone may know all the associated health benefits of walking in the sand. So, I’ve listed a few to motivate you on your next trip to the beach!

1.  Strength Training: Sand provides natural resistance to strengthen toes, ankles, and calves. Scientists have shown that it takes 2.1 to 2.7 times more energy to walk on sand than it does to move at the same pace on hard surfaces.  That energy is used to strengthen all the muscles of your feet and back, calves, quadriceps, and glutes. The dryer the sand, the harder the work. And, your foot can experience a full range of motion in the sand.

2. Greater Calorie Burn: The energy used to strengthen all those muscles had to come from somewhere…according to Berkeley Wellness, you can expect to burn about 50% more calories by walking on sand than on paved ground.

3. Improved Proprioception: Basically, good walking proprioception means your mind is in touch with the stimuli coming from your feet. This helps to connect you with the world around you and walking barefoot in the sand is a wonderful way to do tap into that neuromuscular activity. After all, you have as many as 7,000 nerve endings in each of your feet. Just think about feeling all those grains under the sensitive part of your arch or between your toes!

4. Stress Reduction: Sand conforms to your feet without restricting them, so it’s like a walking foot massage…and it is free!

5. Grounding/Earthing: The theory behind grounding or earthing is that electrical energy from the earth can be absorbed through your feet when you walk barefoot, especially on wet or moist sand which then may lead to a multitude of benefits. Even if you are not sold on this theory, few would disagree that walking barefoot (without your cell phone) can be a meditative activity that will help you feel mentally grounded and centered.

6. Natural Exfoliant: Wet sand acts as an exfoliant that helps peel dead skin cells from your body.  Try walking in the loose sand first and then wander into the path of shallow waves to wash it off.

7. Vitamin and Mineral Boost: Besides reaping the many benefits of Vitamin D from being in the sun, like calcium absorption, autoimmune response, and mood, it has also been found that it leads to reduced stress and improved sleep and appetite. On top of that, if you are on a salty beach, then the water also contains a multitude of healthy minerals like magnesium, potassium, and iodine.  Many of these minerals are used in topical anti-aging products, so why not step into the waves and get a free dose?

8. Gait analysis: Curious about your foot strike? A simple glance at your footsteps in the sand can tell you quite a bit. Wherever you see a deep indentation is where you are striking the ground.  For instance, if you see a heavy imprint from both the heel and the toe, then you may be landing on the heel, rolling to the toes and pushing off too harshly. This information would more likely appeal to runners than walkers, but interesting nonetheless.

Enjoy your day at the beach!

Susan S. Covey is the Director of Health and Fitness Bayleigh Chase-Acts

 

Did you know you can get all the cardiovascular, muscle strengthening and flexibility benefits you need in water? Done correctly, water workouts can give you the same fitness gains as land workouts, including improving balance.

Water’s buoyancy supports the body’s weight and significantly reduces stress on weight-bearing joints, bones and muscles. For those with injuries, the pressure of the water also reduces swelling. If the water is warm, then the heat relaxes muscles and eases joint stiffness.

We all need resistance training to keep us from losing muscle and strength as we age. Water offers that resistance which strengthens our muscles as we move through it. And get this, simply walking in water will strengthen those hard-to-work abdominal muscles! That not only beats doing sit-ups but may offer greater benefits because the abdominal muscles are being strengthened in the same way we naturally use them—by holding our bodies in an upright position.

Water workouts can help us reach our fitness goals without pain or injury. They can add cross-training variety to our existing routine or offer a safe and fun way to start an exercise program.

So, come on in, the water’s fine!

Susan Covey is the Director of Health and Fitness at Acts-Bayleigh Chase in Easton

Like most people, you’ve probably heard that activity and exercise are good for you. The frailty and decreased energy often associated with aging is largely due to muscle loss.  (Here’s where I can’t resist adding the old adage “Use it or lose it”.)  So true.  

Being physically active on a daily basis is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.  As a matter of fact, exercise is THE key to maintaining your mobility and prolonging your INDEPENDENCE!  It is central to daily functioning…think about it.  Your daily activities like getting out of bed, rising up out of a chair, standing in the shower, carrying groceries, walking down the hall.  They all require strength and energy, and one of the best ways to keep muscles healthy and strong and to increase the body’s vigor is with mobility-enhancing exercises.  Also called strength training or resistance training, these exercises are among the best ways to fight weakness and frailty that can come with age.  If done regularly they will build bone and muscle, and help preserve your INDEPENDENCE.

So, let’s make our founding fathers proud, take back our freedom of movement and refuse to surrender to the tyranny of aging!  We may be born into a life of liberty, but we must not ever remain idle. After all, the key to INDEPENDENCE (and therefore happiness) lies in the pursuit.

Susan S. Covey is the Director of Community Center for Health and Fitness at Bayleigh Chase-Acts