The older you are, the more important it is to stay in shape. And the harder it is to do so.
Regular exercise promotes health and provides opportunities to connect with like-minded people, especially for older adults who commonly experience isolation.
Lynn Benko, a senior fitness specialist in Calgary, says that active living is the key to maintaining a higher quality of life for older adults.
“It means living your best life right to the bitter end,” said Benko. “We don’t want to say ‘oh, I’m 50, I’m 60, I’m 70, my life is over.’ We want to give people the tools so they can enjoy life.”
Fitness and ageing
Francois Duval, a Calgary martial arts instructor, works hard to keep himself active as he nears his 50th birthday.
In 2016, Duval decided to take more accountability for his diet and exercise.
“One day I took my shirt off in front of a mirror and I said, ‘Would you hire yourself as a coach?’” His answer? “Eff no.”
Duval says the biggest change he had to make was in his diet, which, in his 30s and 40s, included many nights of pizza, beer, and chicken wings.
“I started going to sporting events that I didn’t care about,” he said. “Why? It’s because you like the environment, you like the food.”
Now, Duval has exchanged his pub nights for home-cooked meals and makes sure to fit in strength training and exercise in addition to his Muay Thai routine.
“My wife and I started really, really focusing on our food,” he said. “Getting better at cooking, getting better flavour out of foods. And the next thing you know, we have zero desire to eat out.”
When maintaining his new lifestyle, Duval learned how to forgive his failures and focus on the big picture.
“You end up having a pizza, and you’re like, ‘damn, I failed.’ That’s okay. Take a step back. Take a knee,” Duval said. “Whatever. Tomorrow morning, we get back on track.”
Benefits of active living
The physical benefits of regular exercise, such as a healthier heart, better flexibility, improved memory and reduced chance of injury, are well researched.
And being active can extend a lifespan by seven years.
Benko says that, in addition to health benefits, being active can help older adults socialize. She always encourages her clients to find community in physical activity.
“A lot of people may have lost their partner, and they’re lonely. And social isolation is brutal. It’s very bad for cognitive function and it’s just bad for the spirit,” said Benko.
Benko says joining a gym class or fitness group can be a great way to make friends and engage with others.
“It’s incredibly important. One of the issues, though, is to get the people to the facility,” she says. “They didn’t go to exercise classes, they didn’t go to gyms when they were young people. It was not part of the culture.”
Duval says that having people to share fitness goals with helps him stay active. When his friends ask him to go out, it’s not to go to the pub.
“It’s going to be, ‘Let’s go for a hike. Do you want to train? Do you want to meet at the gym?’” he said. “Surround yourself with people who have the same goals as you.”
While Benko often speaks about community and healthy living to her clients, she thinks family members should help where they can to ensure that their older relatives live long and healthy lives.
“Any children or grandchildren, sons and daughters, they really need to get Mom and Dad out to a facility,” she said. “The benefits are immeasurable, but they have to get them to the class,” Benko said.