FEATURE: How To Move Like A Centenarian
Written by Kathryn Savage
Centenarians around the globe don’t pump iron, they don’t run marathons or spend long hours sweating to the oldies. Instead, they make time for regular, steady movement throughout the day.
Movement and healthy eating should be more-often-than-nots. You eat well more often than not. You workout (walk, hike, chop wood, do yoga, vacuum, hand-whip whipped cream, whatever) more often than not.
In other words, you make moving an unavoidable and fun part of your day. Every day. Most male centenarians in Sardinia’s Blue Zone work as shepherds, a profession that involves a lot of interval-cardio. What? Cardio isn’t the first thing you think of when you think of shepherds? They spend long hours every day walking up and down hillsides. Sounds pretty intense to me. The most I lift while working is a coffee mug. Sometimes a cookie or two. Okinawans? They spend an average three hours daily in their gardens harvesting their own food. And Adventists in Loma Linda, California relax and take nature walks together.
Be warned, gardening and walking won’t be sufficient if your goal is weight loss. If you want to lose weight you are best off reducing calorie intake. (Not very groundbreaking, I’ll admit) But if your focus is on overall, lifelong health and reaching triple digits, an ideal routine would include a combo of aerobic, stretching and muscle-strengthening.
Balance is very important as you age. Falls are a big cause of injury among seniors, and improving balance is a very, very important if you want to avoid the infamous "I've fallen, and I can't get up!" thing. My suggestion? Try standing on one foot while doing dishes, hold your pose for ten seconds, then switch feet.
Or, make like you just got pulled over for driving drunk and touch your finger to your nose, practice walking in a straight line, or take a gentle hatha yoga class. Yoga is great because it combines aerobics, strength training, and balance with a meditative, relaxed environment.
More than anything, keep the focus on sustainability. If you love yoga but find it’s too expensive, find a nice path to walk or jog in your neighborhood or research more affordable studios. You can get yoga DVDs for about ten bucks. Pick an activity that you like doing and do it regularly. If you hate the gym, don’t bother with a membership you’ll never use. There are a wealth of other options for staying fit that you will surely enjoy! Or at least not hate with a fiery passion that burns (kidding, kidding).
Centenarian Fit Tips
Get a fitness partner!
Meet a friend for regular after-work walks or yoga class.
Get rid of the remote.
Get rid of the remote, electric garage door opener, and dishwasher. Put your bike in an unavoidable location on your way to the door. Just by de-conveniencing your house and relying less on your car you will be moving more often without thinking about it. And helping out the planet.
Act like a New Yorker.
New Yorkers walk. Everywhere. I was a New Yorker for six years and I probably walked 3 miles everyday without realizing it. You can’t really complain about tired feet after you see a) a nine month pregnant woman running (in heels) to catch the subway, b) a ninety-year old grandma running (in heels) to catch the subway c) a mother pushing wailing infant twins in a stroller while running (in heels) to catch the subway. Using this model, if you live a handful of blocks from the store, the Blockbuster, or the bank, don’t drive. Walk as much as you can.
Don’t psyche yourself out.
Don’t think, “Ok, tomorrow I’m really going to get up when the alarm goes off and from 6am to 7am I'll work out ... groan!” Instead, make a list of activities that make you move that you actually like. Running, hiking, biking, playing soccer with your kids, tennis with your neighbors, basketball with your buddies? Build your routine around fun activities that you like, instead of ones you hate. Think of it like playtime. I dare you to act like a four-year-old more often.
Garden.
Plant a garden with fresh, organic vegetables. You’ll be working out and cooking sustainably in no time!
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
What is 'Move'?
