Get the Glow: Benefits of Daily Exercise

When was the last time you glowed? Really glowed? (Other than when you opened the freezer late at night and found leftover ice cream.) 

Former world heavyweight champion Gene Tunney said, “To enjoy the glow of good health, you must exercise.” Now if the word “exercise” makes you want to hide under a blanket with the remote, we have good news! You don’t have to climb Mt. Everest to get that glow, but if you do go, be sure your Sherpa packs some extra sunscreen.

In just 30 minutes of exercise, you can change your health, your mood, and your energy level – and you can start small. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Wash your car yourself. Give your dog a bath (trust us, you will get a workout.) Park a little further from the market. Once you add more steps and exertion to your regular chores, you will feel a difference right away! 

Of course, for the biggest benefits of daily exercise, you want to ramp it up a bit, but you still don’t have to become Jack LaLanne overnight. At Thrive at Montvale, we give older adults lots of ways to get 30 minutes of exercise each day and have a lot of fun doing it. Because we believe you want to do more than just live. You want to live well. You want to thrive – and we can help!

Half an hour delivers a whole lot of benefits.

Increases your muscle mass. Popeye relied on spinach, but daily exercise is really what does it. Think about it: don’t you want to continue to be able to carry in your grocery bags? Pick up the cat? Roll a bocce ball? Then you need to keep those muscles strong. Pick two days a week and work all the major muscle groups, (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms). Use soup cans or resistance bands if you can’t get to a gym. In our Athlete Center at Thrive at Montvale, our personal trainer can set up an individual plan just for you. In no time, you’ll feel stronger and more in control.  

Reduces your risk of bone loss. Doing aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening physical activity at a moderately intense level can slow the loss of bone density. This is important for many reasons. One is a hip fracture, which can really get in the way of your dancing lessons! Exercise daily and your risk of a hip fracture goes down – so does your risk of falling. This is because weight-bearing activities such as walking, running, jumping jacks, and strength training help promote bone growth and bone strength in older adults.

Improves cardiovascular fitness. Your ticker works hard, and you want it to continue doing that for a very long time. Daily exercise is definitely one way to grease the wheels, so to speak. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, exercise literally improves the muscles’ ability to pull oxygen out of the blood, which reduces the need for the heart to pump more blood to the muscles. Your risk of heart disease decreases and your cardiovascular health is enhanced. A win-win!  

Soothes achy joints. Ever feel like the Tin Man in the morning, looking for your oil can so you can get your knees to work? Here’s one of the most popular benefits of daily exercise:  it may reduce arthritic pain in older adults by strengthening the muscles that support joints, and by triggering those good old pain-busting endorphins! We know it’s hard to think about going for a walk when your legs are aching… but the smart folks at Mayo Clinic say that lack of exercise actually can make your joints even more painful and stiff. Join a walking group at Thrive at Montvale and you’ll be motivated to get out there and explore a variety of paths and trails.

Reduces body fat. The more you move, the more calories your body uses for energy, which means more calories are burned. So, even if you gave in and had that extra piece of pie yesterday, today is a brand-new day… lace up those shoes!

Improves balance. Exercise strengthens muscles – and muscles help you maintain your balance. Especially effective are yoga and Tai Chi. Both focus on self-awareness of the body, range of movement, flexibility, and strength. And both are offered at Thrive at Montvale. Namaste.

Enhances your social wellness. What’s social wellness? Looking forward to the day. Engaging in good conversation. Smiling at someone. Sharing your good mood. If you commit yourself to 30 minutes of daily exercise, you’ll find lots of ways to ramp up your social wellness meter. At Thrive at Montvale, you can attend aerobic classes, join the book club, volunteer, give Zumba a try, organize a nature walk and just about anything else you can come up with.

Live longer. People who are physically active about 150 minutes a week have a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are physically inactive – and the benefits of daily exercise don’t require vigorous workouts. How’s that for a reason to turn off the snooze alarm?

Wellness is fun at Thrive Senior Living.

Sure, we support mind, body and spirit in our community, but we like to color outside the lines too with inspiring ways to work on your wellness every day. Zumba, gardening, massage therapy, meditation, strength training, art clubs, volunteering, nature trails, aerobics, potato sack races, and even a Bark Park for your pooch — it’s all here. You should be too!  Contact us today.

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