Senior Sneakers: Adding balance to your life

As I age, I’m finding it more difficult to keep my balance. What are some things that I can do to strengthen my balance? — James G.

Stabilizing muscles – If you don’t use it, you lose it. A lot of seniors stick with the weight training machines. And while those machines great for building strength, doing functional exercises that force you to stabilize the weight are the best ways to increase balance. Here are some exercises:

Bosu ball squat – Begin with a shoulder-width stance on the ball. Squat down until you come to a 90-degree angle with your legs and then stand straight back up to the starting position. If your legs begin to shake as you come down, you’re doing it right! Those are your stabilizing muscles helping you to balance. Add this exercise to your strength training routine and, before you know it, your legs will no longer shake when you perform this movement.

Train your body in a way that complements your lifestyle. If you want to be able to keep up with your grandkids, here is a movement similar to that of picking up your grandchild:

Squat press – Begin with a shoulder-width stance and grip. Squat down until your legs form a 90-degree angle. As you come back to an upright position, immediately press the weight above your head.

I hope these tips will help you create more balance in your life … pun intended.

I gained some weight as I was going through menopause a few years ago and I’m finding it hard to lose the weight. What can I do to drop those pounds? — Jane F.

Your body is going through changes as the production of estrogen and progesterone begins to decrease. You’ve probably noticed how this hormonal shift has affected your metabolism, so this is where healthy eating habits play a big role in proper weight management. Many of my clients find that they can no longer get away with eating the same as when they were a teen. Remember: to lose weight you must burn more calories than you take in. Counting calories is a great way of figuring out exactly how much food is going into your body, and to help determine how many calories need to be burned through exercise. Eating more fruits and vegetables and fewer foods high in sugar will help, and you may find that you need to restrict how many calories you consume. Do not restrict your daily consumption to fewer than 1,200 calories. There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, so if you reach a 500 calorie deficit per day from a combination of exercise and healthy eating you will lose one pound of fat per week. Restrict it and burn it, then you will lose it!

Kevin McGaha, Certified Personal Trainer and co-owner of Anytime Fitness in Winter Park, has extensive training experience with a cross-section of demographics and activity levels, including those wanting to look and feel healthier and those looking for sports-specific training. He can be reached at 321-972-5833 for personal training. Have a health and fitness question? Email me at [email protected] and get a free personal training session.