Senior Sneakers: March to a new you

Q: I’m 72 years old and need to lose some weight. What is the best way to start a workout routine for someone my age? – Carl B.

A: Thank you for the great question, Carl! Age really has very little to do with how to get started, as we get this question from people in their 20s and 30s, also. You will want to see your doctor before starting any kind of exercise routine, so he or she can give you some guidance specific to your health. But after that, just get moving!

A lot of the people who are just starting out an exercise routine think that it has to be a static regimen and that there’s a specific formula to get started. There’s not! Just get moving! This can be as simple as marching up and down your street to get your heartrate up. The weather is so nice in Central Florida right now that getting outside to walk and soak up some sunshine is a great idea! You’ll want to walk at a more brisk pace than a leisurely stroll in order to get your heartrate up and gain some cardiovascular advantage.

Or you can take your exercise routine to another level by joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer. While walking out side is great, a gym can provide several options to mix up your workouts and keep exercise interesting. Many seniors take advantage of our bikes and ellipticals, because they’re easier on their joints. We just added a new machine to our lineup called the Zero Runner, which is a zero impact cardio machine that allows someone to mimic the running or walking motion without the pounding to their joints. The Zero Runner is a great workout and suitable for almost any-aged exerciser.

Hiring a personal trainer can be a great way to get started because they can take some of the guess work out of a new exercise program, which can add a level of safety to your routine. Especially when starting weight training, a personal trainer can teach you the correct form and movements to avoid injury. They are also a great motivational and accountability tool! Especially when we don’t know what we’re doing, we can find ourselves frustrated and discouraged with something new. A trainer can help overcome those feelings and coach us through them, while eliminating our knowledge gap.

At Anytime Fitness, Winter Park, we provide every new member with a complimentary personal training session and health coaching assessment. During the month of March, we’re offering this to anyone who wants to take advantage of a complimentary personal training session and/or health coaching assessment as part of our Get Fit Winter Park initiative, whether you join Anytime Fitness or not. This is a great opportunity for you, Carl! We developed this initiative to get everyone in the Winter Park area moving, healthy and reaching their fitness goals.

So reach out to us this month and make March the month you start a healthier lifestyle.

Patrick McGaha Jr., member experience manager at Anytime Fitness, Winter Park, is dedicated to building a welcoming environment in the club, conducive to helping members and clients reach their health fitness goals. To get your fitness and nutrition related questions answered by a certified personal trainer, or for a free personal training session, call us at 321-972-5833 or email [email protected].