You will age, everyone does. But you can age with grace, with control and with vigor, especially if you keep on moving, don’t stop.
To do this, you must act now, since your daily choices now have an impact later.
One active choice is to move your body as it was intended.
Movement has a positive effect on your health and vitality
Exercise or to shift the connotation to something more positive (for some), movement has a huge positive impact on your health and vitality.
Plus, when you incorporate movement, it can help you control issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, weight gain, depression and the myriad of other illnesses that suppress your longevity and vitality!
A mix of body-moving activities
Adults need a mix of body-moving activities weekly. The CDC recommends at least 150-300 minutes of moderate activity (anything that gets your heart beating faster) a week. Plus, time focusing on multi-component physical activity like muscle-strengthening and balance exercises at least two times a week.
Even better would be to increase your activity to 300 minutes of moderate activity each week but begin with the minimum and work your way up!
150 minutes can seem overwhelming especially for those who have never had an exercise routine. Incorporating movement into 150 minutes of your day can be broken down into manageable chunks, and could look like, 30 minutes of moving 5 days a week, or 21 minutes of moving 7 days a week.
Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. —Henry Ford
Incorporate movement into your week purposefully
Instead of making exercise hard, incorporate movement into your week purposefully, plus spreading it out over the week may reduce fatigue and muscle soreness.
One week of 150 minutes of moving a might look like…
Day one: 15 minutes of vacuuming, 5 minutes of stair climbing, and 10 minutes of putting groceries away.
Day two: 10 minutes of dancing, 15 minutes of walking and 5 minutes of walking to the mailbox and back.
Day three: 20 minutes of mopping, 5 minutes of marching in place and 5 minutes of laughing really hard.
Day four: 30 minutes walking your dog, or your neighbor’s dog.
Day five: 20 minutes pushing your walking mower, 5 minutes taking the garbage to the curb, 5 minutes with focused deep breathing.
Incorporating movement need not be complicated
Incorporating movement need not be complicated. In fact, if you focus on sitting less and moving more throughout your day you will feel better.
Some activity is better than no activity
Some activity is better than no activity, so if you do have a chronic condition, begin by doing what you can, and incorporate movement into what you feel comfortable with, and then continue to challenge yourself week by week. Listen to your body with honesty and you will know how much you can do.
Be kind to yourself
Be kind to yourself. Living with a health condition forces you to slow down, and you are not used to that. However, there are ways to add movement into your day safely and effectively, and I can help.
If you need help, there are people (like me) who specialize in helping you age actively, with strength, balance, and confidence in your beautiful and strong physical body.
Nicole A. Vienneau MSN, RN, NC-BC
~Active Aging Specialist, Health Protection Expert & Head Motivator!
After two decades as an Intensive Care Nurse caring for the sickest of patients, Nicole left the one-size fits all healthcare industry, and created Blue Monarch Health, where she is; Active Aging Specialist, Health Protection Expert and Head Motivator! Instead of waiting for you to get sick, she meets you where you live, work and play, to enhance your health and vitality.
Nicole Vienneau listens deeply, and takes you by the hand to co-create a health and vitality plan with you, so you can really do it in your life. Nicole is an authentic, heart-centered stick of dynamite, who focuses your energies, builds up your strengths, and leverages your unique gifts!
Nicole Vienneau achieved a Master’s in Nursing Science from the University of Arizona, a board certification in Integrative Nurse Coaching from the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation, and is Senior Faculty with the Integrative Nurse Coach Academy. She is a Functional Aging Specialist, personal trainer, yoga teacher, and group fitness instructor and a retired Reebok-sponsored Fitness Athlete. When she’s not coaching clients or writing blogs, or hosting the Integrative Nurse Coaches in ACTION! Podcast, you can find her teaching active older adult fitness classes, volunteering with the Alzheimer’s Association, lounging in the sun with her cat babies, or on a hike with her awesome husband.
Email Nicole
The contents of this website/blog are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This website/blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.