Myths about weight and aging

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What is the ideal weight for an elderly person? Elderly people should exercise with intensity and how much? The information in the article below will answer this question.

1. Myths about weight and aging

1.1 Skinny gets better as you age This is a misconception by quite a few people. For older adults, the key to a healthy life is to be active and able to do all of your daily activities. While it's important to maintain a healthy weight, your body weight to fat-muscle ratio is also important. Your doctor will let you know if you're at your ideal weight.
1.2 Metabolism slows down when you are in your 60s This notion is incorrect. Starting in your 20s, you've burned 150 fewer calories per day. That's because your body has already begun to change its structure — with more fat and less muscle — if you're inactive. Muscles burn more calories than fat so if you're not doing muscle toning exercises you'll burn fewer calories than before.
1.3 Weight gain is the result of aging This view is not true. Despite aging, you can still maintain a stable weight as you age. Although this is difficult compared to other age groups, you can do it. You will need to adjust your diet, activity and exercise to keep your ideal weight.
1.4 Is overeating the biggest reason you gain weight as you age? This is a misconception. The aging process changes your body, causing your metabolism to slow down, you have to exercise, move more to maintain muscle mass. So, even if you don't eat too much, but only eat the same amount as when you were younger, the changes of age still make you more likely to gain weight.
1.5 Menopause makes women gain weight This is also a myth of many people. Menopause is when a woman stops menstruating. The average age of menopause is 51 years. At this same age, many women and men both notice they are gaining weight. But the biggest reason you're gaining weight is because of a slower metabolism and less muscle mass, not menopause. Therefore, exercise is still useful for those who are wondering with the question of how much weight is right, how to stay in shape,...
1.6 Calories for a 50-year-old with moderate activity right? The standard numbers are: 1,800 calories for women and 2,000 - 2,200 calories for men. At any age, the number of calories you take in each day depends on your activity level. In the elderly, “moderately active” means walking 2.4 - 4.8 km/day at a speed of about 5 - 6 km/h.
1.7 What leads to muscle loss as you age? Causes of muscle loss as you age are: Less activity, hormonal changes, and an unhealthy diet. As you age, doctors call it muscle loss. The way to fix it is to exercise and change your diet to get to your ideal weight.
1.8 Once muscle mass has started to lose, is it too late to salvage it? This concept is not correct. You can preserve muscle mass by strength training. Specifically, you should use weight machines at the gym, hand weights, resistance bands or do yoga, push-ups, squats, ... under the guidance of a trainer.
1.9 Will the taste buds remain the same with increasing age? This is a misconception many people have. In fact, as you age, you often lose your appetite. Part of that is because their taste and smell are no longer what they used to be. To change this, choose foods that are delicious.

2. Myths about exercise and aging

Have you ever made the myths about aging and exercise? Here are the most common myths:
2.1 I'm too old This is a misconception. In fact, inactivity poses more health risks and also accelerates the aging process. People who are inactive are twice as likely to develop heart disease as people who are active. They will have to go to the doctor more and take more medicine than people with active lives.
So it's never too late to exercise. If you haven't exercised in a long time, start slowly with gentle exercises that increase your heart rate, such as swimming. For overall cardiovascular health, you should do aerobic exercise 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week, and strength training 2 days/week. If you feel that 30 minutes is too much, you can start with a shorter time, for example 10 minutes.
Exercising does not mean joining a new sport. However, if there are activities that you enjoy like tennis or volleyball, try them out.
2.2 I will hurt myself This is not true. If you know what you're doing and exercise within your limits. First, talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. They will tell you which activities to try and which to avoid.
Remember, the healthier you are, the healthier you are, the less likely you are to get injured. You should improve your balance by practicing tai chi, yoga, etc. to avoid falling in daily life. In addition, you can also practice endurance with dumbbells, exercise machines at the gym or push-ups, shakes,...
2.3 My heart is not healthy This is a concern of many people. older when exercising. However, you do not need to worry too much because regular exercise will help increase strength instead, because it is dangerous for the heart.
You don't need to register to run a marathon to practice. Simple physical activities can be brisk walking, cycling,... These activities are enough to stimulate blood circulation and lower cholesterol in the body, helping you to improve your mood.
2.4 I can't afford to go to the gyms As long as you have the will to work out, you can work out anywhere. To have an ideal weight and a fit body, you probably don't need to spend a dime.
You just need to wear a pair of sports shoes, go for a walk or jog. If the weather is bad, you can't go out, then you can take advantage of things available in the house like a water bottle - used to lift, push for arm strength exercises. In addition, you can also practice walking up - down stairs, push-ups, plank,... Especially, you can also go to the park to exercise on free equipment.

2.5 I'm not as energetic as I was when I was younger This is a misconception. Don't judge what you can do today by what you have done in the past. Exercise is not about running as fast as you did when you were on the track team in your 20s. You just need to work out according to your health. Instead of looking back at what you've done, consider exercise as a tool to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy.
2.6 I don't have a workout buddy You can absolutely find someone to practice with. Those are seniors' clubs, looking for opportunities to connect with people who like to exercise like you. When you talk about your active lifestyle, you'll probably find exercise buddies. Or you can inspire someone to start working out.
Maintaining an ideal weight and a daily exercise routine will help you have good physical and mental health. Get rid of misconceptions and get ready to act.
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