health benefits of strength why strength matters …€¦ · health benefits of strength....

© 2017 Relevate Health Group. All rights reserved. Most of us want to feel stronger. But just like we have to commit ourselves to being strong mentally by advocating for ourselves, families, and loved ones, it takes dedication and consistency to focus on being physically strong. HEALTH BENEFITS OF STRENGTH Fortunately, you don’t have to join a fancy, expensive gym or eat mass quantities of spinach to gain strength. If your idea of “buff” is the shine on your dining room table, you may wonder whether you really need to develop extra muscle strength for such everyday activities, such as lifting your grandchild, shopping for groceries, or carrying a laundry basket from one room to another. WHY STRENGTH MATTERS Exercise will help you continue doing the things you love at any age. But if you’re envisioning mornings spent toiling away in a gym weight room, you can exhale now. You can create a muscle-maintaining regimen without leaving home, without fancy equipment, and perhaps without even thinking of what you’re doing as exercise. You can maintain strength with simple activities you can incorporate into your daily life. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR STRENGTH TV Time-Outs — Try using television commercials as time for muscle-protecting routines, such as a couple of squats, going up and down on tiptoes, or standing up and sitting down 10 times in a row. Squats — For a full body exercise, one of the best you can do — and can do anywhere — is a squat. A squat involves everything from upper core on down. Basically, the movement calls for arranging your feet shoulder-width apart, arms out in front of you, and keeping your back in a neutral position. Then slowly bend your knees. Sit-Stand-Sit — Sit down in a sturdy chair without using your hands to steady yourself. Then lift yourself out of the chair, again without using your hands. As you do so, keep your chin up and elevated. This exercise works the lower body, and core and helps with balance. Wall Pushups — To strengthen your upper body, try a wall pushup. To push off from a wall, stand a little more than an arm’s length from the wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Lean forward and put your hands flat against the wall at shoulder height and shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows as you move your upper body toward the wall. This should be a slow, smooth motion. Before You Start — If you haven’t been doing resistance training or are new to exercise altogether, you’ll also want to see what various workouts look like when they’re done properly. You can do that with a physical therapist or an instructor at the local gym who has good credentials. Even though muscle-directed home exercises are very doable, you should see your physician before embarking on a program if you’re not used to exercising, especially if you’ve had hip or back surgery. IT’S TRUE, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Diet and exercise go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other if we’re looking to improve your health. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in varying colors, dairy foods and dark green vegetables for calcium, and whole grains, and healthy sources of protein such as fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, legumes, and nuts. Contact the Lovelace Care Concierge for an appointment 505.727.2727

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Page 1: HEALTH BENEFITS OF STRENGTH WHY STRENGTH MATTERS …€¦ · HEALTH BENEFITS OF STRENGTH. Fortunately, you don’t have to join a fancy, expensive gym or eat mass quantities of spinach

Most of us want to feel stronger. But just like we have to commit ourselves to being strong mentally by advocating for ourselves, families, and loved ones, it takes dedication and consistency to focus on being physically strong.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF STRENGTHFortunately, you don’t have to join a fancy, expensive gym or eat mass quantities of spinach to gain strength. If your idea of “buff” is the shine on your dining room table, you may wonder whether you really need to develop extra muscle strength for such everyday activities, such as lifting your grandchild, shopping for groceries, or carrying a laundry basket from one room to another.

WHY STRENGTH MATTERSExercise will help you continue doing the things you love at any age. But if you’re envisioning mornings spent toiling away in a gym weight room, you can exhale now. You can create a muscle-maintaining regimen without leaving home, without fancy equipment, and perhaps without even thinking of what you’re doing as exercise. You can maintain strength with simple activities you can incorporate into your daily life.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR STRENGTHTV Time-Outs — Try using television commercials as time for muscle-protecting routines, such as a couple of squats, going up and down on tiptoes, or standing up and sitting down 10 times in a row.

Squats — For a full body exercise, one of the best you can do — and can do anywhere — is a squat. A squat involves everything from upper core on down. Basically, the movement calls for arranging your feet shoulder-width apart, arms out in front of you, and keeping your back in a neutral position. Then slowly bend your knees.

Sit-Stand-Sit — Sit down in a sturdy chair without using your hands to steady yourself. Then lift yourself out of the chair, again without using your hands. As you do so, keep your chin up and elevated. This exercise works the lower body, and core and helps with balance.

Wall Pushups — To strengthen your upper body, try a wall pushup. To push off from a wall, stand a little more than an arm’s length from the wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Lean forward and put your hands flat against the wall at shoulder height and shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows as you move your upper body toward the wall. This should be a slow, smooth motion.

Before You Start — If you haven’t been doing resistance training or are new to exercise altogether, you’ll also want to see what various workouts look like when they’re done properly. You can do that with a physical therapist or an instructor at the local gym who has good credentials. Even though muscle-directed home exercises are very doable, you should see your physician before embarking on a program if you’re not used to exercising, especially if you’ve had hip or back surgery.

IT’S TRUE, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EATDiet and exercise go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other if we’re looking to improve your health.

Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in varying colors, dairy foods and dark green vegetables for calcium, and whole grains, and healthy sources of protein such as fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, legumes, and nuts.

Contact the Lovelace Care Concierge for an appointment 505.727.2727