Since we’ve been writing this blog now for over a year, I decided to look back to last Labor Day to see what I wrote about. And there it was, yet again – a piece about regular exercise/physical activity, its health benefits, and my relationship with it. If you’re interested, here it is: http://www.smartwomanshealth.com/horn_miller_blog/?p=11

So, where am I this year in my quest/fight to do regular exercise? First let me mention some recent findings about regular physical activity and its effect on older individuals. In the summer of 2008, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American College of Cardiology came out with a first: official and specific recommendations on how much regular exercise each person should do to get the most beneficial health effects. These recommendations specified how much each age group should do, and discussed the different types of exercise that needed to be done. The latter included: aerobic exercise (also known as “cardio”); resistance, (also known as strength training); balance exercises; and flexibility exercises. We have an entire section in our book that discusses these recommendations.

Just a few months ago in the July 2009 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine came out with newer findings about the benefits of regular exercise for older people. (FYI – they did not change any of their prior recommendations, however). 

Many of these we already know about from prior studies; more recent studies serve to confirm these.  A few of these include:

1)Regular longterm participation in aerobic exercise for at least 3 months is associated with actual positive changes in heart function at rest and with exercise; 

2) Regular resistance exercise over the longterm increases bone and muscle mass, and strength;

3) Regular exercise and physical activity are linked to significant improvements in overall psychological well-being, possibly via effects on self-concept and self-esteem;

4) Physical fitness is linked to a lower risk for clinical depression or anxiety;

5) Cardiovascular fitness and higher levels of physical activity lower the risk for cognitive decline and dementia, based on epidemiologic studies;

6) Beneficial metabolic changes associated with regular aerobic exercise include improved blood sugar control and clearance of fats after meals;  

7) In populations at increased risk of falling, multimodal exercise, including strength and balance exercises, and tai chi may decrease the risk for noninjurious and sometimes injurious falls;

In summary, this article concludes that no amount of physical activity can stop biological aging but that research studies show that by limiting the development and progression of chronic disease and disabling conditions, regular exercise can reduce the physiologic harms of an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and improve active life expectancy. Older adults who engage in regular exercise may also experience significant psychological and cognitive benefits.

Whew! Convinced that you should get regular physical activity?!

What about me a year after my meditation on my own exercise schedule? I’m definitely much better – I do regular sessions of resistance training, balance and flexibility exercises. And I’m better about regular aerobic activity, but still not wild about it. How about you?