Best Bang for Your Buck - (non) Smoking and Exercise

The best things you can do to improve your health are: 1) quit smoking and 2) exercise!!

Quitting smoking is difficult. You have to be ready to do it. There are several different aids to help you quit: medications, gum, hypnotism, acupuncture, cold turkey, the patch, etc. But, step 1 is to WANT to quit. Once you're there, talk to your health care provider. Each time you try to quit your chance for success goes up!

Next, exercise. I see a lot of seniors in my practise. Most are overweight, with no exercise routine, and are suffering from LOTS of aches and pains. You don't want this person to be you! NOW is the time to establish a fitness routine and create an active lifestyle so that you will be a FIT senior. Our life expectancy is increasing. Do you want to be a zestful grandparent or the one stuck in a rocking chair with a walker?

Over the past year, I have made it a point to ask all of my fittest seniors what their SECRET to health is. Almost all of them have responded: DAILY WALKING!! A few others (who were exceptionally fit) answered boot camp and hiring a personal trainer. Note: the daily walking was over a lifetime.

For me, a great motivator is to want to be fit enough to play with my kids, and hopefully someday, my grandkids. An easy place to start is to buy a pedometer. You can pick up a good one for $20 - $25 at a running or sports store. Walking is free. If you need more of a challenge, you can put weights in a backpack, carry hand weights, or add stairs into your walk.

Aim for 10,000 steps per day. If it's more reasonable for you (eg. some days you're a 5,000 stepper and others you're a 15,000 stepper), aim for 70,000 steps a week.

Many have found that having someone to report in to is helpful and serves as a motivator. Do you have a group of friends or relatives with whom you could share daily or weekly step counts? Celebrate each others' accomplishments with a simple "Wow!" or "Well done!"