Remember when watercooler talk
was about the Cavs, Indians, Browns
or Buckeyes? For many baby boom-ers, those friendly chats are now about
aches, arthritis and angioplasty.
Besides that, many boomers are realizing that while they may be able to exercise just as much as they did when they
were in their 20s, it now takes at least
twice as long to recover.
“To some degree, this is aging for everyone,” says Royce Sanchez, M.D., a primary care sports medicine specialist at
Akron General Health System. “If you
take your 10-year-old dog for a run, he
can’t go as far or as fast as he did when he
was 3. Muscles lose elasticity and recovery times are expanded. Tired legs are not
uncommon as we age. Ideally, you should
understand your situation, set realistic
goals and work toward them.”
The fact of the matter is, it is imperative
that everyone stays active — regardless
of how old they are.
“People who are fit or active have less
chance of bad health outcomes, even if
they have diseases like diabetes,” says
Aaron Lear, M.D., a primary care sports
medicine specialist at Akron General
Health System. “There are multiple benefits to being active as you age. Yes, there’s
a reason there are no 50-year-old NBA
players, but that’s no reason to give in
completely.”
Smart Business spoke with Lear and
Sanchez about ways baby boomers can
stay fit and active, without running themselves ragged.
How can I get started with a fitness regimen?
For starters, it will be a lot easier if you
have some history of exercise, as
opposed to someone who is just getting
started. Those who are sedentary, have
high blood pressure, are overweight or
have diabetes should see a physician
before doing anything. It is possible to
stimulate a heart attack by overdoing
things. Doctors assess cardiac risk and
may recommend a stress test, especially
if you will be working near your maximum heart rate.
If you are in decent shape and plan to
simply walk a couple of miles a day at a
comfortable pace where you can maintain
a conversation, then it is probably safe
to get started. However, the American
College of Sports Medicine recommends
anyone over 45 who has not been active
should be screened.
How can I set exercise goals?
No matter what you do — running, playing basketball, walking — there is a maximum heart rate that you can achieve
based solely on the physiology of your
body. This generally decreases with age,
no matter your athletic prowess.
However, you should not be attempting
to reach the maximum heart rate, only
use it to set goals about your exercising.
You should try to exercise at about 60 to
80 percent of the maximum heart rate for
your age. Eighty percent is fairly strenuous work, and you should shoot for this
only if you are very fit. Otherwise, you
should start at around 50 to 60 percent for
a half-hour and work your way up.
It is always best to start slow and work
your way up. If you want to run three fast
miles a day, work your way up to that goal
over four or six weeks, don’t just start off
running full speed. We recommend 30
minutes to an hour of exercise every day.
That’s not necessarily running — you can
benefit from walking, biking or by simply
using the stairs instead of the elevator.
Are there certain diets I should follow?
We don’t recommend fad diets. Just be
aware of your calorie count. Depending
on size, a normal adult needs 1,500 to
2,500 calories daily. If you are eating
pizza, chips, burgers and cookies, you are
not getting good nutritional bang for your
buck. Be sensible with what you eat.
Always eat three square meals a day. If
you are snacking, eat fruit, granola bars,
raisins or nuts, not candy and chips. You
don’t have to avoid meats, but eat fruits
and vegetables, as well. In short, eat what
you know is good for you.
How can employers help baby boomers?
Employers can put together little contests. They can offer employees wellness
consults. The HR department can set up
groups to walk together at lunchtime.
This kind of moral support — ‘We missed
you last night’ or ‘Will you be walking at
lunch?’ — makes a world of difference.
Many companies shave insurance costs
for workers who prove they exercise regularly. Ask local gyms for employee group
discounts. Or, have trainers from a medical fitness center come in and talk about
exercise. In the long run, having healthier
workers helps the company, too.
Where does one find time to exercise?
Boomers actually have more freedom
than 25- or 35-year-olds. Plus, older people require less sleep. Get up 30 minutes
earlier and walk the neighborhood. Keep
in mind you don’t have to do it all at
once. Many boomers find it easier to do
15 minutes here, 15 there. Research
shows two 15-minute sessions are as
good as, or maybe better, than one 30-minute session.
AARON LEAR, M.D., and ROYCE SANCHEZ, M.D., are primary care sports medicine specialists at Akron General Health System
(www.agmc.org). Reach Lear at [email protected]. Reach Sanchez at [email protected].
