Category: Seniors

How Seniors Can Diversify Their Workouts

January 23, 2025Megan HerrenExercise, Seniors

Adults often lament a lack of time to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. Such difficulties are not exaggerated, as the demands of work and family, particularly for parents of young children with busy schedules of their own, can leave little time for daily workouts. Hectic schedules typically do not prevent older adults and seniors from exercising, but aging men and women may still confront some challenges as they aspire to be as physically active as possible.

Boredom with an exercise routine can adversely affect individuals’ motivation to be physically active. When that happens, even individuals with ample time to exercise, such as empty nesters ands seniors, may find it increasingly difficult to go to the gym or work out at home. In such situations, the more diverse a workout routine is, the less monotonous it can feel, and that lack of monotony can be enough to keep individuals up and moving. With that in mind, the following suggestions can help individuals diversify their workout routines so they remain engaged with physical activity.

Make Use of the Seasons

Exercise boredom can develop at any time of year, but disinterest in a workout routine might be especially likely when diversifying a regimen becomes more difficult. For example, the colder temperatures of winter can force individuals to do most if not all of their exercising indoors, which can grow monotonous over time. If exercising outdoors in winter is a nonstarter, then individuals can emphasize outdoor workouts throughout the rest of the year when the weather is more amenable. Incorporate hiking into your weekly routine in spring, summer and fall, and replace typical cardiovascular workouts on a treadmill or elliptical with bike rides when the weather allows. Individuals also can invest in gear to keep them warm so they can get outside to exercise after the mercury drops.

Skip the Circuit Workouts for more Specialized Regimens

Circuit workouts can be great for busy individuals without much time to exercise each week. Such workouts target various muscle groups in quick succession, which allows individuals to work out every muscle group even during weeks when time is limited. However, circuit workouts can be monotonous for people who have the time to exercise each day. In such situations, individuals can specialize their workouts so they target a different muscle group during each session. Doing so can diversify a workout to reduce boredom and may even decrease the risk of repetitive use injuries.

Embrace New Ways to Exercise

A gym with all the familiar weights, machines and cardiovascular equipment might be the first thing people think of when pondering exercise. And while gym memberships can motivate people to exercise, traditional fitness facilities are not the only places to break a sweat and be physically active. If a diverse workout regimen is your goal, consider incorporating yoga, Pilates and other less traditional forms of exercise into your routine. Many fitness facilities even offer such classes, and local communities also may feature standalone yoga studios or other establishments offering specific exercises.

Diverse workout routines can help people overcome the boredom and lack of motivation that can develop when regimens feature little variety.

Gift Ideas For High School Graduates

May 18, 2023MBEhleGift Ideas, Seniors, Shopping

The class of 2023 soon will be donning their caps and gowns and receiving their diplomas. After commencement ceremonies, graduation parties will soon follow. For party guests, that means finding the right gifts for grads.

Some high school graduates will continue their studies at colleges and universities. Others may pursue careers in various trades. Still, some graduates may be ready to enter the workforce right away. No matter the direction, these gifts can treat graduates to something special.

Travel Accessories

Graduates may want to go on a trip before they take the next step in their lives. Quality travel gear is a worthy investment. Select luggage that won’t exceed airport carry-on limits so grads can cut the baggage check lines when they dart away to locales near or far. Carry-on bags also fit easily in bus cargo areas or in the trunks of cars. Pair the gifts with standard or digital luggage tags.

Streaming TV Device

While it’s certainly possible to watch favorite shows or films on mobile devices, viewing is that much clearer on televisions. Rather than graduates having to invest in cable television wherever they go, streaming devices like AppleTV or Roku are portable, which means they can be used at home, in a dorm room or on vacation.

Secured Credit Card

Individuals typically are eligible to apply for credit cards once they reach age 18, which is the age most students are when they graduate high school. Credit cards are one method of establishing solid credit, so it can be beneficial for a teen to have one. But it can be challenging for individuals with no credit histories to get approval. A secured card, according to CapitalOne, is a credit card that requires money deposited with the credit card issuer in order to open the account. This security deposit is held by the issuer as long as the account is open. Often the security deposit is the same as the credit limit. Gift-givers can help establish secured cards for grads by providing the funds for the security deposits.

Wireless Earbuds Or Headphones

Upgrade grads’ audio with the newest wireless earbuds or headphones. This way they can take them to the gym or use them to listen to shows or music while sharing spaces with others, including college roommates.

Smartphone Wallet Case

Teenagers are seldom without their phones. A smartphone wallet case enables graduates to stash IDs, credit or debit cards and some cash into specially designed pockets built into the phone cases. This keeps all essentials in one spot.

Framed Memorabilia

Whether a graduate was a star athlete or a premier member of the marching band, gift-givers can provide special memories of time spent in school. Frame ticket stubs, sports jerseys, show programs, or other memorabilia that commemorates a graduate’s glory days at their alma mater.

Ways For Seniors To Stay Active

April 27, 2023MBEhleLifestyle, Seniors

Physical activity is an important component of overall health. Health experts advise that exercise can increase lean body mass, prevent conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, improve balance, and positively affect mental health/cognition. Exercise also can foster socialization with others, helping people overcome boredom and isolation.

As individuals get older, they may not be able to participate in all of the activities they enjoyed as youths, but that doesn’t mean older adults must resign themselves to sedentary lifestyles. There are plenty of entertaining ways to remain physically active that can accommodate any limitations a person may have. Explore these methods for staying active.

Explore Senior Center Offerings

Community senior centers often fill calendars with a vast array of activities, some of which can include physical activities. Hikes, walking tours, dances, and other activities all serve as entertaining ways to get out and about while meeting some fitness goals.

Garden or Do Yard Work

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotions says adults should get 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Raking leaves, mowing the lawn, digging in flower beds, trimming bushes, and other outdoor tasks could help a person meet this quota in a way that doesn’t seem like exercise at all.

Play Games With Grandchildren

Little kids may inspire older adults to be more active, as it can be difficult to keep up with those youngsters. Take infants or toddlers for walks or push them in strollers. Attach a child seat or towing carriage to a bicycle and ride around the neighborhood. Play games that require movement, such as hide-and-seek or Marco Polo in the pool. If it’s snowing, have a snowball fight or make a snowman in the yard.

Take Up A New Hobby

Find hobbies that incorporate physical activity. Perhaps learning to salsa dance or taking Zumba® will be fun? Pickleball has caught on across the nation. The sport is a mix of tennis, racquetball and badminton that caters to all ages. Joining a bowling team is another way to get active and meet new people.

Physical activity is important at any age. Seniors can explore fun ways to stay in shape and be active to reap all the benefits of exercise.

5 Ways to Honor Your Grandparents

August 29, 2019MBEhleSeniors

Grandparents hold a special place in the hearts of people all over the world. In many cultures, elders are revered and celebrated, and many people know their grandparents as fun-loving folks who sneak their grandchildren candy and let them get away with things when their parents aren’t looking.

The American Grandparents Association says there are 70 million grandparents in the United States, and more than a million people become first-time grandparents every year. Many grandparents even serve as the primary caregivers for their grandchildren. The roles grandparents play in the lives of their children and grandchildren are significant, and the following are some ways to honor the grandparents in your life.

• Create a customized brag book. Grandparents often enjoy sharing photos and stories of their family members with others. Thanks to user-friendly software, it is now easier than ever to design a brag book, photo album or even a photo calendar that grandparents can cherish. Rely on a photo-sharing site to get started. Remember to include special moments, such as family trips or milestone occasions, that highlight what your grandparents mean to you.

• Develop a family history project. Forays into genealogy don’t need to be limited to class assignments. Examining the family tree can be a unique way to spend more time with grandparents or other seniors in your life. Chronicle moments in your family history and compile a catalog of genealogical data. You never know which details of historical significance you may uncover when exploring your family history.

• Organize a special outing. Take an interest in a grandparent’s hobby or occupation. Schedule a date when you spend time together exploring this interest, whether it be fishing, scrapbooking or taking in a sporting event. This will reinforce bonding time. On another day, reverse roles, inviting a grandparent or elderly relative to participate in an activity you enjoy.

• Travel together. Planning a vacation with a grandparent is an ideal way to see some sites and make great memories together. If traveling internationally, investigate how people of different generations live in the country you are visiting.

• Catalog family recipes. Before hosting your next family meal, invite a grandparent over to help with the cooking and to share family recipes. Arrange a day to write all the family recipes down in a single book or file so they can be shared with future generations.