The Senior Exercise Blog

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Fat in the News

While checking out the health news this morning, two items caught my eye. Both had to do with obesity.

First, is the story about fat kids’ arteries. The news is not good. And it makes me wonder: how much more evidence do we need before we – parents and grandparents – dump the sugar drinks and junk foods? Read about fat kids arteries.

Next, there’s the Supreme Court of Canada decision that obese people have the right to two seats for the price of one on airline flights within Canada. That this is an issue at all has societal implications that go way beyond the courtroom. Read In Canada, the Obese get two airline seats for the price of one.

In my book, Living the Fitness Lifestyle, I began the Nutrition section with the following:

The defeat of famine is the goal of all societies. Unfortunately, triumph often evolves into the other extreme – gluttony.

After all is said, the solution to the problem comes down to the following: We must move more and eat less junk, kids and adults alike.

Can a 73-Year-Old Man Play College Basketball?

The question may sound ridiculous. But it’s a fact that one determined senior passed the physical and made the team. No, he’s not going to get too many serious minutes in games — but he does play.

It is inspiring. Nonetheless, take it easy seniors. His amazing success is not a reason to take on too much too soon. On the other hand, most of us are physically capable of a lot more than we think. Here’s how to turn back the clock . . .

If you’re a beginner, first schedule a physical with your doctor. Tell the doc you want to start a program to get in shape. If you get an okay (and 99 times out of 100 you will), get some experienced assistance. Read a book and/or get a trainer.

Start out slowly but incrementally challenge yourself. And never quit! You may not play college hoops in your 70s, but you will surprise yourself at what you are capable of and how good you can look and feel.

And if you should happen to make the team, please let me know . . .

New Study on Creatine

Creatine seems to have lost some of its luster with bodybuilders. Maybe it peaked a few years ago when Body-for-Life was the hottest thing in fitness. It was part of the supplements regimen most BFL competitors used.

Now a recent study at Ohio State University, which involved elite level swimmers, appears to prove again creatine’s worth when it comes to improving athletics requiring short bursts of speed.

I used creatine several years ago and got good results. Nevertheless, I stopped taking it for the reasons explained here.

I always point out when mentioning creatine that it is not a steroid, it is not related to steroids, and it is a legal substance. I do this because it sometimes gets erroneously lumped in with illegal or banned substances in media reports.

You can read about the results of the OSU study here . . .

Flu Shot Wisdom

Today I heard a radio commentator say he had the flu and thinks he got it from getting a flu shot. There are still people who believe that, even though doctors tell them that you don't get the flu from the vaccine.

Yes, you can get the flu even if you have had a flu shot. Vaccinations are not a 100 percent guarantee that you won’t catch the flu. But flu shots greatly reduce the odds.

The choice is ours. We can believe what doctors tell us. Or we can believe unsubstantiated claims or make judgments based on coincidence.

I say, get a flu shot.

The Greatest Athletes Aren’t Who You Think

Forget Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt. They don’t hold a candle. Lance Armstrong at his best doesn’t come close either. Are you curious about their sport? I was. And get this: they eat a disproportionate amount of fat and stick up their noses at most fruits and vegetables. To them the Mediterranean Diet is a joke. Can you guess their sport and how they stack up against a Phelps, Bolt, or Armstrong?

Discover their secret in Science Daily . . .

Steppers and Stair Climbers

Ever wonder about steppers and stair climbers for cardiovascular training? Discover the answers here.

You Tube and Me

I’ve been reading about putting short exercise videos on You Tube and decided to try it. Or, I should say, my wife, Patty, agreed to do it for me.

We used the video of a leg exercise I particularly like, the side split squat. Something happened, though, in the transfer, and unlike the original it is kind of fuzzy. We’ll have to get that worked out.

Nevertheless, it is clear enough so that anyone can learn from it.

Go here.

There is a place for comments and to rate it. Let me know what you think.