How Exercise Helps with Everyday Activities

At the March 19 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Karen presented a program on Exercise and Physical Activity, from the booklet, Go4Life, published by the National Institute on Aging at NIH.

The program was on how different types of exercise – endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility – help with different everyday activities.

Examples:

Endurance: Brisk walking, yard work, dancing, jogging, swimming, biking, climbing stairs or hills, playing tennis. These activities will make it easier for you to push your grandchildren on the swings, vacuum, and rake leaves.

Strength exercises, which include lifting weights and using resistant bands, will enable you to carry a full laundry basket up or down the stairs, carry your smaller grandchildren, or lift bags of mulch in the garden.

Balance exercises, which include standing on one foot, heel-to-toe-walking, and Tai chi, will help you stand on tiptoe to reach something on the top shelf, and walk up and down the stairs or on an uneven sidewalk.

Flexibility. Shoulder and upper arm stretches, calf stretches, and yoga will make it possible for you to look over your shoulder as you back the car out of the driveway, make the bed, or bend over to tie your shoes.
Next week, Cheryl will present a program on intermittent fasting, also known as the 5:2 diet.

Chapter News

The best loser for the week was Diann. This week’s challenge is to eat a green vegetable or fruit every day and to get your heart rate up at least once a day.

Contests

Easter egg contest; zipper contest; and “Move, Lose, and Win” contest, which will reward weight loss and exercise. The more squares you fill in on the grid, the better your chances for winning the $40 prize.

Come Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.