Exercise is an essential part of keeping your body (and mind) healthy. Walking, especially for seniors, is a great way for many to ease their way into a healthy lifestyle. While most will see a change in the look and feel of their body, some might not see the same results.

Slow & Steady
You took the first step of actually committing to walking everyday — perfect! After a while, your body will get used to this activity if you do the same walk every day. Switch up the speed and the intervals for how long you do them. Walk at a normal pace for a minute or two, followed by walking at a faster pace for a minute, and then repeat this process for the total length of your walk. Also, look for different areas to walk; routes with steeper hills or a change in terrain.

Poor Diet
If you’re walking every single day but you’re not watching what you eat, you’re dooming yourself from the start. Get a journal and start tracking everything you eat and see if you’re eating more than you’re burning off. No matter how much you exercise, if your diet is poor, you won’t improve your health OR waist size.

Not Tracking Progress
When you exercise you should always remember what you did, how long you did it for, and how it made you feel. The best way to keep track of your progress is to write everything in a journal (use a half page for your diet and the other have for your workout). By seeing your previous workouts you can adjust the length, speed, and intensity of them to constantly try and improve yourself. In a few months time, you’ll see a huge difference of what you can do now compared to what you could do when you first started exercising.

Walking is the perfect way for seniors to kickstart a healthy lifestyle so they can improve their health AND the way they look. At The Arbors, we offer multiple exercise classes, a beautiful property that’s perfect for walking, and the best chefs that cook healthy meals for our residents. If you’re interested in learning more, or visiting The Arbors Assisted Living community, schedule a tour by contacting one of our five convenient locations:

Bohemia
Hauppauge
Islandia East
Islandia West
Westbury