Fitness Apps for Seniors
One thing I know for sure is that exercise is an absolute necessity as we get older. It may also be the hardest routine to begin and to follow, but it is well worth it! But did you know that there are plenty of fitness apps for seniors to use as well?
The necessity for exercise came when I had my annual physical about six months ago. I had always considered myself in good shape. I did notice that the scale had begun to creep in the wrong direction, but I didn’t think it was anything to be alarmed about… my clothes still fit and I felt great.
Also, I am the product of a great gene pool — my Dad passed away at 93 while he was still practicing law and my Mom was one week shy of 97, enjoying life and going out with friends literally until the day she died. Neither had ever had a major illness and they were both in great shape.
So I wasn’t at all concerned when I went for my physical. I knew I could lose the additional weight quickly, anytime I wanted to.
But, to my surprise, the visit to my internist certainly served to throw a bucket of ice water on my view of my gene pool. Not only was my cholesterol going through the roof, my blood pressure was high and my BMI had taken a turn — and not in the right direction.
Granted, I had probably brought it on myself. I had been a sloth for quite a while. When you get up at 5AM, are in the office by 6 and don’t leave til 7 at night, it hardly allows time to exercise — even if you wanted to. Add that to the fact that I ate fast food virtually every day.
Needless to say, my doctor and I had a major heart-to-heart. She prescribed cholesterol and blood pressure medication for me and we talked about the dreaded word — exercise. She told me that exercise would go a long way to getting my numbers back to normal.
I left her office with a mission. I was going to get in shape and try to get off the meds if I could. I have every reason to want to live a long, long time. My kids had waited to have kids of their own and I am determined to see them grow up, just like my parents did with my kids.
Their relationship with my kids was so special and I want the same kind of relationship with my grandchildren — so it became vital to me to become as healthy as I could.
Related Search Topics (Ads)
Exercise? There’s an App for That
I started researching to find exercises that would keep me motivated (not an easy task!). I also started looking for apps that I could use that would keep me on track.
I discovered that there are apps for just about everything and anything. Apps that fit your personality. Apps that are the best fit for women in any age group. Apps that are best if you use a gym. Apps that are best if you don’t use a gym. And so forth.
To be honest, the hardest part about working out was to actually decide to do it. I wondered if there was an app for that, and one came darn close.
It’s called Human, from Human Co. It’s very basic. It encourages you to exercise for 30 minutes each day. It doesn’t care what you do as long as you do some form of exercise. And it’s free in the app store. And, you can share your accomplishments on any social networking site you want!
Here are some more of the apps I like and use, along with their websites. I’ve noted which are free in the app store. So, if you like having your own personal trainer, literally in your hand, these could work for you.
- Nike Training Club for iPhone – free.
- Fitness Builder for iPhone, iPad and Android – free.
- C25KFree for iPhone, iPad and Android – free. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to run a 5k. This app, titled Couch to 5K shows you how to train for a 5k in 9 weeks.
- Runkeeper for iPhone, iPpad and Android – free. This is a great app for just about everyone since it uses GPS to track you. They also have a website you can log into, enter your stats and keep a record of your progress.
- GymGoal for iPhone, iPad and Android – free. If you do go to the gym, or have access to weights, this app will show you the proper form and has more than 200 workouts.
- My Fitness Pal for iPhone, iPad and Android – free. One of my absolute personal favorites, this app allows you to track everything you put in your mouth as well as your exercises.
All of the above said, you do have to remember one thing. No matter how good the app or how much you like it, an app is only a tool. It can’t make you get up off the couch and go the gym, or walk or run, or do anything. That’s completely up to you. What an app will do is help you track your progress, and that alone will encourage you to continue with your fitness goals.
What I know is that they work for me, they motivate me and I hope they’ll do the same for you…so why not try one of these great fitness apps for seniors? Personally, I can’t wait for my next physical!