You don't need to exercise!

I was on the phone with an older relative last week and I expressed gratitude for time to get to the gym that day despite my hectic schedule. She was very exasperated by my insistence that exercise is important for everyone. This particular relative and I do not see eye to eye on much, but we're family so we avoid controversial topics like nutrition to keep our relationship intact. I would like to believe this relative's view that exercise is only for overweight or obese people looking to trim down is unique, especially given this has been a huge focus for our First Lady, but I don't know how pervasive this perspective is. The benefits of regular aerobic exercise and strength training are vast, including decreased risk of developing hypertension, dementia and diabetes, reduced risk of having a heart attack or stroke, increased emotional well being, better sleep quality and it could even help increase life span. I could go on and on. However I'll limit this particular post to benefits of exercise in two specific rheumatologic diseases; osteoporosis and sarcopenia.  

As we all age our bone and muscle mass start to decline. When the bones become weak or thin we could develop a condition called osteoporosis. When muscles become weak due to the normal aging process we call it sarcopenia. These changes happen sooner than one may realize; muscle mass starts to decline as young as 40! After the age of 75 the loss of muscle happens more rapidly. A risk factor for both osteoporosis and sarcopenia is sedentary life style, which by some is defined as taking less than 5,000 steps per day. The good news? With regular weight bearing exercise we can slow down or even prevent these changes in our bones and muscles. Regular physical exercise has also been shown to reduce the risk of hip fracture and falls, helping seniors stay independent.

How much exercise do we need? According to the CDC guidelines, adults can satisfy their exercise requirement one of three ways:

•  150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week and muscle strengthening activities on two or more days per week that work all major muscle groups.
• 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity every week and muscle strengthening on two or more days per week
• An equivalent mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity with the muscle strengthening requirement remaining unchanged

Some examples of moderate activity include walking briskly, water aerobics, doubles tennis, ballroom dancing, gardening and bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour. Activities counted as vigorous intensity are jogging, swimming laps, singles tennis, jumping rope, walking uphill or with a heavy backpack. To put it simply, if you can talk but not sing while performing the activity you are performing moderately. If all you can get out is a few words, you're working vigorously. Strength training can be done using weights, resistance bands, or body weight. (A word of caution here, vigorous repetitive jumping has been linked to osteoarthritis so check with your doctor or a physical therapist before starting a new exercise activity.)  

If you've already been diagnosed with osteoporosis or sarcopenia and would like some suggestions to get you started, I recommend reviewing the exercises found on the International Osteoporosis Foundation's website with your doctor to make sure they are safe for you. If not, you're perfectly poised for prevention! I propose you find something you like to do and schedule time for it on your calendar. For aerobic exercise I love to run. While I am not particularly skilled at it and I am definitely not fast, the endorphin boost is unparalleled. When I hop on my treadmill and listen to favorite songs, my mood is instantly improved and I feel like a rock star. Signing up for local races gives me a reason to push myself toward a goal. For strength training my favorite activity is by far yoga. I sign up online and pay in advance for classes to hold myself accountable to taking time out of my day for taking care of my body.

Ready to get started? Get the okay from your physician and head on over to www.letsmove.gov for inspiration.