Tips for Exercising

Move for more memory
form Prevention Magazine

It's a fact: Certain areas of our brains shrink as we age, causing slower thinking and some memory loss. But 3 hours of brisk walking a week might stop, and even reverse, this, finds a University of Illinois study that looked at 59 sedentary adults ages 60 to 80 who were put on either a walking or stretching-and-toning plan.

After 6 months, MRI scans revealed that walker's brains looked 2 to 3 years younger than others their age.

A plan you can start today: Walk for 15 minutes three times this week, and add 5 minutes each consecutive week until you're up to 1 hour.-Marianne McGinnis

Tips for Exercising
Try to exercise everyday.  Even a short, 15-minute walk at lunch or right after dinner is helpful and enjoyable.  After making short walks a regular part of your day, why not incorporate short bursts of jogging?  You will burn even more calories and you will strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system.  For those of you who are more adventurous, hiking can reconnect you with friends, family and nature.

Our group walked.  Everyday.  We walked a 1.8-mile loop around our offices and while some didn’t make the whole loop, everyone walked for at least 10 or 15 minutes—a great beginning!  If you have never exercised before, start slowly by setting modest goals.  Why not take the stairs instead of the elevator?  Instead of obsessively searching for that perfect parking place, relax and park farther away. Then, enjoy a short walk to your destination. Each of these simple steps adds up the calories you burn!  This website offers a quick read on starting your exercise program: Walking Tips
 
Or Shape Magaine offers an easy to follow beginning routine here.