The Right Dose of Exercise for a Longer Life

[audreyh1]

Me too. Strength training with some low-impact aerobics thrown in. Lots of walking. Yoga. And cycling too - but only on bike paths.

 

[bmcgonig]

I am 50 and that is exactly what I presently do. Though I picked up playing a little bit too competitive tennis again recently. Next day my back was a two by four in stiffness and couldn't put any weight on either heel for like 3 hours the next morning because they were so sore...What in the hell old age thing was that? They felt fine when I went to bed...of well they recovered...weird stuff...


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Milligan, I had the same issues. The last three times I had a minor injury i.e., what felt like a pulled muscle etc., they occurred nearly two days after the exertion. Never happened to me like that when I was younger


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[MichaelB]

So it's hard to me to conclude that folks who are feeble today are the ones who weren't active most of their lives.

Sorry to hear this about your dad. At that age there can be many things that affect his health. Becoming feeble and losing weight seem to reinforce each other, and not in a good way. Depending on the underlying cause, it can be treated and possibly reversed.

I do not know if exercise help people remain healthier longer as we age, but it seems to me that someone who doesn't walk much at 50 or 60 will find it harder to do so at 70 or 80, while someone more active at 60 might find it easier at 75. There is little doubt that, among the population that resides in assisted living and nursing homes there is a conspicuous absence of seniors that are physically active or have the appearance of being physically fit.

 

[athena53]

There is the whole correlation/causation thing of course.

I agree; my thought is that people who have no health issues, good genes and are motivated to live a healthy lifestyle are more motivated to exercise and yes, they live longer. People who are overweight, have chronic pain, who smoke or drink too much probably aren't interested in exercise.

Just to be safe, I work out nearly every day anyway.

 

[ronin]

Just to be safe, I work out nearly every day anyway.

Me too, but just to hedge the risk of dying young and in shape, I drank too much last night.

 

[Midpack]

Whether or not exercise prolongs my life, keeping physically fit should help my quality of life.

+1. I'd MUCH rather learn how to extend my quality of life for 85 years (and suddenly drop dead while still independent and functional) than learning how to live 95 years it if only forestalls the feeble years. I didn't see anything about that in the article, just impact on longevity. Having just returned from a 4 day visit with my 93 yo parents, still living independently (barely), will do that to you...

 

[freebird5825]

Me too, but just to hedge the risk of dying young and in shape, I drank too much last night.

Please define "too much".

Putting on a nice buzz once in a while doesn't hurt a bit, except for the hangover. Drink lots of water before sleep. Sleep a lot.

 

[MikeTN]

A friend who does not exercise told me thus: If I exercise I can add a year to my life, but I'll spend that much time exercising. I don't like exercising so it is not worth it for me. I think he was on to something. Many of us who exercise, actually like exercising. Others don't and maybe they are rational.

 

[travelover]

A friend who does not exercise told me thus: If I exercise I can add a year to my life, but I'll spend that much time exercising. I don't like exercising so it is not worth it for me. I think he was on to something. Many of us who exercise, actually like exercising. Others don't and maybe they are rational.

If it were a digital result I might agree. Both my parents had strokes and were messed up for years before they actually died.

 

[martyp]

One of the biggest problems people encounter when the become old old is falling and breaking something. If you do the right exercises and activities at the appropriate level for your age and fitness then you might avoid premature death as a result of falling.

I'm interested in quality of life much more than length of life. Good balance and strength should improve quality of life. However, if you are going to resist and be miserable if you exercise even a little bit then that is the life you choose.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I love swimming. I swam 1800-2000 meters 4-5 times per week through med school and beyond. It's like a meditation, and one is always working on technique with each stroke. 10 years ago I stopped swimming, as gym membership cost was high and I was too busy to go. I go to the cheap gym and do weights, but aerobic exercise is boring. We're purchasing a swim spa this summer and I'll be able to swim, even in the winter, without the hassle of driving to the gym. Traveling last week I was able to swim laps for the first time in 10 years. Did 1000 meters the firs day, then 1800 meters the next two days. I'm really excited about swimming. Add some weights to my routine and I'll get both strength and aerobic capacity.

My dad never exercised and became more and more frail with many health problems. His last 6 years were spent dealing with multiple health problems and little else. I don't want that to happen to me, but if it does, I won't have regrets because I am trying to stay in shape, even with all the aches and pains.


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[RunningBum]

Personally, I believe that strength training and walking are the way to go once you're done competing or doing whatever sport you want when you're younger. I once thought I wanted to be the 75 year old triathlete. Nope. Sometime after my competitive days are over (probably in my late forties) I'll switch to walking 2-3 miles a day (golf!), lifting twice a week, maintaining flexibility and an occasional intense workout (bike ride, swim, run maybe once a week or every other). I no longer believe running is good long-term as it's too hard on the joints. Cycling might be better, but having experienced trauma from crashing I won't want to be riding anything like I do now in my 50s-60s because I won't be able to recover from it as easily or completely. Swimming might be where it's at!

Are you having joint issues now? It's not a given that running will cause joint problems. I'm 53 and I put in a lot of 50-60+ mile weeks this spring and ran a 100 with little issue. It helps that the race and most training was on dirt roads or trails, mostly non-technical, but I still do some road marathons too. If you're having issues now it'll probably get worse, but if you aren't, don't assume you will. I may be wrong about that, so do what you think is right, but I have no plans to stop running competitively.

 

[razztazz]

One of the biggest problems people encounter when the become old old is falling and breaking something. If you do the right exercises and activities at the appropriate level for your age and fitness then you might avoid premature death as a result of falling.

I'm interested in quality of life much more than length of life. Good balance and strength should improve quality of life. However, if you are going to resist and be miserable if you exercise even a little bit then that is the life you choose.

This is soo true and exactly how I see it. I would rather feel well and drop dead suddenly while mowing my lawn on a nice bright summer's day even if it's next summer rather that be like my mother who's 86 and in a nursing home. She hasn't been able to get around or be independent in years and can't see or hear well. What's the point.

I want to be the old guy who doesn't fall down in the first place, and if I do fall, I want to be able to get up instead of pushing that button hoping dispatch gets the message.

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

My dad is feeble. He got quite a bit of exercise until about 75. He used to jog several times a week until then. Then difficulty with his feet and joints set him back. He has difficulty walking now. He believes that he way overdid it with the running/jogging over decades. I think he has some serious arthritis issues.

He is quite frail and slow moving now in his mid-80s. He was never overweight, but now he is definitely underweight.

He's finally worked up to walking outside around the house six times. So he's trying.

So it's hard to me to conclude that folks who are feeble today are the ones who weren't active most of their lives.

A lifetime of jogging is horrible for your body.

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[Mulligan]

This is soo true and exactly how I see it. I would rather feel well and drop dead suddenly while mowing my lawn on a nice bright summer's day even if it's next summer rather that be like my mother who's 86 and in a nursing home. She hasn't been able to get around or be independent in years and can't see or hear well. What's the point.

I want to be the old guy who doesn't fall down in the first place, and if I do fall, I want to be able to get up instead of pushing that button hoping dispatch gets the message.

Monday I will be going with my neighbor golfing for 18 holes with a bunch of other seniors. We are both seniors but he is 37 years older than me. He is 87 years old and he insisted on driving the 100 mile round trip to the course. Ya, I wanna be like him if possible.


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[Mulligan]

A lifetime of jogging is horrible for your body.

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Now I have given up the jogging due to knee and back issues and did not fight to quit as I don't want to wreck my body. But I thought the latest research pretty much concluded lifetime running is not harmful to the body if you have healthy joints. But I imagine that pool of candidates shrinks as the age odometer spins higher.


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[Which Roger]

Now I have given up the jogging due to knee and back issues and did not fight to quit as I don't want to wreck my body. But I thought the latest research pretty much concluded lifetime running is not harmful to the body if you have healthy joints. But I imagine that pool of candidates shrinks as the age odometer spins higher.


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A lot of older runners have joint and back issues. But a lot of older non-runners also have these issues.

 

[harley]

A friend who does not exercise told me thus: If I exercise I can add a year to my life, but I'll spend that much time exercising. I don't like exercising so it is not worth it for me. I think he was on to something. Many of us who exercise, actually like exercising. Others don't and maybe they are rational.

If it were a digital result I might agree. Both my parents had strokes and were messed up for years before they actually died.

Just curious, what do these two statements have to do with each other? Did they have strokes and survive because they did/didn't exercise? I've often suspected that those who don't exercise and eat well tend to die fairly quickly, as opposed to lingering in pain and misery. Sort of like the studies that show that cigarette smokers tend to cost less in health care because they die earlier and faster than non-smokers.

I do think that there are those who like to exercise and those who don't. Just like anything else, whichever side you're on you tend to assume the others are faking it somehow. I've never understood runners, but I assume they enjoy it because otherwise why would they expose themselves to such misery (my POV).

 

[EastWest Gal]

I know a number of people in my family that were sick a long time with health problems related to former and ongoing smoking prior to their passing. On the other hand, a friend of mine lost her husband when he was 42 from cardiac arrest even though he was very healthy and athletic. Many types of cancer occur in health conscious individuals, and usually these are longer illnesses.

Smokers, heavy drinkers, and drug users will die younger thus cost less in terms of social security. But they are sicker. Sadly, we've become very good at keeping people alive longer and in poorer health.


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[travelover]

Just curious, what do these two statements have to do with each other? Did they have strokes and survive because they did/didn't exercise? .........

I'll never know for sure, but when I expressed my concern about family history of strokes, my doc said to continue to eat right and exercise.

That said, I think that your interpretation is too literal. My point is that quality of life is as important as whether you are alive or dead. And, my anecdotal observation is that people that remain active seem to have a higher quality of life in their later years than people that are sedentary.

 

[Moemg]

My Mom believes in moderation in everything . She never exercised a lot or smoked or drank more than an occasional wine or a whiskey sour . She is 99 and not feeble . She still lives alone in an independent living facility . She plays cards daily & usually wins . Except for arthritis her health is fine so maybe the real clue to long living is moderation. .

 

[bjorn2bwild]

I've never understood runners, but I assume they enjoy it because otherwise why would they expose themselves to such misery (my POV).

hehe, as I am running up a steep section of trail on my second lap, I'm thinking "this is so pleasurable where are the crowds" (rhetorical)

 

[TromboneAl]

Just a seagull visit to make my usual comment about this kind of study.

The only way to show whether exercise improves your lifespan would be to randomly assign people to the more-exercise group or the less-exercise group and follow them for 15 years. That experiment is impossible to perform, so all we can say is that more exercise is associated with longer life. You can try to match and control your observations, but without doing the experiment, you can't show the causality.

That association could mean that healthy people exercise more or that people who exercise more are healthier. You can try to match and control your observations, but without doing the experiment, you can't show the causality.

You can look at it this way: Which of these two people is likely to want to go for a run?

They both fill out the form entering a number for how many hours per week that they exercise, and blue-shirt guy dies at a younger age. Was he unhealthy because he didn't go running, or did he not go running because he was unhealthy?

 

[imoldernu]

Three questions:
What constitutes "exercise"?
What constitutes "vigorous"?

...and by omission does it mean the same standards apply to 30 year olds as to 80 year olds?



OH!... and BTW... I no longer have to worry about dying prematurely!

 

[bjorn2bwild]

Three questions:
What constitutes "exercise"?
What constitutes "vigorous"?

...and by omission does it mean the same standards apply to 30 year olds as to 80 year olds?



OH!... and BTW... I no longer have to worry about dying prematurely!

This just released long term study can help clarify those questions and more -

Increases in physical activity is as important as smoking cessation for reduction in total mortality in elderly men: 12 years of follow-up of the Oslo II study -- Holme and Anderssen 49 (11): 743 -- British Journal of Sports Medicine

13 (sedentary: reading, watching television or other sedentary occupation; light activity: walking, bicycling or other forms of physical activity including walking or bicycling to and from working place, and Sunday walk for at least 4 h a week; moderate activity: exercise, sports, heavy gardening, etc, for at least 4 h/week; vigorous activity: hard training or competitive sports regularly several times a week)

Results Thirty minutes of PA per 6 days a week was associated with about 40% mortality risk reduction. There was a 5 years increased lifetime when comparing sedentary and moderate to vigorous physically active men.

Conclusions Even at the age of 73 years, PA is associated highly with mortality between groups of sedentary and active persons