Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews

Posts in the Healthy category

Alzheimers & Exercise

by Suzanne Andrews

Can exercise slow the progression of Alzheimer's or delay its onset?

Contrary to age old beliefs, aging does not have to come with loss of memory, mental decline and decreased brain functioning. Scientists now believe that decreased mental capacity comes from diminished stimulation to the brain. 

 A healthy neuron is linked to literally tens of thousands of other neurons, creating a hundred trillion connections – each with the ability to perform 200 calculations per second! But neurons don’t only connect with other neurons, they connect with muscles at a little meeting place called the neuromuscular junction and this is vital to your ability to move.

The great news is you can stimulate fresh neurons in old age because brains have what is called ‘plasticity,’ the ability of your brain to change, grow and to adapt to the challenges you feed it. Mental decline due to age usually is often a result of physical inactivity and a lack of mental stimulation. 

The word exercise means to ward off.  How appropriate: because when you exercise, your blood circulation increases: sending more oxygen and brain feeding blood sugar (glucose) to your brain. This results in a domino effect of increasing blood vessels in your brain. Your choice of exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous.  Although one that is specifically designed for the brain will give you better results. Studies have shown that people who are reasonably active have a significant advantage regarding memory over people who are sedentary. Occupational therapists (therapists who specialize in improving people’s cognitive (brain) and physical function) have also studied specific exercises to find that certain types of exercises increased both brain functioning and decreased brain attack by 57%. 

 

Specific exercises have even shown to be successful as a preventative measure to Alzheimer’s disease. Even more interesting is that couch potatoes are twice as likely to develop dementia.  In order to reap the benefits of increased brain power, mental alertness, and neuron growth, you need to exercise. 

Maintaining a fit brain and a sharp memory requires regular exercise in the same way that physical fitness does. One of the best ways to exercise your brain is to challenge it with novel experiences. Something as simple as taking a different route to work will exercise your brain, as will listening to new music or eating something for dinner you've never tasted. To challenge your brain even more, perform short tasks with your non-dominant hand. Do Brain Power exercises, where you’re crossing midline with your arms, performing box steps with your legs to use both hemispheres of your brain. 

To exercise your brain on a regular basis, make it a point to change your self care routine in small but meaningful ways every day. For example, brushing your teeth with your non dominant hand. This will bring different areas of the brain into play, improve cranial blood flow, and strengthen neural connections between different areas of the brain. The regular practice of brain fitness exercises can even help to stave off dementia and Alzheimer's disease.  

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

4 Functional Fitness Tips to Increase Your Energy (Part 2)

by Suzanne Andrews

Missed Part I? Click here to read it

Functional Fitness Tip 4: Take power naps. 

I've always take a power nap when time allows as it helps me power through the rest of my very long and active day.  

Of course, your fatigue could just be a sign that you're not getting enough sleep. Most adults require 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, but most of us don't get that much. You can make up for lost sleep by taking power naps. Power naps can refresh you and improve your mental clarity and focus. To benefit, set aside 30 to 60 minutes for a restful nap during the day. Wear ear plugs or a sleep mask if lights or sounds disturb you. 

Functional Ftiness Tip 5: Reduce stress and anxiety.

Have you ever felt emotionally exhausted? In times of stress, we tend to worry more. All of that worrying takes energy, so it's no wonder that stress is linked to low energy levels. Tell a trusted confidant about your worries and fears. If you've been harboring unspoken anger or keeping secrets, now is a great time to bring your feelings into the open. Keeping your emotions bottled up only stresses you out more, leading to greater exhaustion. Share your burden with someone else to get some perspective and lighten your load. 

Functional Fitness Tip 6: Stay hydrated.

Fatigue is a symptom of dehydration, and is more common than you'd think. Many adults suffer from mild to moderate dehydration. If you're an athlete, frequent dieter, or diabetic, you could face an elevated risk of dehydration. Try to drink 64 oz of non-caloric beverages each day. Most of this fluid intake should come from plain water. Sugary sport drinks are rarely necessary, and caffeinated drinks can leave you more dehydrated. For the best results, find a portable drink container you like, and sip water from it throughout the day. If your energy level quickly rises, you'll know dehydration was keeping you tired. 

Functional Fitness Tip 7: Address underlying health concerns.

A low energy level can be an indicator of a more serious condition. Fatigue is associated with depression, diabetes, malnutrition, sluggish thyroid, and a score of seasonal ills like colds and flu. I have a slow thyroid and combat low energy with medication and regular exercise.  The medication is not enough and workouts that require hard core moves are too much.  Low impact cardio and strength does the trick.  If you suspect you may have a medical condition, ask your doctor to perform a thyroid test, blood glucose test, and routine blood work (CBC). The results will help you identify and treat the root cause of your lethargy, or rule out diseases so that you can look elsewhere for a cause. Healthiest blessings!

Would you like to lose weight and boost your energy doing low impact workouts that leave you exhilarated and not exhausted? Try Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews Total Body Strength and Conditioning.

 

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

3 Functional Fitness Tips to Beat Fatigue with these Energy Boosting Tips (Part 1)

by Suzanne Andrews

Fatigue can set in at any time of the day. Maybe you get drowsy after lunch, or maybe you suffer from low energy levels throughout the day. Whatever the cause of your tiredness, you can beat fatigue with these great energy-boosting tips! 

 Functional Fitness Tip 1: Move more, not less. 

Struggling to stay awake at work? You can get energized by stepping outside and taking a casual walk at lunchtime. Dozing off at home? Put on some music and dance around, or do some chores you've been putting off. Movement might seem impossible when you're feeling lethargic, but it will get your blood circulating and that increased energy to all your body cells. It doesn't take long for movement to perk you up, giving you the energy you need to face the rest of your day. 

Functional Fitness Tip 2: Eat small, frequent meals. 

In the past, conventional wisdom told us eating three square meals a day was the key to health. Now we know that eating smaller, more frequent meals is the best way to keep our bodies fueled. Start your day with a nutritious breakfast, and never go longer than 2 to 3 hours without eating something, even if it's just a handful of almonds or a low-fat mozzarella stick. The constant fuel will keep you energized. 

 
FUNCTIONAL FITNESS: TOTAL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING WITH SUZANNE ANDREWS

Functional Fitness Tip 3: Add magnesium to your diet.

Magnesium helps your body carry out hundreds of tasks, including one very important one: changing glucose into usable energy. If your magnesium level is low, your energy level might be, too. Increase your magnesium by eating almonds, cashews, fish, and whole grain bran cereal. You can also take a magnesium supplement in liquid or pill form. 

Continue reading part II

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

3 Exercises to Avoid if You Have COPD

by Suzanne Andrews

In pulmonary therapy we advise people who live with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) to perform specific exercises to strengthen their breathing capacity.  While therapeutic exercises are very effective, there are exercises to avoid if you have COPD.

  1. Lifting Heavy Weights or Pushing

While it’s important to strengthen your muscles when you have COPD because weak muscles need more oxygen than strong muscles, you should never lift super heavy weights.  Also be mindful of holding your breath when you lift heavy objects.  That is called the Valsalva Maneuver and can elevate your heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels. Instead, exhale through your mouth when you lift light weights as tolerated. 

FUNCTIONAL FITNESS: COPD & ASTHMA WITH SUZANNE ANDREWS
  1. Isometric Exercises

Isometric exercises are when you push against immovable objects. 

  1. Outdoor Exercises in Extreme Heat or Cold

Extreme temperatures can interfere with your ability to breathe because it affects your circulation.  COPD exercise increases your circulation and that’s another reason why pulmonary exercise helps strengthen your breathing muscles. 

If you have COPD, exercise might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it’s very important to add pulmonary exercises to your daily activities to slow down the progression of COPD and improve your quality of life. To motivate my patients, I monitor their heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen during their exercises. Keep a pulse oximeter handy so you can see how your oxygen level increases as you get fitter. 

 

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Fast Food Lovers Guide to Weight Loss

by Suzanne Andrews

If you've seen the movie Supersize Me, where Morgan Spurlock follows a 30 day diet of eating only McDonald's food, you watched as he gained 24 and 1/2 pounds, a dangerous cholesterol level of 230 and fat accumulation in his liver. While it was fascinating to watch, it only offered a one sided view.   

Obviously, if you just eat junk food every day, no matter what fast food establishment you choose, you will gain weight. Along with eating fatty fast foods, Spurlock didn't exercise which contributed to his weight gain.  

That being said, no amount of exercise in the world can protect your body from a constant diet of saturated fats. To remain functionally fit we need to practice good diet and get out there and move. No buts about it! So what do you do when you find yourself at McDonalds? Here's a healthy choice menu to make it easier for you to decide. I wonder what would have happened if Spurlock ate the healthy options and exercised 6 days a week. Now that would be interesting to see...

McDonalds Fast Food Healthy Choices Menu
 
Premium Grilled   8 oz
Chicken Classic   (226 g) 420 calories
Sandwich              10 Grams of Fat

Snack Wrap ®      4.3 oz  (With no dressing)
 (Grilled)               270 Calories
                             10 grams of Fat

Premium                  12.3 oz
Southwest Salad      320 Calories
with Grilled               9 Grams of Fat
Chicken

Premium Caesar      11 oz
Salad with Grilled    220 Calories
Chicken                   6 Grams of Fat

Snack Size Fruit   1 Package
& Walnut Salad    210 Calories
                             8 grams of fat

Newman's Own®  1.5 oz
Low Fat Balsamic  40 Calories
Vinaigrette             3 grams of Fat

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Is Stress Making You Gain Weight?

by Suzanne Andrews

Unless you have a magic Genie who does everything for you,  you come across stressful situations every day. From hectic work schedules to strained family life and the pressures of the daily grind, stress can wear out even the strongest person. Some who struggle with weight loss use food as away to ease the stresses in their life. I used chocolate!  This leads to weight gain, which leads to more stress, creating a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.

 BUT you can change the way you react to stress. A patient of mine who has fibromyalgia confided, “ When I’m stressed, I want fattening foods because they make me feel better.”  In reality, fattening foods eaten daily make you feel worse. They lower your immune system, make you gain weight, cause painful joints and a host of diseases.  

When I recommended that  losing weight could make her painful joints go away, she dismissed the advice immediately and blamed everything on the disease. Did you know that just 1 lb of weight causes 4 lbs of excess pressure on your joints? The first step to losing weight is taking responsibility for your actions. Once you recognize and admit what is stopping you from success, you can do what is necessary. 

Simply put - fat is toxic and makes you  old and sick. I'll say that again, fat is toxic and makes you old and sick! Have you ever heard a person who has lost weight say they feel worse and want all that weight back on? 

 

I was 60 pounds overweight and can relate to joint pain and low energy from excess weight. I lost it the old fashioned way.  Now that I'm in menopause, it's coming back.  So instead of blaming everything else, I'm designing a weight loss program for menopausal women and will show you the results in the future. My program includes sensible exercise and healthy nutrition. There is so much unscrupulous information on the internet and as a medical professional, it's my duty to give you accurate, evidenced based information - so you won't ever get "LOSE 30 POUNDS IN 30 DAYS" from me:) 

According to Psychology Today, "25 studies in 26 years confirms that exercise  makes you happier" and helps alleviate mild to moderate depression without the side effects of medicine. Really, if all the benefits of exercise came in a pill, everyone would take it - including myself. But pills cause side effects and can damage your liver so whenever you can improve your health naturally - that's the best and least expensive option. If you're on medication it is always best to see your doctor.  Since I have many doctors who recommend my exercise DVDs, go ahead and inquire if Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews is right for you. Let your doctor know that the workouts are on PBS TV and on DVD. (DVD has more footage as we are on tight time constraints on TV).

 Healthiest blessings,

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Why 95% of Diets Fail (and 6 Ways to be in the 5%)

by Suzanne Andrews

   Would you like to achieve amazing weight loss results while outsmarting your body and still eating what you want? Learn how now in today’s Functional Fitness blog. 

   How many times have you gone on a diet, only to give up because of hunger and frustration before your goals were met? Chances are, you've done this a few times and you've known others who had similar experiences. 

   That's because when you diet, you set yourself up for failure. 

   95% of diets simply do not work. Let's take a look at the reasons why, and then learn how to attain that most coveted goal of all dieters: long term weight loss that leaves you healthier and happier. 

   First, the reasons why most diets fail: 

   Reason 1: Diets are Temporary. 

   A diet is a temporary solution to a long-term problem. Dieters often find themselves thinking in the short-term. "If I can just get to my goal weight," they tell themselves, "I'll be able to eat my favorite foods again!" 

   That's exactly the thought process that leads to failure, because returning to old habits leads to regained pounds. If you want lasting weight loss, stop dieting and make some permanent lifestyle changes you can comfortably live with. 

   Reason 2: Diet is Only One Half of the Weight Loss Equation. 

   Trying to lose weight through diet alone is like trying to swim using only one arm. Can it be done? Yes, if your 20 something and don’t have any metabolism issues. 

   Exercise should be a part of your healthy weight loss plan. Without it, you'll experience a very slow weight loss, or you'll have to cut so many calories that you'll

end up feeling hungry and deprived. Don't do that to yourself. Exercise doesn’t have to consist of insane moves to be effective for weight loss. As a producer of Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews on PBS TV, I get to hear lots of feedback from viewers like Julie, a 53 year old lady who emailed me and said, “I started doing your show and at first I thought, the exercises were too slow for me and not fast enough to lose weight but somewhere along the line, something amazing happened.  My clothes got too big, my blood pressure got better and my doctor (who insisted on I do your workouts)took me off my blood pressure medicine!” That’s because all of Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness programs are medically designed with years of proven results and research in every workout. 

While you won’t find our workouts free on You Tube because all the doctors, physical therapists and occupational therapists who’ve contributed to each workout are highly regarded experts in their field. On the other hand, at only 19.99 a DVD, we make each Functional Fitness program very affordable as you don’t pay the $280.00 plus fee or ($400.00 plus a month co-pay once your deductible is met) that these experts charge for a session with them. The savings in medical bills, pills and sick days far out weigh the cost of your healthy functional lifestyle! 

   Reason 3: Diets are not Satisfying 

   Some diets require you to eat low-calorie foods that contain very little fat. Others require you to eat very small quantities of food. Others encourage you to eat plenty of protein but drastically cut your carbohydrate consumption. 

   None of these diets will satisfy you for very long. The healthiest and happiest eating plans are those that contain a mixture of lean protein, heart-healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. 

   Add plenty of fiber and water, and your body will be more satisfied with the fuel you put in it. 

   Reason 4: Diets Can be Expensive. 

   Healthy food typically costs more than junk food, but special diet foods can really strain your food budget!

   The expense of special bars, shakes, and supplements is pretty appalling, not to mention unnecessary. Diet plans that require you to buy pre-packaged meals are the most expensive of all, and they often contain additives that can sabotage your weight loss. 

   Don't waste your money on special foods. Get your nutrition through whole, natural foods that you can cook for yourself. Your budget - and your waistline - will be thinner as a result. 

Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness Tip: Cook a bunch of foods at once and put it in correct size portions.  Freeze what won’t be eaten in 3 Days. You’ve just saved your stomach, your waistline and your budget with preservative free natural foods. 

   Reason 5: Diets don't Easily Fit into Your Lifestyle. 

   Have you ever watched your friends and family eat normally while you had to settle for a liquid or prepackaged meal? Do you spend an inordinate amount of time trimming, weighing, and measuring your food while everyone else digs in? 

   It's hard to feel like one of the crowd when you're following an inconvenient diet. That's another reason why so many dieters give up in despair and frustration. 

   Your lifestyle is an important consideration. Don't choose an eating plan that requires a radical departure from the norm. 

   Reason 6: Too Much Dieting Can Cause Weight Gain. 

   When you go on a diet, your body reacts by squeezing every bit of nourishment from the foods you do eat. After the diet ends, your body still processes food with

increased efficiency, causing you to pack on the pounds even though you're eating "normally". 

   This is a survival mechanism that helped our ancestors survive times of famine. Diets are the new famine, and they can actually leave you weighing more than you did  before the diet! 

   How to Succeed 

   For weight loss to be safe and permanent, it needs to come as the result of a lifestyle change. Find a healthy eating plan you can stick with for the rest of your life. Add exercise 5-6 days a week that doesn’t make you feel like you got hit by a truck or that you have to keep up with a 20 year old. You’ll stick to an exercise plan and won’t injure yourself (which could really set you back). 5- 6 days of working out is best because consistency is key.

   With those bases covered, you're free to live your life without constantly worrying about your diet. The weight you lose will stay gone, and you will enjoy greater health and happiness. 

   You can achieve amazing weight loss results by outsmarting your body with a sensible eating plan and following the program millions of women and men over 40 follow on PBS TV with Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness

Get started today and be on your way to a happy healthy you.  See results in 30 Days!

 Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

A Healthier You

by Suzanne Andrews

'Hospital floor or gym floor - where would you rather be?' That's what I ask my non-compliant patients who don't want to do their exercise therapy to make themselves better. 

We often think of medical expenses at a time when we are least capable of coping with them - when we're sick. With healthcare costs increasing, the sooner we plan for our health, the sooner we'll start planning a healthier life. That's what real health care is. The medical model we follow now is more like sick care. So what do we do as we face medical bills looming over us threatening to wipe out our savings?

According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute a man who retires at 65 can expect to live until 83. He will need to have around $65k to $109k in those years to cover insurance premiums and out of pocket expenses.

For women, the EBRI says retiring at 65 and living until 85 will mean she'll need $88k to $146k for insurance premiums and out of pocket expenses which works out to $366 to $608 a month. Both men and women will need these amounts on hand to provide a 50% chance of having enough to cover these expenses. If you're getting $1000 a month from Social Security these costs will eat up about 25% to 60% of those payments alone.

If you have managed to secure a considerable nest egg, good for you. If you haven't, it might be time get some part time work. Besides, retirement is boring. You know, all that rest and relaxation gets old pretty quick.

Here's a novel idea that can save you money on healthcare costs. According to the National Foundation for anti-aging, "most aging is premature." Poor posture, low energy, brittle bones are not aging, but a disease. Sitting around, also known as the Disuse Syndrome causes weakness, frailness and aging at a much faster rate. You can stay out of the health care merry-go-round much better with some good habits. And just how do you do that? Start an exercise program geared towards your needs, abilities or limitations. That means if you have limited mobility, seek seated exercise programs. If your knees are gone, ride a bike or do some gentle exercise programs. If you have asthma, don't take up hiking in the mountains. Start slow and take walks around the neighborhood. It's important to find something you enjoy because you're more likely to do it. The more you do it the healthier you get. If you have arthritis, do an exercise program especially for arthritis and limber up your joints and muscles.

Own Arthritis Relief Walking Workout!

You needn't strive to be an athlete. If you are just getting started, exercise will make you healthier. You'll have stronger muscles to lift things, denser bones to absorb shock from falls and a stronger heart to pump more blood and oxygen to all the organs in your body which makes them all work better. Pills, sometimes necessary, are not always an easy fix and can cause many undesirable side effects and mask the symptoms. Exercise can get to the root of the problem and eliminate the cause. There are countless examples of people who were taking a dozen pills a day that went down to 2, 3 or none a day because of regular exercise.

The healthier you are, the less likely it is you will have to employ the skills and costs of doctors, nurses, physical or occupational therapists and pharmacists for whatever ails you. They worked long and hard to acquire those skills and they can't afford to work cheap. You worked long and hard for your money and you can't afford to lose it all to Twinkies and watching TV. Planning for your health now is better than being a patient in a sick care plan.

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

Yoga & Weight Loss

by Suzanne Andrews

 

   How would you like to get rid of weight, aches, anxiety and stress from your life with easy, gentle mind body techniques?

   Yoga has become a prominent part of many popular workout routines. It's commonly touted as a cure for everything from stiff joints to breathing problems. But will yoga help you lose weight?

   Meditating seems counter-intuitive to someone who wants to build strength and shed pounds. But yoga has many qualities for weight loss that other programs miss. Here are some of the ways yoga can help you lose weight and increase your sense of well-being.

   Stress Releasing Yoga Burns Calories.

   Yoga puts you in touch with your body's needs. when you practice yoga, you learn to clear your mind of the distractions that prevent you from really listening to your body. By getting back in touch with your needs, you can learn to differentiate between hunger and cravings.

   The more you learn about your body and its amazing abilities, the more you will want to take care of it by avoiding junk food and radical diets.

     Yoga is a real stress-buster. By practicing mindful breathing and quiet meditation, you can bring your mind and body to a peaceful state. This decreases anxiety and can even reduce your body's production of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol sends our bodies into self-preservation mode, which translates to increased fat storage.

   Learn to relax and breathe during yoga and you will eventually learn to incorporate those skills into the rest of your life.

   Yoga Helps You Snooze to Lose

   By producing more lean muscle mass, yoga can help you burn more calories even at rest which a great way to speed up your weight loss.

   Yoga Makes You Mindful

   Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons yoga teaches us is the lesson of mindfulness. Yoga practitioners learn how to be "in the moment", focusing on their breathing and their posture rather than worrying about work, family, or other stress triggers.

   You can apply this mindfulness to your weight loss plan as well. Learn to focus on your food and your enjoyment rather than choking down your meals while watching TV.

   By taking your time and keeping your mind on your meal, you will tend to eat less and be more satisfied.

   Remember: you don't need to contort your body into a pretzel to benefit from yoga. As the original modifier of yoga poses who lost 60 pounds, I've seen the benefits of gentle stress release and weight loss yoga first hand.  It just goes to show that slow and steady can help you win the weight loss race.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

 See a preview of  "Beginners Dynamic Yoga for Stress Release and Weight Loss" to learn all you need to know to begin loving yoga and improving your well-being today. 

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

4 Water Exercise Tips for Weight Loss and Arthritis Relief

by Suzanne Andrews

 

Summer is almost here and we can begin to think about how we look in a bathing suit and how to treat your nagging arthritis symptoms at the same time!

The buoyancy of water supports a portion of your body weight putting less stress on your joints though still allowing for improvement of flexibility.

 

Here are some great water exercise tips to get you started:

  1. Water shoes provide safe traction on the pool floor. 
  1. Keep the water level at about waist to chest deep. 
  1. Move your Styrofoam weights, balls or noodles slowly through the water as this will provide less resistance than faster movements which can become too hard to do. 
  1. Webbed water gloves and flippers make great resistance tools for water exercise. 

You’ll likely never work up a sweat when in the pool but still have plenty of drinking water handy to minimize dehydration. 

Own Arthritis Water Therapy on DVD!

Water jogging, forward and side lunges and push ups on the pool steps are all great ways to treat arthritis symptoms at any level. 

To treat arthritis its important to do everything you can to stretch, use weighted resistance either in or out of the pool and be consistent. The body will conform to whatever forces you place upon it. That will translate into stronger muscles, flexible joints and reduced pain in all the places you’ve convinced yourself, “I’ll just have to live with.” It doesn’t have to be that way. So don’t be a big drip, get started today! 

Preview Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews’s Arthritis Water Therapy DVD/CD set on CollageVideo.com.

Suzanne Andrews, Occupational Therapy Practitioner

Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne’s inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.

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