Fitness for CareGivers
by Elizabeth Thornberry
Middle-aged and older women are the most inactive groups of adults in the United States. Recent research into the lifestyles of women over 40 found only about nine percent of women in this age group meet the guidelines of at least three 20-to-30-minute sessions of moderate exercise per week. The responsibility of caring for a loved one was ranked among middle-aged women as the number one obstacle to exercise and physical fitness. The lack of time and being too tired were given as reasons, along with the inconvenience of the schedule times of fitness classes.
Caregivers, along with the working population, may need to look for various ways to include fitness types of activities into their regular routines. The constraints of trying to attend classes may not be suited for the average person. However, many fitness clubs or gyms have a variety of workout apparatus for setting up programs that can be done at your convenience. Many gyms have early and extended hours of operation. Also, various Web sites give information for setting up an exercise program at home. Some sites will also allow interactive program selection and recording of your fitness efforts.
