[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/01\/fit-age\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/01\/fit-age\/","headline":"The Importance of Staying Fit at Any Age","name":"The Importance of Staying Fit at Any Age","description":"Comedian George Burns, who lived to be 100, often advised his audience to \u201cLook to the future, because that\u2019s where you\u2019ll spend the rest of your life.\u201d Orthopaedic surgeons at UPMC Sports Medicine\u00a0think that\u2019s sound advice. Nothing is more natural than aging. Adults over 40 today are redefining what it means to age. They\u2019re looking […]","datePublished":"2014-01-25","dateModified":"2022-05-05","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","name":"Sports Medicine","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/sports-medicine\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/older-couple-riding-bicycles.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/older-couple-riding-bicycles.png","height":527,"width":791},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/01\/fit-age\/","about":["Family Health","Fitness"],"wordCount":327,"keywords":["cross training","cycling","daily exercise","FACE","fitness","fitness plan","George Burns","orthopaedic surgery","Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes","PRIMA","rowing","running","swimming"],"articleBody":"Comedian George Burns, who lived to be 100, often advised his audience to \u201cLook to the future, because that\u2019s where you\u2019ll spend the rest of your life.\u201dOrthopaedic surgeons at UPMC Sports Medicine\u00a0think that\u2019s sound advice. Nothing is more natural than aging. Adults over 40 today are redefining what it means to age. They\u2019re looking ahead and doing what it takes to stay fit and vital.With just 30 minutes of daily exercise, you can minimize your risk for 35 common illnesses including high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes.Staying Fit as You AgeAs we enter our 40s and 50s, we\u2019re just starting to hit our stride, with the potential for many years of wonderful living ahead of us. A well-balanced exercise plan is key to maintaining that quality of life as we grow older.There\u2019s no age or activity level to prevent any older adult from being active. In fact, studies of 90-year-old men doing resistance training on a daily basis showed improvements in their strength and functioning.Getting StartedStarting and sticking with a fitness plan initially can be hard. The first step is to make exercise a part of your daily routine. Schedule it on your calendar, like an appointment. Don\u2019t be a weekend warrior. Instead, try to maintain a moderate activity level throughout the week, and increase your exercise level gradually to reduce your chance of overuse or injury.FACE the future with a balanced, total body workout designed to achieve maximum benefits while avoiding injury:F \u2014 Flexibility with daily stretching exercisesA \u2014 Aerobic cardiovascular exercises every other day, using interval-style trainingC \u2014 Carry a load (or strength train) to build and maintain muscles in your arms,legs, and core (stomach, back, and abdomen)E \u2014 Equilibrium and balance through simple exercises like standing on one footWhenever possible, mix up activities like running, swimming, cycling, or rowing. Cross-training helps promote total fitness while reducing the chance for injury."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2014","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"01","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/\/01\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Importance of Staying Fit at Any Age","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2014\/01\/fit-age\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]