October 2006 - I haven't added to this page for some time - There is simply too much in the media and in magazines about the health benefits of exercise and walking. I don't really need to repeat it all here. However, here is something you can calculate to check up on your diet: The Base Metabolic Rate. This is the number of calories you need to just sit around doing nothing. If you consume more than this and don't remain active you will gain weight!

If you are active, you multiply the above BMR by the following factors that depend on just how active you are:
Sedentary - Multiply by 1.2
Lightly Active (walk, some sports): Multiply by 1.375
Moderately Active (Walk every day, sports many days per week) Multiply by 1.55
Very Active (Hiking, sports every day) Multiply by 1.725
Strenuous (Runner, Ultra marathoner) Multiply by 1.9

April 2003: I quote a story in Reuters Health, April 5 2003: Staying physically fit is not only good for your body, it also seems to help keep your mind in good shape, new study findings show. Researchers found that adults who were most fit at the start of a six year study maintained their mental sharpness over time and did better in tests of their mental function conducted years later than did their less physically fit peers. Source: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2003;51. Deborah E. Barnes, VA Medical Center, San Francisco.

March 2003: How do you tell if you are overweight?
Easy with the Body Mass Index(BMI).
Here is how you calculate the index: Multiply your weight in pounds by 0.45, (get out your pocket calculator). Call the answer X. Now, multiply your height in inches by 0.025. Call this Y. The Body Mass Index is X/Y/Y. That's right. Divide X by Y , and then divide that answer by Y.
If your final answer is between 19 and 25, congratulations, you are in good shape. If your answer is as high as 40, you are very overweight. Start doing something about it if your BMI is over 30.

Target Heart Rate -
The book noted below for September 2000 has a somewhat different Target heart Rate calculation than the one in the Elderhiker Handbook. That one is: (220-age) as the maximum rate. The endurance rates are 60% to 80% of that rate. This makes the endurance range for a 70 year old 90 to 120 beats per minute. The rates from "Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging" are (154 - 0.7*age) for the lower value and (186 - 0.83*age) for the upper limit.. Again for a 70 year old, this makes the endurance range 105 to 128. These are somewhat higher than the Elderhiker values. When you are out for a hike or a long walk lasting several hours, the Elderhiker Handbook recommends that you stay at or below the lower value most of the time. To measure your pulse, count beats for 10 seconds and then multiply by 6. Don't stop and count for a minute. Your pulse rate will drop during a minute, so the value you get will underestimate the true value during exercise.

Here are some links about exercise of interest to seniors:

American College of Sports Medicine, http://www.acsm.org/

American Council on Exercise, http://www.acefitness.org/

President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, http://www.fitness.gov/activelife/activelife.html

Weight Control Information Network, http://win.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm

February 2003: The winter issue of Senior Outlook, a publication of Kaiser Permanente, discusses improving balance as a way to prevent falls. The article points out that walking, standing on one leg for a while, and other exercise that stengthens the legs will help. Elderhikers knew this all along. However, the article also points out that proper shoes: comfortable, not too loose or tight, and with soles that will not slip of floors are important too. An interesting wrinkle is that the soles should not be too spongy. Shoes with too much cushioning can make them unstable.

January 2003: The President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports issues a newsletter named "Living Fit". In the most recent issue of the letter was a statement that all Elderhikers know by heart: "Everyone should exercise, but older people must". Let this be your mantra! The letter goes on to say that "fitness walking is the most popular activity for the 55 and older set. This ideal aerobic activity can be done in your neighborhood, at a local track or at a shopping mall." As always, before starting any new activity, check with your physician to make sure it is suitable for you, and to determine your proper level of effort.

July 2001: An article in New Choices Magazine (July/August 2001, pp56-60), is a "Heart Quiz." Question 7 is about whether or not moderate exercise like walking is as good for your heart as strenuous exercise. The answer is a tentative yes for women, but not so much for men. A recent study of women 45 or older showed that a 2 mph stroll was even better than a tougher 3 mph fastwalk However, a study of men 58 and older indicated that men needed more vigorous exercise to get a comparable risk reduction. Men: get out there and push your limits!

July 2001: AARP Bulletin, July/August 2001, pp3, 18. Article by Susan Jacoby: Great News: Making changes now can reverse years of bad habits. Quote: Whatever your age or the state of your body, new medical research shows that lifestyle changes - losing weight, beginning to exercise, or kicking addictions to nicotine, alcohol or drugs - can pay big health dividends. But the best news may be that improved health habits make those over 50 less vulnerable to disease. Experts say they also produce previously unexpected quality-of-life benefits affecting everything from fitness to sexual performance. Quote: One dramatic finding is that exercise can improve sexual functioning in men of all ages. Ongoing research by NERI, along with a Harvard School of Public Health study released last year, shows that men who exercise vigorously are much more likely to maintain potency in their 60s, 70s, and beyond. Quote: In fact:, increased exercise is the only behavior with a real impact on erectile dysfunction. Quote: Combining exercise and weight loss, even as little as 5 or 10 percent of body weight, is even more effective in cutting disease risk. Diabetes, which is rising sharply in the USA, is the prime example. Research shows that up to 60 percent of new cases may be prevented by a weight loss-fitness program.

September 2000: A new book: "Exercise: A Guide from the National Institute on Aging". Copies are available FREE by calling 1-800-222-2225, or on the web: http://www.nih.gov/nia This book goes into the health benefits of exercise and strength training in great detail. Chapter 1 is on "What can exercise do for me?" and Chapter 2 is on "Is it safe for me to exercise?" The latter chapter is especially good, since it details what exercise is safe for people with chronic diseases, and why it is a good idea to check with your physician before changing your exercise program. A wonderful book, and a great companion to the Elderhiker Handbook.

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