The one-two punch of diet and exercise may be the best for obese seniors who want to be stronger and more fit, finds a study released Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers placed 107 men and women who were obese and age 65 and older into one of four groups for a year: one that dieted; one that did cardio, resistance, flexibility and balance exercises three times a week; one that did both; and a control group that neither dieted nor exercised.

More than one million 20 minute sessions of Dakim BrainFitness have been completed by more than thousands of seniors said the company in a statement.

The award-winning program, which has been clinically tested and shown to improve memory has been installed in more than 450 senior living communities nationwide since its introduction in 2006.

“The key to brain exercise for seniors is twofold: rigorously cross-training the brain in multiple cognitive domains and making the activities enjoyable enough to do on the consistent basis that has been shown to achieve results,” said Dan Michel, CEO and Founder of Dakim. “We developed Dakim BrainFitness with those objectives in mind, and the fact that we have just seen our 1 millionth session completed demonstrates that we succeeded in building a program with true staying power for users.”

 Anyone can start exercising, even if you’re a couch potato. Try these exercises below:

1. Stretch: Lie on your back on the sofa, and slowly bring one knee up to your chest, pulling it in with your arms as far as feels comfortable. Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly release. (You should be able to keep your head turned comfortably toward the television as you do this.) Repeat with the other leg, alternating two times. Next, stand up, hold arms out to the sides and slowly move them in big circles. Repeat eight times; then reverse the direction of the circles. 

Try these low-impact exercises to keep joints flexible between workout days.

For the neck:

• Look straight ahead.

• Tilt head gently sideways toward shoulder.

• Hold 3 seconds.

• Repeat to other side.

For the shoulders:

• Stand at the bottom of stairs with your hand on the banister and slide your hand up and down the banister.

• Move to other side of the stairs and repeat with the other arm.

For the arms:

• Hold arms at sides, palms forward and elbows straight.

Aging, senior fitness, the Oprah Effect and Jane Fonda all wrapped into one.  That’s what you got on Oprah’s show earlier this week when Jane Fonda appeared to pitch her Prime Time workout videos.  The videos, set to be released on November 30, are titled “Walkout” and “Fit & Strong”.  At 72, the spry looking Fonda, opined on fitness, love and plastic surgery during the journey through the last twenty years of her life and talked about a new book she is writing, entitled “Prime Time:  Creating a Great Third Act”.

For the full text of the interview, click here .

According to the results of a randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial reported in the January 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, an exercise program vs a general wellness intervention in older women may improve bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce fall risk, but not cardiovascular disease risk.

From May 1, 2005, through July 31, 2008, a total of 246 women 65 years or older who were living independently in the area of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, were recruited and randomly assigned 1:1 to an 18-month exercise program (exercise group) or to a wellness program (control group). The exercise intervention consisted of a multipurpose exercise program emphasizing exercise intensity, whereas the control intervention emphasized well-being with a low-intensity, low-frequency program. Study endpoints included BMD, the number of falls, Framingham-based 10-year CHD risk, and direct healthcare costs.

Leg Exercises

Ankle Exercise for Seniors

Aa easy seated ankle exercise is the circle. Lift one leg slightly and rotate your ankle in a full circle five times, then reverse and rotate it in the opposite direction five times. Switch and repeat with the other ankle.

I always start my stretches with the exercise. If you are new to working out, this is a must to start off your routine!

These are a few of my favorite leg exercises for seniors.  If you are just beginning a new exercise program start out with 1 set doing 8-10 repetitions. You will want to increase to 2 set of 15 as you get stronger and used to the exercise. As always, be sure to consult your physician before beginning a new program!!

Half Squats

Slowly bend your knees slightly, then straighten. Keep your feet flat on the floor. If you have knee pain, avoid doing this exercise or bend more shallowly.
 
Heel Lifts

Motivation to keep moving

Starting an exercise program is just the first step. Here are some tips for sticking with a new routine or reinvigorating a tired workout:

• Set some goals. It’s always a good idea to begin or modify a workout program with a goal in mind. If your primary goal is to reduce stress in your life and recharge your batteries, your specific goals might include committing to walking during your lunch hour three times a week or, if needed, finding a baby sitter to watch your children so that you can slip away to attend a spinning class.

The number of Americans with diabetes will nearly double over the next 25 years, while the cost of care will almost triple, as patients live longer and develop more of the disease’s long-term complications, a new analysis said.

The projections estimate that the population will rise to 44.1 million in 2034, from 23.7 million now, with medical spending increasing to $336 billion from $113 billion. The calculations were published in the December issue of the journal Diabetes Care.