Sustained Strength, Stamina, and Stability

A cardinal rule is to cover all aspects of fitness is strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance.

Strength and conditioning training includes movements that challenge your muscles to work against a force; this helps enhance and preserve muscle mass and bone density, increase metabolism, improve flexibility and stability, and reduce the risk of injury and falls, making it essential for people at every age and stage of life. From young athletes striving to improve their performance to older adults looking for more agility in functional tasks, everyone stands to gain from strength. Muscles can be loaded through body weight exercises like squats, planks, and push-ups, by lifting free weights like barbells and dumbbells, or by using resistance equipment. An effective way to mobilize joints and improve flexibility could be exploring disciplines like Yoga that work on your strength as well as flexibility.

Choose a ‘cardio’ routine that you enjoy, so there’s more incentive to work out. With cardiovascular or aerobic activities like walking, running, swimming, dancing etc. your muscles demand more blood and oxygen than when they’re at rest, pushing your heart and lungs to work harder and get healthier. Based on your age and health condition, it's important to take a call on the right balance of frequency, intensity, and pace of various components of your workout regimen. Take the time to educate yourself on the most appropriate fitness strategies for your unique circumstances, and develop a plan that optimizes your workouts for maximum benefit. Your progress ultimately depends on your willingness to take ownership of your health and well-being.  

Pack a Nutritious Punch

As your activity level picks up, a wholesome diet complete in macro and micro nutrients is necessary to support your active lifestyle. Ownership over your dietary choices is a significant factor in reaching wellness, helping you realize what adequately fuels your body.

Our body’s ability to produce protein reduces with age, accelerating muscle breakdown; so an adequate intake of protein becomes even more important to stay fit. Including protein-rich foods like lean meat and whole grains in your diet, will help you build and preserve muscle mass and strength, giving you the boost you need to level up your fitness game.

Mindfulness Matters

You’re now warming up to your new workout routine, but along the way, you may be tempted to compare your performance with that of your peers, or compensate for lost time with excessive exercise. But bring back the focus to your own goals. Camaraderie can motivate you to optimize your potential, but let it not turn into unhealthy competition. Pushing your body based on someone else’s health markers won’t benefit you; in fact, it could result in an injury and hamper long-term progress. Listening to your body, being mindful of its limits, and allowing it to rest and recover is pivotal in building a sustainable workout routine.

This is especially true if you’re dealing with a chronic condition like diabetes or a cardiac disorder; it is critical to be attentive towards your body’s needs while working out. Advanced innovations like sensor-based Continuous Glucose Monitors and Remote Monitoring devices help you interpret your internal cues and stay on top of your health, even when you’re on the treadmill or taking laps in the pool. These intuitive devices provide real-time health data and alert you to anomalous signals, helping you tweak your activity levels and hit that sweet spot between strength and safety.

The aim of a sustainable fitness plan is to make fitness a way of life, regardless of your age, occupation, or health condition. A personalized workout plan supported by scientific nutrition and health innovations can empower you to reach every milestone in your fitness journey, no matter what your starting point may be.

Disclaimer: The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive /for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information.