Garret

I had a boss once who was always moving around in the office and active. He never sat in one place for very long. He would find any excuse to get up. If someone came in, he would get up and greet them. If the phone rang, he would get up and go to another room to talk. If he needed a file, yep the file drawer was a walk away. He would sit for a short while, get up, sit for a short while, get up. You would think of him as fidgety but in essence he was doing the right thing--moving around.

The danger of having an office job or a computer work-at-home job may be obvious to some but many of us ignore its fatal path. I love to write but found I loved my craft so much I was sitting for ten hours straight. I could hardly feel my legs. The non-circulation in them had made them a pile of mush. I didn't care because I was having fun at the computer. Then I remembered my ex-boss. "Get up and move around, Carol," he constantly reminded me. He was a very intelligent man and his words came back as a reminder. It's good it did. I was starting to feel exercise deprived--sluggish, tired and blah.

Particularly if you are a senior who is now retired, you must be careful of sitting around too much. Turn off the TV, get out of the chair and take a walk or start an exercise routine. If you live in a retirement community, this is easy to do. There usually is a community fitness center, pool, or golf course. Once you get out, you realize what you have been missing. Exercise with a friend to help you stay motivated. This is an opportunity to help you live life feeling better and longer. Don't let the computer or TV be your only recreation.

I now take longer walks, go to the clubhouse fitness center and pool. One thing about walks is that many take a short walk and think that's it--I've exercised. Not true. Make your walks longer so that it becomes an aerobic workout. What does 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week mean. We walk all the time anyway so is that considered a workout. I don't think so. Go to the Fitness Center and see what they can do for you but continue walking energetically, too. Always, of course, check with your physician before starting a fitness program. The Fitness Center is better because it gives you a workout.

I am putting more emphasis on staying fit so that I can do the thing I love, writing for my websites, better because I feel better. Retired seniors, writers and all office workers and computer workers need to take frequent breaks. In the long run, you feel better and protect your health.

Note: Just released Guidelines from the American Heart Association increase amount of exercise recommended to at least an hour on most days of the week.

For a list of great active adult retirement communities, please go to my website: www.bestguide-retirementcommunities.com

Carol Fena, Realtor and Writer for http://www.bestguide-retirementcommunities.com