Fitness Is the Fuel…

A recent Harris Interactive poll listed losing weight, exercising and eating more healthily as three of the top five New Year’s resolutions that people strive to achieve.

But the reality is that only 40 percent of people make it to July!

No matter what your age, the benefits of a health and wellness regimen are well documented.  I was thinking about that topic last week as I was working in my office at Riderwood, the Erickson Living retirement community.

Directly across the hall is one of the wellness studios utilized by residents for group instruction and activities.  The exercise classes are taught mainly by the certified personal trainers on staff at Riderwood or by instructors associated with Prince George’s County Community College.

In the span of two days, I saw residents of Riderwood doing chair aerobics, playing pickle ball, taking a dance class called Moving to the Latin Beat and performing Tai Chi.  I’ve also been witness to ping pong, Wii Bowling and yoga.

You can’t help but notice the power of socialization during these activities. 

The residents arrive with friends, encourage each other during the class and leave talking about what they’ve just done.  In between, there are usually some laughs, too…and the occasional ping pong ball that comes flying into my office!

The residents and instructors have literally created their own support network…just by being together on a regular basis.

Tracey Fowlkes is one of the certified personal trainers at Riderwood.  Earlier this year, she wrote an article about getting started on those New Year’s fitness resolutions.

Her tips on diversifying a fitness routine and considering group classes is informative for people of all ages.  Now that spring is nearly here (at least on the calendar, anyway), it’s a great time to assess your progress.

And it’s never too late to start!