Country Images Magazine May 2015 - North Edition | Page 72

Get tuned into Health Issues By Maxine Simpkin, Health Referral Coordinator Phil is a DJ with local radio who felt his age. Weight and lack of exercise was becoming a problem. Like so many people in his position he wondered if he could really start a fitness program and wondered if it was too late since he was approaching his 50th. It’s never too late to begin taking better care of yourself – at our leisure centres in Alfreton, Ripley & William Gregg VC in Heanor, our Health Referral Coordinators see people up to their 90’s coming in and doing what they need to do to take care of themselves and to make certain that they can lead enjoyable, active lives. Between us we hatched a mutually beneficial plan. Phil would start to come to the gym and chat on his radio show about his journey, and in return we’d offer a three month membership as prize to one his listeners to be his ‘Training Buddy’ Simon was chosen as the winner, he was a local business man who, just a year ago, suffered a serious health scare when he had a stroke. On his initial assessment Simons resting heart rate was very high which meant his heart strength needed to improve, over the past month his heart rate has normalised, meaning that his heart now works more efficiently to circulate. He feels his energy levels have increased drastically and in his own words he feels better than he’s done in years! Phil was approaching his 50th birthday and was taking blood pressure medication but on his initial assessment we recorded it as still being quite high. He was concerned about his overall level of fitness, being a little overweight, no balance, no core strength and poor upper-body strength. Phil began with exercising on two pieces of cardio vascular equipment, the bike and the treadmill, using them for three minutes of exercise at a time. A month later, his blood pressure reading had dropped, to be in the normal category and in addition to becoming stronger, he had built up to using the cardio vascular equipment for 45mins at a time and lost weight. That was really noticeable! It’s fair to say they were both a little worried about injuring themselves starting at this age, which isn’t the case if you do it right. So here’s how to get back into it. Many people over 50 begin a workout routine for various reasons including advice from their GP, significant event approaching, more leisure time, with kids grown and career established, etc. Our Health Coordinators are qualified to deal with a whole array of health conditions such as COPD, Heart attack/Stroke, Joint replacements, Diabetes and Hypertension So if you’re thinking of joining a gym and you haven’t worked out for a while, just be aware that workout theories have changed and continue to change every day. Be sure to base your workout plan on current fitness trends - for example, a full-range sit-up is no longer considered an effective or safe abdominal workout! To be safe, you should book an appointment with an Instructor who can offer you advice and support, to ensure you are following current fitness trends correctly. If you feel you need more specific guidance you may also want to try a session with a qualified personal trainer to guide you along. Offering homemade and seasonal dishes, light bites, bar and garden menu along with Sunday lunches. Enjoy our great range of beers and a comprehensive wine list in a truly relaxing atmosphere. 17 Denby Common, Derbyshire DE5 8PW T: 01773 513000 www.thebullsheaddenby.co.uk [email protected] 70 | CountryImagesMagazine.co.uk