Oasis Magazine - Cairns & Tropical North Queensland Issue 26 - Oct|Nov 2018 | Page 51

If I Could TURN BACK TIME... FITNESS JESSE HUGHES Member Experience Manager As much as we try to remind ourselves that age is just a number… you know, “forty is the new thirty” and even “seventy is the new fifty” … We’ve all got our niggles. You know the ones; sore back, weak knees, dodgy hip. The things that make us feel a whole lot older than we are. We are probably all also guilty of blaming these niggles on the fact that we are getting older (and wiser), but what if these aren’t actually the effects of aging and are really just the fact that we’re not moving as much as we should be! There’s recently been a big push about the importance of knowing your health and fitness age so that you can really see what kind of shape you are in and change up the lifestyle factors that may have a negative effect on your health and fitness in the future, but what if the future is now? What if you’re already over the hill and heading towards your golden years? Well… the good news is, it’s never too late to start! In fact, if you’re over the age of 60, studies show you should be participating in regular physical activity to help maintain your independence…plus we know that it also helps you feel better, sleep better and have more energy to do all the things you love (like playing with your darling grandba- bies). There are so many amazing benefits to keeping active, especially as an older adult. Did you know that regular exercise helps with: • Controlling blood pressure; • Reducing the risk of developing illnesses and diseases; • Minimizing the symptoms of chronic conditions like joint pain; • Increasing flexibility, mobility and