Exercising in a gym can have great benefits because of the vast choices of equipment that are offered. Treadmills, stair climbers, weights sets etc can be very expensive to purchase on your own and keep at your home. However, not knowing how to use these types of equipment correctly can lead to possible injury or long term aches and pains. Making sure you know how to properly use equipment found at a gym is key to staying injury free and healthy.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

1). What inspired us to dedicate a full episode to gym equipment safety and how important it is to become familiar with this type of equipment.

2). Some of the overlooking challenges that can come with using a common piece of equipment like the treadmill.

3). How your balance plays a big role when attempting to get on or off larger pieces of exercise equipment like the recumbent bike or stair climber.

4). Why it's important to make sure your resistance bands are always in good condition before exercising with them.

5). The importance of adjusting equipment to your body height and size before using and how not doing so can cause more harm then good.

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We hope the tips in this episode are helpful to you or someone you know who may need help with using equipment at the gym. Avoiding injury is one of the most important things to remember when exercising especially with equipment that can look confusing or intimidating. Making sure you go slow and take the time to learn how to use this equipment properly will keep you injury free and healthy for years to come.

Team Meredith

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“What's done is done. What's gone is gone. One of life's lessons is always moving on. It’s okay to look back to see how far you’ve come but keep moving forward.” - Roy T. Bennett

This quote reminds us that we must always keep moving forward and looking to the future, not fixated on the past, only to learn from it.

Meredith

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Experiencing a fall can be a traumatic event and can not only cause injury, but also have lasting mental and emotional effects. After a fall, it's easy to cause more harm to oneself if certain precautions are not taken. The usual first thought is to try and "spring back up" after falling but doing so could cause further set backs.

Luckily, there are some things to keep in mind and practice in case you ever experience a fall which will help keep you safer and minimize injury.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

1). What inspired the discussion on this topic of what to do "after" a fall and why it's so important to older adults.

2). Why many falls go un-reported and how this is dangerous for those who do not get checked out by their doctor or PCP afterwards.

3). Why it's important to always have a way to contact someone if you experience a fall and no one is around to help you.

4). How falls can lead to further injury if not taken seriously or assessed properly.

5). Helpful ways to prevent future falls through checking your eyesight, regular exercise and more.

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We hope the tips we've shared in this episode are helpful to you or someone you know who has experienced a fall. Making sure to take the necessary precautions after falling is important to minimizing further injury and contributes to a stronger confidence in knowing that you will be OK.

Team Meredith

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"I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near.” - Margaret Thatcher

This quote reminds us that hard work is what is needed to get what you want, and to get where you want to go!

Meredith

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Staying hydrated is one of the most important aspect of living a healthy life. We often forget to take hydration into consideration when moving throughout our busy day which can lead to feelings of "fogginess", mood swings or low on energy.

What's worse is that we may not even think that lack of hydrating is the problem when these feelings occur. Luckily, there are a few easy things you can do to help stay hydrated without having to remember to drink fluids during your day.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

1). What percentage of Americans don't take in enough fluids during the day and who are essentially "dehydrated" which could lead to long term health issues.

2). How it's too easy to assume that you are drinking enough water during the day to feel "hydrated enough" and why this usually isn't the case.

3). Why keeping a regular water bottle or hydro flask with you during your day is a great way to remember to drink water regularly.

4). How using a timer app and scheduling your water breaks throughout the day is a great way to "remind" you and keep you on track with your water intake.

5). Why it can also a great idea to add flavoring to you water if you're not a fan of the taste as long as they are low in sugar or sodium which can work against your efforts.

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We hope the tips in this episode are helpful to you if you're having a hard time remembering to stay hydrated during the day. Living a busy life as we age can be a good thing but neglecting our daily nutritional needs can back fire if not taken seriously. Remember to practice the habit of taking in healthy fluids every day so you can continue to live your best life for years to come.

Team Meredith

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” - Sam Levenson

This quote reminds us to remember that time is very precious, but we must not be controlled by a clock…keep going, keep living!

Meredith

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've been getting many questions lately on the use of a weight vest as added resistance when going for walks or exercising. This made us think about putting together an episode discussing the pros and cons of this exercise apparatus. If you've never used a weight vest than our discussion could be interesting for you as well as anyone who has used one or is thinking about trying it.

In This Episode You Will Learn

1). Our thoughts on why using a weighted vest during walking or exercising has become more popular recently with people of all ages.

2). Some of the different exercises that you can do with a weight vest in addition to walking.

3). How added weight on your body not only helps build muscle strength but bone strength as well.

4). Some of the important things to remember when wearing a weight vest that can help you avoid injury.

5). Why it's important to choose the right weight when wearing the vest so as to not exhaust or cause injury.

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We hope the tips in this podcast episode are helpful to you if you're thinking about trying a weight vest during your walks or regular exercises. Using a vest in the correct way can have additional benefits to your workouts but it can also increase chances of injury if not used properly, much like any other piece of exercise equipment.

Team Meredith

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Energy flows where the mind goes…”

This quote reminds us that focusing your attention on something leads you to put more energy into it.

Meredith

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.