Move it or Lose it! DVD 3 – coming soon…

Posted on February 8, 2012 by JulieRobinson

As part of our ongoing efforts to make exercise fun, beneficial and accessible to all, Move it or Lose it! DVD 3 has now been filmed and will be launched by the end of March 2012.

Guidelines from the Chief Medical Officers of the UK suggest that older adults should include twice weekly strength exercises as part of their activities. This is fine for those who can carry heavy bags of shopping and go to the gym to use weights, but for those who have balance problems, breathlessness or find it difficult to get out and about it’s not so easy.

DVD 3 is aimed at improving muscle strength through using resistance. Each DVD comes with a stretchy exercise band which offers resistance and works different sets of muscles in the upper and lower body. Through repetition and gradual progression real benefits can be achieved – and it’s all done from a chair!

Register your interest and we will keep you posted…

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Move it or Lose it! Winners of the LBA Competition

Posted on January 12, 2012 by JulieRobinson
Move it or Lose it! are thrilled to be the winners of the Local Business Accelerators Competition.
Chosen by a panel of industry experts and senior figures from BPM Media, Move it or Lose it! will now receive a series of mentoring sessions and free advertising in the Birmingham Mail and Solihull News.
Move it or Lose it! were shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to present to a panel of judges including Birmingham Post editor Alun Thorne, BMP Media director Tracy Colley, Aston Reinvestment Trust chief executive Dr Steve Walker, CBI regional director Richard Butler and Jenny Stokes from Bournville College.
The panel were impressed with the enthusiasm, entrepreneurship and uniqueness of the Move it or Lose it! team.  Now the LBA project can provide support to help the company grow and spread the message to a wider audience to change the perception of exercise for older people.
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Alzheimer’s and exercise

Posted on December 14, 2011 by JulieRobinson

Firstly congratulations to The Alzheimer’s Society being chosen as one of The Times Christmas charities with pound matching by Tesco up to £30,000. Having seen firsthand the distress that comes with dementia, both to the sufferer and those around them, it is vital that more research is funded. This is especially important as over the next 40 years incidences of Alzheimer’s are expected to triple according to a report in Lancet Neurology.

So how can we reduce our risk? Adopting a healthy lifestyle is key and this means diet and exercise. The risk factors are stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and depression.

Dr Corbett, research communications manager for the Alzheimer’s Society, says: “More than 13 studies show that exercise can reduce risk by up to 45%. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous…it can involve active walking for around 30 minutes a day. The exercise just has to raise the heartbeat by a little.”

Find out more about how to reduce your risk at http://alzheimers.org.uk/

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Exercise and osteoporosis

Posted on December 2, 2011 by JulieRobinson

Thanks to the National Osteoporosis Society for their excellent review of Move it or Lose it! in the winter edition of Osteoporosis News, giving us a very pleasing 8/10. Experts advisors – Dr Dawn Skelton, reader in ageing and health at Glasgow Caledonian University and Susan Hayman, a physiotherapist experienced in rehabilitation, elderly care and delivering exercise classes for people with fragile bones – reviewed DVDs and books that can help people to build strong bones at home. They commented,

“This DVD gives good instructions in a great, motivating way. For those new to exercise and those with arthritic pain this is a great start to get you ready for more weight-bearing work in the future. The exercise sequences flow well and the music makes the movement experience enjoyable.”

One in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 in the UK will fracture a bone, mainly due to poor bone health and often a fracture is the first indication that they have osteoporosis. I would highly recommend visiting the NOS website or subscribing to their magazine as it’s packed full of really useful information – www.nos.org.uk

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FREE Christmas Gift

Posted on November 25, 2011 by JulieRobinson

I am fully committed to help more people get moving so they can enjoy a better quality of life, whatever their age or ability.

One of the simplest but most effective exercises we can do requires nothing more than a chair and a couple of minutes – the SIT TO STAND. This works the leg muscles that help you walk, get up and downstairs, in and out of the car, even on and off the loo.

Once you learn the technique it’s something you can practice anywhere. Some of my class members cannot even do one of these when they first start, but gradually their ability improves as the muscles strengthen and after six weeks they notice it’s getting easier; after twelve weeks they are thrilled that they can get up and down with far less effort.

You don’t even have to buy the Move it or Lose it! DVDs to join in as you can watch it here for free: http://www.moveitorloseit.co.uk/watchsample.html

If you know someone who is struggling with their mobility, then get them to watch this clip and encourage them to try to do a few every day. It could be the best ‘gift’ you give this Christmas!

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Keep your finger on the pulse!

Posted on November 10, 2011 by JulieRobinson

During my exercise classes we usually measure our efforts using the Borg Scale which runs from 1 = very light to 10 = extremely hard to make sure we are working at the right intensity. This is often more effective than taking heart rates if people are taking medication which could affect the result. However it’s vital to know your pulse for another reason.

Just by taking a few seconds to check your pulse could save your life! An irregular pulse could be a sign of atrial fibrillation (AF) which can lead to blood clots entering the circulation. People with AF are five times more likely to have a stroke but the risk is much reduced simply by taking blood thinning anticoagulants.

Usually your pulse should be regular and somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute. If it’s not then ask your GP or practice nurse to check it, a quick and painless ECG will give a definite diagnosis. Check out www.knowyourpulse.org for more information.

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Motivation to move!

Posted on November 1, 2011 by JulieRobinson

I teach at least eight exercise classes every week to people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. They come along because they want to, because they are keen to maintain or improve their mobility, because they want to stay strong and independent.

Occasionally I am asked to teach people in day centres or community groups who are not so keen to participate as they are there for different reasons, maybe to socialise, play bingo or have lunch. They are not used to exercising and so they are wary of joining in. By asking the ‘reluctant’ to watch and join in if they want to, the pressure is off and inevitably as soon as the music starts the toes start tapping, tunes are hummed, hands start clapping and hey presto they are all moving!

The NHS, British Heart Foundation and Macmillan Cancer Support have launched new initiatives to discourage people sitting for long periods; research has shown repeatedly how vital exercise is to improve the quality of life and prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers but finding a way to motivate the ‘unreachables’ is the holy grail. I believe that exercise needs to be easy to do and fun to follow especially at the start – from the simplest of movements we can go slowly forwards to build confidence and go from strength to strength.

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Age is just a number

Posted on October 12, 2011 by JulieRobinson

I am so lucky to have a job where I meet amazing people every day. Teaching exercise to people with health and mobility problems proves how determination and tenacity are key to staying active and feeling good.
Ann is a prime example – she has overcome bereavement, kidney failure, a heart attack and yet she is as fit as a fiddle; tap-dancing, zumba-ing, volunteering at Age Concern, at 73 she is a living example of healthy ageing.
Then there’s Tom Lackey who at 91 recently appeared on The Pride of Britain to win his fundraisers award. Despite having had a stroke Tom keeps fit by cycling at home and wing-walking…yes that’s being strapped to the outside of a plane and flying across The Channel and back to help raise funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. His sense of humour and ‘can do’ attitude is like a breath of fresh air.
Then at my exercise class today Mary walked up and down 5 steps unaided which doesn’t sound much unless you know that Mary has MS and lives her life in a wheelchair. Through perseverance and determination Mary has improved her leg strength sufficiently to stand unaided, step forwards and back and even get up stairs…she is nothing short of miraculous!
Let me know if you have any inspirational stories to share so we can spread some good news for a change.

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Mesothelioma UK Patient & Carer Day

Posted on October 3, 2011 by JulieRobinson

On Saturday 1st October over 150 people gathered in London for the 6th patient and carer day for Mesothelioma UK supported by Macmillan Cancer Support.
Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by inhaled asbestos fibres and due to the time it takes to develop is often well established before symptoms appear. It is considered one of the most challenging of all cancers. There is no cure and survival rates are very low compared to other cancers.
I was privileged to be there amongst such positive people including The Meso Warriors and the presentations were excellent, offering hope through research and targeted treatments.
Exercise is vital for everyone including people with cancer and so I was there to spread the ‘Move it or Lose it!’ message by giving a demonstration of easy to follow and fun to do exercises sitting down. It was an amazing experience to look out from the stage at a sea of smiling faces singing along to The Beatles and laughing at their coordination malfunctions!
Many patients and carers were inspired to keep on moving on a regular basis to try and achieve at least 150 minutes of activity every week which will help maintain muscle strength, which in turn leads to feeling less fatigued.
For more information about the charity and their work visit www.mesothelioma.uk.com

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The ageing population

Posted on September 26, 2011 by JulieRobinson

Did you know?
The over 85s are the fastest growing population group in the UK.
Every ten years life expectancy rises by another two years.
A child born today will live five hours longer than a child born yesterday.
Genetics accounts for only a quarter of what determines the length of life, so three-quarters is controlled by factors under our control such as nutrition and lifestyle.
The world’s longest living person was Jeanne Louise Calment who died aged 121. She took up fencing at 85 and rode her bicycle until she was 100. She also ate 2lbs of chocolate a week and didn’t give up smoking until she was 119!
The people of Okinawa in Japan have the longest life expectancy world wide which is due partly to genetics but also strict calorie restriction consuming 20% less than the Japanese average. Although this has recently plummeted due in part to a fast food burger outlet opening on the island!
In 2013 the results of a long term research project into the polypill to counteract ageing will be published. This can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Unfortunately this pill will not replace the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise, diet and not smoking.

Having asked hundreds of my class members about ageing it seems they are far more concerned about quality rather than quantity of life with their biggest fear being the loss of independence due to ill health. Which brings us back to slowing or reversing the ageing process by keeping active and eating well. What are you thoughts on this subject?

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