Let's go physical

For Seafarers who are on board the ship where the Chief Cook serves buffet meals that are not just palatable but mostly cholesterol rich food,  doing any form,of exercise  is one way to maintain good health. The best know n benefits of exercise is that it decreases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke, diabetes osteoporosis and fractures, depression and dementia (memory loss).

However, to exercise continuously is easier said than done. Self Discipline counts a lot and motivation is needed to reach the desired goal of health level. Some tips to encourage oneself to sweat it out are:
1.) Think of exercise as a menu rather than a diet. Choose a number of different physical activities that are personally enjoyable such as sports, dancing, or biking.
2.) Develop an interest or hobby that requires physical activity.
3.) Adopt simple routines such as climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, walking instead of driving to the local newsstand, or canoeing instead of zooming along in a powerboat.
4.) Do some cross training (alternating between several types of exercises).
5.) Exercise with friends or with a love one.
6.) Do some Warm-Up and Cool-Down Steps:
Warming up and cooling down are important parts of every exercise routine. They help the body make the transition from rest to activity and back again, and can help prevent soreness or injury, especially in older people.
Perform warm-up exercises for 5 - 10 minutes at the beginning of an exercise session. Older people need a longer period to warm up their muscles. Stretching exercises, gentle calisthenics, and walking are ideal.
To cool down, you should walk slowly until the heart rate is 10 - 15 beats above your resting heart rate. Stopping too suddenly can sharply reduce blood pressure, and is dangerous for older people. It may also cause muscle cramping.
Stretching may be appropriate for the cooling down period, but it must be done carefully for warming up because it can injure cold muscles.