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May 5

Staying well in times of stress | News – MyEasternShoreMD

Have you seen those before and after photos on the internet of a person before and after this quarantine, showing a huge weight gain? Alas, keeping a six-foot distance from the refrigerator is a challenge when it is nearby all day long. Food suddenly becomes a preoccupation.

For many of us, exercise is not a priority right now. But for our mental and physical health, it needs to be. I have spoken with Eric Fitch, local personal trainer, who notes that you will be surprised at what you can do without formal gym equipment. He shares the following information:

Seniors tend to lose strength and overall fitness twice as quickly as younger people. According to Dr. Brad Thomas, medical doctor, orthopedic surgeon and chief of sports medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, "it's largely due to hormone levels. As we age, we have lower levels of human growth hormone (HGH), which makes it harder to recover."

Cardiovascular fitness starts to decline after one week

Danielle Weis, doctor of physical therapy, states, "The functional capacity of the heart decreases. After three to four weeks of bed rest, your resting heart rate increases by four to 15 beats, and blood volume decreases by 5% in 24 hours and 20% in two weeks."

Flexibility loss occurs quickly

You'll notice a loss of flexibility in as few as three days, with even more pronounced changes occurring at the two-week mark, according to Michele Olson, professor of exercise science at Auburn University.

"Stretching should be done at least three times a week if not daily," she said.

Strength starts to diminish after two weeks

When you stop strength training, changes in your muscles begin to occur within days, said Olson.

"Muscle, when not receiving its regular challenge, will start to lose protein, which is absorbed into your circulation and excreted via urination. Small but meaningful loss in muscle protein (the building block of the contractile units for each muscle fiber) can begin to occur in 72 hours. Noticeable changes when attempting to lift your usual amount of weight show up in two to three weeks," Olsen said.

Maintaining physical fitness is critical. According to Irv Rubenstein, exercise physiologist, for every week you take off from exercise it will take an average of three weeks to regain losses. It should be noted that increasing physical fitness levels during times of high stress is not recommended as intense exercise may cause a stress response in your body.

It is my professional opinion that, in times of high stress, we should actively engage in activities which reduce our stress levels. A properly designed maintenance-based exercise program will not only preserve the cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and strength you have worked so hard to obtain but also help decrease stress levels. I have created a free video demonstrating a home-based, equipment-free exercise program to help seniors maintain their physical fitness. Visit physicallyfitch.com/online to view the demo.

Eric Fitch is a certified personal trainer. He owns Physically FITch, a locally owned and operated personal training studio in Chestertown, Maryland.

Mid-Shore Pro Bono is continuing to provide legal advice via phone on civil matters such as foreclosure, family law, small claims, and landlord-tenant relations. Appointments are available on May 13 for Kent County and on May 21 for Queen Annes County. Call 410-690-8128.

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Staying well in times of stress | News - MyEasternShoreMD

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