Whereas they used to say that ‘life begins at 40’ with how people are at the minute, perhaps the new saying should be ‘life begins at 50’.
For many, the prospect of turning 50 may be daunting, yet the truth of the matter is that it doesn’t need to be that way. Providing we look after ourselves and prioritize our health, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be any less healthy than we were in our 40s.
As we grow older, it’s of course important to prioritize our health as we do find ourselves more vulnerable and susceptible to illness, disease, and all matter of health issues we wouldn’t give the time of day when we were in our 30s, and even 40s.
To ensure you’re as fit, healthy, and as happy as can be as you grow older, here’s a look at 4 healthy living tips for optimal over 50s fitness.
Eat and Drink Healthier
In truth, we should really be eating and drinking healthy produce on a daily basis regardless of our age, it’s just that the older we get, the more import it becomes to prioritize a healthy diet.
The older we become, the more prone to illness, disease, and obesity we become. Not only that, but it also becomes harder to lose excess body fat as our metabolisms begin to slow down. Statistically you are at a higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and many more health conditions once you hit 50 and above.
A healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals, and low in unhealthy fats and processed ingredients can help to boost your immune system and promote weight loss and weight management. This can help to ward off illness and disease and keep you fit and healthy.
Become More Active
Exercise is another crucial part of any healthy living over 50s fitness regime, yet people often fail to get enough.
Exercise helps to strengthen your heart, it improves cardiovascular health, it improves mental health, it boosts your metabolism and your immune system, and a whole lot more besides.
Try to get a combination of cardiovascular exercise in along with resistance exercise. Resistance training will help to strengthen your core, strengthen your muscles and bones, and improve mobility. Cardio, however, will improve your cardiovascular system.
Heart disease claims more lives each year than any other illness or disease, which is why looking after your heart and cardiovascular system is so important.
Exercise also promotes the secretion of endorphins, which improve your mood and can help combat poor mental health. Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is another crucial part of healthy living, which is why we need to drink so much water.
Water hydrates the body and ensures everything works as it should. It helps promote the healthy functioning of your muscles, joints, and major organs. It also prevents muscle cramps and dehydration, which can lead to headaches, and in more extreme cases, damage to our internal organs.
For optimal over 50s fitness, we recommend consuming around 2 litres of mineral water per day.
Consume Enough Protein
Finally, the last healthy living tip we have for you today, is to consume enough protein.
Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair and is integral for over 50s fitness. We already spoke about resistance exercise, but now we’ll touch upon protein.
Each ten years, the human body loses an average of 5% muscle mass after the age of 35. Resistance exercise, and indeed, consuming protein helps the body to hold on to muscle mass, and even build more muscle.
Having sufficient amounts of muscle will not only help to support your body, it will also help to strengthen your body and reduce your risk of age-related pain and injuries.
Aim to consume around 0.6g of protein per pound of body weight. You should also consume healthy protein sources, such as: lean meats, nuts, seeds, seafood, eggs, protein supplements.