We are never too old to learn something new and we are certainly never too old to get fit. As we start to age and as we pass 50, our bodies change. It’s perfectly natural. We start to lose some muscle mass and we may have more fatigue and less energy than in our younger days. But that doesn’t mean we’re done…not by any stretch of imagination. After all, if you are a boomer or near boomer, 50 is the new 40. And we don’t take getting older lying down. We want to know how to stay fit after 50, and we want to know pretty quickly. In this article, Better Life After 50 covers some simple tips to stay fit after 50—from boosting energy through exercise to managing stress with mindfulness techniques like meditation or yoga.
Be Honest About Your Starting Point
Okay, we’re not 25 anymore, and that hurts, literally sometimes. Realistically assess your starting point. Your doctor is obviously the best place to begin. We want to ease somewhat into a fitness program that is right for us in terms of activity and intensity levels. We have to be honest about where we are in our current fitness levels and then set reasonable goals to get the ball rolling.
Boost your energy with exercise.
There is no getting around the need for exercise. Along with eating better, it’s really non-negotiable. Exercise can actually help to improve our diet, boost energy, help us sleep better and even manage stress. Exercise can make us feel more positive about ourselves, which can motivate us to exercise more. See? This fit after 50 thing may not be so hard after all.
Here’s another bit of good news, we can build muscle at almost any age! A regular workout program can help keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day—which helps control hunger pangs between meals—and keeps muscles strong which make us look better and burns fat. Some easy ways to get that work in include joining a gym, walking every day, finding a new activity we enjoy, or finding a workout buddy.
Eat healthy.
- Eat healthy, I repeat.
- Don’t forget to eat enough lean protein
- Avoid processed foods and artificial sweeteners
- Moderate your alcohol intake. And if you smoke, stop it! Whassamatta with you?
Manage stress.
Stress is a normal response to everyday life. It can be good for us if it motivates us to do something, but it can also become overwhelming at times, making us feel inadequate and stifling motivation to stay fit in the first place. It can be a vicious cycle, but we can take steps to manage it.
Stress management techniques are key to keeping our body healthy and our mind in check. Besides exercise, which we already discussed, consider relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga to help reduce stress–they both emphasize breathing to increase oxygen flow, which can improve focus and attention.
Music like jazz or the quiet storm (if you got that reference let us know in the comments below) can also be a stress reliever. For my money, anything that includes Billie Holiday is a winner, but classical music works too.
Get enough sleep.
We always seem to come around to getting enough sleep as an important part of everything that’s healthy. Hmm, maybe there is something to that. Okay, we need to get enough sleep, got it. But how do we know how much sleep is enough sleep?
- Rule of Thumb–the National Sleep Foundation says us over 50 folks should aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
- Consider using an app on your smart phone as a guide for monitoring how much sleep, and more importantly, how much restful sleep we are getting.
Practice positive thinking.
More positive thinking? We know, but it’s important. Cultivating the right mindset to stay fit after 50 makes the journey more likely to succeed. Having the right frame of mind–that is, believing we can do this, even in small steps, makes our bodies and minds respond favorably. Even when we don’t feel like exercising or eating correctly, when our thinking is positive and focused, our bodies follow through with the actions necessary to stay fit. It’s a simple (not easy) matter of intentionally changing our thoughts, which changes our behaviors.
Enjoy a good workout as a self-care practice.
When we enjoy any activity, and in this case, exercising and eating right, we are more likely to stick with it. Let’s find something that does us good, while making us happy. Treat it as self-care. Take a class with a personal trainer, wake up an hour earlier and take a walk. Try a professional stretching session. There are new and different ways of working out–make them a part of something we owe ourselves, self-care.
Make time for naps and rest.
Okay, the idea of incorporating naps into our days just feels, well…old AF. But power naps are a great way to regenerate and refresh. Naps can improve our mood, alertness, and even memory. According to the good folks at the Mayo Clinic, naps should be limited to 10 to 20 minutes and they should be taken before 3pm. This is mainly to prevent interference with normal sleep patterns.
Naps can help restore energy levels and improve moods. They also help with stress relief and anxiety by helping regulate hormones such as cortisol (the stress hormone).
Conclusion
We at Better Life After 50 hope this article has given you some ideas on how to stay fit after 50. It can be hard, but it’s attainable with some simple changes to our lifestyles. We’d love to hear from this community with any questions you may have. Please feel free to leave a comment below.