The fitness and health craze has taken society by storm. Kids are starting to watch what they eat, and a lot more people in general are becoming more health conscious. However, so many health and fitness company’s target market is geared toward a younger crowd. Starting out young leads to a healthier lifestyle down the road, but what about everyone else? Here are some reasons why, as you age, working out, doing cardio, and eating right should be incorporated in everyone’s lives:
1. Diseases can be more prevalent:
There are many health issues that are harder to fend off as we age. One being diabetes. Diabetes, unfortunately, has taken over our population and the bad part is, it’s partially genetic. Due to it being genetic, people who have it in their family really have to be more conscious of what they eat and how often they exercise. High blood pressure (hypertension) is also another disease that comes along as we age. Hypertension can be effects of years of not being conscious of what we eat or how often we exercise. It also can be part of bad family history. The point is there are many other health disparities along with these that can creep up on people with time. This is why cardiovascular training is SO important. It helps to clear arteries around the heart, decreases hypertension, and it is great for fat loss (especially in the mid-sections), which is also great for pre-diabetics.
2. As we age, our metabolism slows down:
Exercise and eating metabolic boosting foods not only fend off disease but also help to keep your metabolism in check to help you burn unwanted fat in troubling areas. Cinnamon, green tea, Indian spices, hot sauce (be careful of sodium) and eating small healthy snacks are all great nutritious ways to boost your metabolism. As far as great workouts for that boost, try high intensity interval training, and circuit training. The flux in heart rate is great to confuse the body and send it into fat-burning gear!
3. Muscle atrophy (decrease in lean muscle mass)
Decrease in muscle comes with age. This is why weight lifting is so essential to keep up with, especially with age. Weightlifting/ resistance training or body weight training is suggested to be done from 2-5 times a week in order to keep that lean muscle mass. Weightlifting also helps to prevent many diseases and it boosts the metabolism (see they all start to go together!) This doesn’t mean you’re going to be going into the gym bench-pressing every weight. Test which weights work best for YOU based on YOUR goals.
4. More work. Less time?
Everyone gets busier as they get older. Although it feels like we don’t have time to make a significant, positive change to our health. Well. You’re wrong. It all starts with the smaller changes; get the grilled version instead of the deep fried, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and set the morning alarm 30 minutes earlier to get a nice jog or walk in to start the day off right.
I am a firm advocate and believer that fitness is there to improve, not control your life. Starting off small, writing out goals, and staying consistent will make the biggest difference and rack up those additional years, to live a positive, fuller life.