If you’re over 50 years of age you will probably find that it’s become more of a problem to maintain or lose weight than it used to be. As a matter of fact you will begin to notice so many changes. Sometimes you don’t know where to begin to try to stay youthful for as long as possible. Your over 50s fitness level is extremely important if you want to stay active and get the most out of life.
It is so easy to forget about taking care of yourself and to not make yourself a priority when taking care of you should be the number one focus at the top of your list. Is procrastination a problem for you? Do you keep promising yourself to do better with your health and fitness but never get around to it? I can be a real procrastinator and other times once I make up my mind I can be so focused on what I am doing. There are times when I am on track with healthy eating and a bit exercise, and yet when something changes in my daily routine that takes me away from my environment I lose my momentum and find it really hard to get going again. Whether it’s going on vacation or for personal family reasons that means being away for more than a couple of days I just totally fall off the wagon. My over 50s fitness plans goes out the window.
Finding ways to follow an over 50s fitness plan and keep up the good work along with managing life’s challenges and changes can be difficult. I always vow to get back on track as soon as I return home and into my normal routine but most often it can take me weeks or even a couple of months before I can get back into the right mind frame and on track again. It’s amazing how much damage you can do in a short period of time when not eating the right foods or exercising. However, the good news is that once you get back on track you can also do a lot of good in the short time. I just wish I could continue to eat healthy and have some form of exercise no matter where I am and not get so easily tempted away and distracted.
A perfect example for me is just recently I spent three weeks in Florida with my brother and his wife. After going through a challenging and stressful time with the illness and recent death of my mother which totally took me off track for some time, (actually I hadn’t got back to taking care of me) I felt I really wanted to take some time away in a warm climate to recharge my batteries. If like me you come from an area where this winter seems to be never ending, some time away in a hot sunny climate is very appealing. I did enjoy my time away very much but I also found the heat challenging; partly because I was not used to it but also because I felt so out of shape. While I was away I swore to myself that I will not go away again until I am in a lot better shape. We did a lot of stuff but there were things that I either found difficult, tiring or didn’t do at all. So I am now very serious about working on me and have got into the right frame of mind and already doing so much better. I also know that I won’t be having any more vacations until I do feel a lot better. The next one I have I want to be able to really enjoy and make the most of it. This is why I want to share this article so that you can think about how much more you could enjoy your life.
For those of us that have not maintained an optimal fitness level in our lives and now see the importance of over 50s fitness; it’s time to wake up and do something about it! If you give in to the aging process without fighting back you can miss out on a lot of life’s pleasures. You may be sorry you didn’t make the effort.
As we age not only does everything start to sag but you also lose some of your strength. Maintaining or rebuilding strength is possible with weight training. The good thing is that you don’t have to join a gym to do this. If you find gyms intimidating weight training is something you can do at home and doesn’t take a long time. If you spend 15 minutes each time with a good DVD instructing you on the right way to weight train you could see a difference quite quickly even in a matter of weeks.
Other additions to a good all around fitness program for the over 50s is yoga, walking, dance, and Tai Chi. If you have a tread mill or an exercise bike at home this is also great for cardio. When I’m on track I use my recumbent bike at home, besides the exercise value I find it really helps my knees as I have developed some arthritis in my knee. Whatever you do find something that you enjoy so that exercise and fitness over 50 won’t seem like such a chore. Keep in mind the alternative if you don’t exercise. Walking with a cane or walker much sooner than is really necessary as you get older could be the alternative or worse.
Many find a gym pass the answer to their over 50 fitness regime but for those that have never been to a gym before it can seem a bit intimidating, but you may want to consider the gyms at community centers. They have fitness programs for seniors whether you like aerobics, stretch classes, dance classes whatever; you will probably find something to suit your needs. It’s also a great way to meet new people. A cousin of mine has met a great group of ladies at her aqua fit classes. Also consider dancing as it’s more than just exercise, where else can you meet new people, have fun, enjoy the music, interact socially and get fit all in one place. Dance can fill all the requirements of body, mind and spirit.
The important this is that you do something. Find activities that you enjoy and change them around a bit to keep things interesting.
For fitness in your 50s it’s recommended that you do 30 minutes twice a week with weight training, and for cardio 20-40 minutes preferably 4-6 times a week. Once you reach your 60’s you may benefit more from doing 3 days weekly of each weight training and cardio for a similar amount of time. Even though you may be more prone to arthritis and other issues that cause aches and pains it’s important not to quit on the exercise as long as you doctor tells you it’s safe to do so. Aging is not a time to give up but a time to get moving!