Defy your age starting today!
As men and women age, fears about getting older creep into everyday thinking.- I will get a chronic disease: cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, dementia or osteoporosis.
- I see my body getting soft and weaker – expanding waist, sagging skin, joint pain, and inflammation.
- I will need to have my hips or knees replaced.
- I will need to downsize my home because it is too difficult to manage all of the steps, space and yard work.
We have all looked for ways to stay young, healthy and active. What are some of the things you have experienced?
- Exercise programs where you were expected to spend many hours in a gym?
- A gym setting where everyone seemed to have chiseled bodies in spandex that made you feel intimidated or totally ignored?
- Personal trainers in their 20s or 30s, who don’t really understand what you need?
- Eating plans that left you feeling hungry all the time, deprived of your favourite foods, or were difficult to follow when you traveled or ate out?
Or perhaps you have never worked out before? Many people think their daily recreational activities or household tasks are enough for their health and wellbeing. Truth is, they're not!
AGING 101
Aging doesn’t just happen. Physical and mental decline are a result of a sedentary life and poor lifestyle choices. They are definitely not just because you are getting older. You can stop or even reverse the signs of aging.
THE DEFY AGING PLAN
STEP 1: MOVE YOUR BODY
You have to consciously exercise with an external resistance that is more than your body is used to lifting. This will help you:
- Rebuild your lean muscle mass that is lost naturally as you age
- Strengthen your muscles & joints to prevent inflammation, reduce injury and falls
- Rev your metabolism to maintain a healthy body weight
- Reshape areas of your body that have become soft or saggy
Your exercise program should be designed specifically for your age; it should show you how to exercise correctly for success with the avoidance of injury. It can be done in the comfort of your own home if you wish or taken with you when you travel.
STEP 2: EAT
Planning three meals a day and snacks in between is the best way to a healthy, lean, strong body, and a sharp mind. Eat a variety of foods that are high in protein, good fats, fibre and whole grains.
STEP 3: PLAN
You must fit healthy aging into your busy schedule.
- Have healthy aging goals, just as you do for all other areas of your life.
- Have a schedule to carry out those goals, just as you schedule all of the important tasks in your life.
STEP 4: DEAL WITH STRESS
You must deal with stress to prevent elevated cortisol problems such as lack of sleep and increased risk of chronic disease.
Stop worrying and take action. It is never to early or too late to begin. You can be active with family and friends for years, travel the world for as long as you wish, do all of the activities you did in your 20s and 30s, sleep well all of the time and eat all of the foods you love to eat.
You can commit to healthy aging. Take just 1 step to continue to live the best years of your life.
COMING UP
Next week’s blog will dive deeper into the importance of Moving Your Body, and how it can specifically lead you to a healthy, active life.
