Staying fit after 60

Physical activity is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. In combination with healthy eating, it can help prevent a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and stroke, which are the three leading causes of death. Physical activity helps control weight, builds lean muscle, reduces fat, promotes strong bone, muscle and joint development, and decreases the risk of obesity.

If you’re 60 or older, you might have a notion that the transition from middle age into “senior citizen” status means slowing down. While it's true that physical decline associated with aging is not simply the result of getting older. However, in many respects, it’s a product of becoming less active as we age. Simply put, it’s not aging that forces us to take it easy, it’s taking it too easy that makes aging more debilitating than it needs to be.

Slacking off on healthy habits (like regular exercise and good nutrition) is the primary factor in age-related problems like excessive muscle loss, deteriorating bone density, declines in strength and aerobic fitness, and increased difficulties with balance and flexibility. Surveys show that only 32 percent of adults 65 and older follow a regular exercise plan, and for those aged 45-64, the number is even lower: 30 percent.

Cut your risk of disease

From diabetes to heart disease, many chronic (ongoing) health problems are improved by even moderate amounts of physical activity. For people who have these conditions, a lack of exercise is a bigger risk than an exercise-related injury.

How much exercise should you do?

You don't have to be a marathoner, weightlifter, or turbo kick-boxer to reap the benefits of staying active and fit. Golf, tennis, swimming, and dancing are great daily exercise. What if you don't like to run, jump, or swim? Try walking.

For most people, walking is one of the easiest activities to do. Whatever your age, experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, but you don't have to do all 30 minutes at once. Try walking for 15 minutes twice each day or for 10 minutes 3 times each day. If you can do more, that's fantastic. If you can't, It's not too late to start.

Many people who started being physically active later in life recommend finding an exercising partner. Some suggest starting or joining a walking group with friends or neighbors. Like animals? How about adopting a dog that needs to be walked.

If walking isn't your idea of a good time, try gardening or dancing. You might even consider joining your local gym. A personal trainer will be able to design a workout routine specifically for you, helping you to remain active and accountable, and you’ll probably end up making new friends. Gyms also allow you to take part in many different types of exercises, so if walking isn’t your forte, you can swim, bike, or take a yoga class.Whatever you choose, it's important that you enjoy it. Staying active shouldn't be a chore. Daily fitness should be both enjoyable and good for you. Regular physical activity is also good for your brain. Studies have shown that people who do simple exercises (for example, walking briskly) on a regular basis are better able to make decisions than people who aren't physically active.

You are what you eat
It's important to eat a well balanced diet. If you're over 60, it's especially important to eat five or more more servings of healthy vegetables and fruits. Try to choose lean meat, get plenty of fiber, and avoid processed convenience snacks and ready-made meals. I am a firm believer in the 80/20 rule. As far as health and fitness goes, only 20% of your health is related to exercise. The other 80% is directly related to what you eat. Many people unwittingly sabotaged their daily fitness routine by choosing foods that don't support a healthy lifestyle.

Some points to Remember:

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes on a regular basis
• Start slowly and increase activity gradually
• Wear comfortable clothes, shoes
• Follow healthy diet habits to support your daily activity
• Consult your physician before starting any diet or fitness routine

Being healthy doesn't need to be a chore. In fact, it be as simple as adding 30 minutes of exercise in your routine, choosing healthy foods over convenient ones, and keeping a positive attitude and an open mind.

Along with daily fitness, eat well, get outdoors, and, spend time with the people you care about.

The views expressed on this site are my opinions and should not be taken as a substitute for qualified medical expertise. I am not a Doctor. I do not give medical advice or make claims to cure any sickness, disease or affliction. I simply share my understanding of health and fitness. Please consult your Doctor or Health Care Practitioner before starting any diet or fitness routine.

Affiliate link disclosure: I use affiliate links on my Blog. This means that in some cases when I link to an online retailer I get a commission for referred sales. Meaning, if you click one of these affiliate links and make a purchase the retailer gives me a cut of it. For what it’s worth, I never write articles and insert affiliate links for the sole reason of earning a commission.

Seven Day Juice Fast

I just finished a seven day juice fast. And I feel fantastic. As the Summer came to a close, I was feeling a little sluggish from all the weekend barbecues, pizza's and overall dietary slacking that I fell into. Sound familiar? Let's face it, most of us indulge in our favorite not-so healthy foods during the summertime. Well, I put on a few extra pounds during the Summer, so I decided to go on a week long juice cleanse. I followed Joe Cross' Reboot. 

A juice cleanse? Are you serious? Why?

Yes. I went on a juice cleanse. 

You see, the average American gets only 5% of their overall calorie intake from fresh fruits and vegetables. When you consume only vegetable and fruit juices, your system is flooded with an abundance of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help your body shed excess fat, stay strong and fight disease. You bump up the percentage of fruits and veggies to a maximum 100%. So I spent 7 days of drinking only fruit and vegetable juice, coconut water, herbal tea, and water. 

What is a Reboot? 

It's a period of time where you commit to drinking and only fruit and vegetables, herbal teas, and water in order to regain or sustain your vitality, lose weight and kick-start healthy habits that recharge your body and get your diet back in alignment for optimal wellness.

It's a great way to power up your system using plant-based energy to help you lose weight, increase your energy levels and think more clearly. When you consume only juice, your system is flooded with an abundance of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help your body stay strong and fight disease. 

Who's Joe Cross? 

Well, If you've seen the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, you'll know Joe as the man who went on a 60 day juice fast in an effort to reverse his chronic illness. If you haven't seen the movie, Joe drove across America, sharing his message of health and wellness to anybody who would listen. I highly recommend you see it. If nothing else, it will leave you inspired to make a change for better health. Even a small change can have big results. 

Does it work? 

In a word, yes. I dropped 6 pounds in seven days . I went from 160 pounds down to 154 pounds. But to be honest, I did it more for my health, not so much for losing weight. Dropping pounds is more of a side-effect. 

The amount of weight loss will vary, depending on how much weight you have to lose. Those with a lot can lose much more than the average, while those with little to lose might find they drop less. I only have 10 pounds to lose, so my transformation was less dramatic than someone who has 50 or more pounds to lose. After a week, I decided to keep up with juicing just two of my meals and I am still dropping. My goal is to drop back down to 150 pounds.

Your weight loss will probably be a combination of fat, muscle, and water, but staying active and drinking enough juice and water will help to preserve muscle mass and promote comparatively more fat loss.

So just how bad is it?

The first two days were a little rough (just being honest). I was tired, sluggish and had a  headache. 

Did I mention I went off coffee and alcohol during the fast? Yep, I did. Caffeine and alcohol are substances that are metabolized by our liver. This means that the liver must perform extra work to safely package and remove their toxic compounds from our bodies. Drinking caffeine and alcohol will therefore give your body additional work to do and could potentially limit the overall effectiveness of the Reboot.

I did drink Coconut water once a day. Coconut water can be a great natural option as a quick electrolyte replenishing drink as it contains high amounts of potassium and moderate amounts of magnesium, sodium, calcium, chloride and phosphate.

WARNING!

You will goto the bathroom a lot. I'm just saying. So be prepared to do some internal house cleaning.

By day four I was feeling better. More energy. Clearer thinking. 

I'll post more about juice fasting, and it's health benefits. For now, let me leave you with something to chew on. Well, actually, you will drink it. Below is my favorite juice recipe:

Joe's Mean Green
Juice 6 leaves of kale, 1 cucumber, 4 stalks of celery, 3 apples cut in half, a small piece of ginger and 1/2 lemon. The tasty cocktail will double most people’s daily intake of healthy veggies

The views expressed on this site are my opinions and should not be taken as a substitute for qualified medical expertise. I am not a Doctor. I do not give medical advice or make claims to cure any sickness, disease or affliction. I simply share my understanding of health and fitness. Please consult your Doctor or Health Care Practitioner before starting any diet or fitness routine.

Affiliate link disclosure: I use affiliate links on my Blog. This means that in some cases when I link to an online retailer I get a commission for referred sales. Meaning, if you click one of these affiliate links and make a purchase the retailer gives me a cut of it. For what it’s worth, I never write articles and insert affiliate links for the sole reason of earning a commission.