7 Tips For Staying Active Over 50

Many people tend to get less and less active as they reach an older age. Most of the people are just not concerned with appearances as much as they used to be when they were younger, and they have a habit of being less physically active over time.

Exercising and being active is not about appearances only, a much more crucial thing is the health aspect of it. Self-care may make a difference in the length and overall quality of your life.

As people age, they lose muscle mass and their whole metabolisms become slower which can be a cause of gaining weight. The loss of a muscle mass makes people more fragile, and mentally weaker as well. The benefits of working out when you’re older are vast; effects on prolonging life expectancy, more stable mental health, better sexual function, delaying disability, motivating and socializing, and more.

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If you’re over 50 and you’re thinking about whether it’s too late to start being more active, it’s not!

Choose The Right Activity For You

This is a very crucial part of keeping up with your intentions of being active. If you’re forcing yourself to do something that you don’t find quite enjoyable and you’re bored, it’s much more likely that you won’t be able to keep it up. Instead, experiment.

Try different sports and activities that you might enjoy. Go to yoga, Pilates, try jogging, swimming, going to the gym, playing some joint sport or even just hiking. It’s very important not to push yourself more than your body is able to handle. If the weather is nice where you live, try more outdoor activities since they are even healthier for your overall health.

Find The Right Company

We are social creatures and we do work better in groups. So instead of pushing yourself on your own to be more physical, try finding a partner in crime that will be just as motivated and driven as you. This way, even on the days when you’re not feeling particularly happy to go and get active, you will have somebody to motivate you and to push you beyond your own limits. Taking your dog with you is also a good idea. Exploring new things together with your pet can be a great exercise for both of you.

Don’t Forget To Warm Up

Warming up is a crucial part of every exercise, but the importance of it rises as we get older. As the years pass us by, recovering from exercising or some accidental injuries is getting harder and more painful. To avoid these things, dedicate more time to warming up so your muscles can stretch up and get the blood flowing.

Increase B12 Intake

Vitamin B12 is mostly found in fish and meat and it has a very important role in the way our organisms function. It supports healthy nerves and blood cells that are needed for producing DNA. The complicated part about B12 is that it is bound to a protein in foods and it must be released from it during the process of digestion. As we get older, the acid that our stomach produces is not as strong making the absorption of B12 much more problematic. Adding the vitamin via supplements can be of big help for seniors.

Eat Healthy Fats

Exercising without being aware of the food you’re consuming will not be enough to help you be fit. Knowing how to detox from bad foods will play a significant role in helping your body to stay healthy and fit. Saturated fats are a big no. They clog up the arteries and are bad for the heart. Don’t use a lot of butter, red meats, fast foods, and more. Instead, focus on increasing the healthy fats in your life such as fish meat, flaxseed, nuts, and more.

Don’t Forget Your Brain

Exercising your brain is a thing you cannot forget to do. Although having a fit and healthy body is very important, brain health is the thing that keeps everything together. It’s the time to focus on yourself again especially if your kids are all grown and out of the house. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Make new friends, or try to learn something new like playing an instrument or a language. New experiences are great for building new pathways in your brain which will keep your mind healthy.

Take Notes

Write a food journal to keep track of the things that you eat and the calories that you intake. When you’re writing things down, it’s much harder to ignore the facts. You will be surprised at how much things you’re not aware of. Another option is to use a wearable fitness tracker or a phone app that will keep track of your physical activities and help you follow your progress.

Author Bio: Mary Walton is a professional editor, content strategist and a part of NCSM team. Apart from writing, Mary is passionate about hiking and gaming. Feel free to contact her via Facebook.

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