I just had a birthday and I have come to realize that aging is a fact of life. We can’t change that fact, but we can have some control of how well we age. A healthy lifestyle can have a big impact on this, along with a positive outlook on life.
Ready to start living a happy and healthy life well into your 50’s and beyond? These 5 tips can help you to stay fit and healthy for years to come!
Tip #1 – Exercise for Stronger Bones and Muscles
As you get older, you can become more likely to develop osteoporosis if you don’t incorporate activities into your lifestyle that prevent it. Regular exercise can help to cut your risk factor. Any exercise is always going to be better than nothing but some types of exercise can be a particularly smart move in your 50’s and beyond.
One of the big ones to look at including in your fitness plans? Strength training.
Weight bearing exercises can be a super effective way to improve bone density. If you’re worried about the impact of falls as you get older, you’ll definitely benefit from doing more of these types of exercises. They can help to strengthen the muscles and connective tissue around the bones, which can make you less likely to fall and can lessen the effects if you do.
There’s another big benefit linked to regular exercise too … it can help to slow down the aging process! This is another area where strength training can really come into its own.
And from a personal perspective, it’s also a great way to get fitter and stronger. Perfect for keeping up with younger members of the family and keeping your joints and muscles in good shape for the demands of day-to-day life.
#2 Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Feel like you’re stuck in a rut? A lot of people feel as though they’re acting on autopilot as they get older. This isn’t always a conscious decision but it can mean that life isn’t as fulfilling as it could be.
One way to move away from this? Start getting out of your comfort zone and getting involved in new experiences. This can build new pathways in your brain and is super important for keeping your mind healthy and sharp as you age.
How you do this is totally up to you. You could take up a new language, learn a new skill or hobby or just do things that you’ve already wanted but never got a chance to do when you were younger. You might also decide to conquer a few fears while you move out of your comfort zone.
Think about what you’d like to achieve in the future and make it a priority going forward. As an added bonus, you might even make friends with some like-minded people, as well as keeping your mind active.
#3 – Overhaul Your Lifestyle
If there was room for improvement in your lifestyle in your 20s, 30s or 40s, don’t worry!
It’s not too late to get on board with a healthier lifestyle, even if you were pretty inactive and didn’t eat the most balanced diet in previous decades.
The important part is that you’re making changes now and reducing your risk factor for poor health in the future. Given that you’re at greater risk of developing most health problems as you get older, getting more active, eating a healthier and more balanced diet and reducing your stress levels can all play a major role in staying healthier for longer – even if you’re only starting now. Now is the best time to start!
#4 – Take Care of Your Brain Health
Lots of people worry about cognitive decline as they get older but it’s not an inevitable part of getting older.
What can you eat for better cognition? Some top choices include leafy greens, blueberries and fatty fish. These have all been linked with slower cognitive decline and better memory, especially as you get older.
According to studies, the Mediterranean diet can go a long way towards improving cognitive health.
Exercise is also great for brain health. In fact, studies have even suggested that exercise can reverse cognitive decline after 6 months!
#5 – Think Positively About Getting Older
How you look at the aging process can be super important for your health and happiness. If you see it as a chance to rack up more wisdom and experience, it’s a whole lot easier to see the future in a positive light.
Accepting and even embracing the aging process is a huge part of this. That’s not to say that you have to give up on looking fantastic as you get older but it can involve a change of focus.
Improving your fitness, moving away from lifestyle habits that can encourage premature aging and embracing health and happiness can be much more empowering than anti-aging products. And they’re more likely to make a real difference to how fabulous you look and feel.
Here’s to your health and happiness! ~Amy