The Difficulty Of Getting Back In Shape After 50
Most of us who were gym enthusiasts, quarterbacks or competitive runners during our college days find it hard to bring those days back.
Work, children and other priorities push back our fitness needs. A person who could do a hundred pushups at a time now probably procrastinates as he imagines not being able to even ten!
What we don’t consider is that our bodies are very resilient and can adapt to changes if we put our minds to it. Naturally, it will not be as easy as it was back then, but it definitely can be its own class of impressive.
The First Step
Prior to moving forward with the exercise program you have planned, it can be a good idea to consult your doctor. If you have any health problems that may stand in the way of your effort, a consultation with a doctor can let you know your healthiest method for getting back into exercising. Then you can design (or pick) a workout regime that accommodates your concerns.
Specific Workouts For Getting Back In Shape After 50
Weight Lifting
Lifting weights can be a very essential part of reaching your fitness benchmarks. Therefore, you can hire an instructor who will know how to increase and increment your weight usage and adjust your number of reps to put you on a path to progress.
Strength Training
Another aspect to consider is strength training. This form of training can regulate and control your testosterone levels and also stimulate them. This means you can gain the muscle mass in your body that you may have lost due to age.
Furthermore, strength training has the capability to strengthen your bones. Osteoporosis and osteopenia are just two from a range of age-related problems that can be dodged due to strength training.
How Much Should I Be Working Out?
You should be aiming for four to eight hours in a week at the very least. The sort of training you do has less importance. Even if you start with brisk walking, or any other moderate exercises, make sure you cover the necessary number of hours. This will also help form a schedule to synergize with all of your daily activities. Just winging it does not work as you probably might have realized by now.
The CDC has noted in a research that three hundred minutes of cardiovascular exercises in a week are necessary to experience health benefits. Don’t let this sound daunting. Like we mentioned, it can be as simple as a brisk walk. Even something as simple as gardening can help you get moving.
The Right Nutrition
In order to efficiently benefit from all the hard work you have put in, you should try for optimal nutrition. Burgers and fries are fun, but it’s good to try and avoid processed, high fat foods and aim for more unprocessed and whole foods. The high fat and processed foods discourage the very body fat you are trying to get rid of. You will also notice progress much faster if you accompany a workout plan with a good diet.
It is also a good idea to go ahead and add in several vegetables and foods with high antioxidants. If you think your wife will have a problem with this, let her know how these foods can make the two of you (if she follows as well!) look like you’re still in our 30’s.
Now you are ready to work to bring back your athleticism! Keep in mind to move towards your goals slowly but consistently. As soon as you see your body displaying the results of your hard work, your motivation will amplify considerably.
