Are you over 50 and want to get in shape? Is living a healthy lifestyle just not for you? Did you let yourself go so far you think there’s no coming back? Then we’ve got something to say to you: Get up, get motivated, and get in shape!
It’s not too late to turn things around, to live a healthier life, and to feel better every day you’re living it. It’s not as hard as you might think. You don’t have to change everything all at once. If you’re ready and willing to make this positive change in your life but aren’t sure where to begin, here are the first simple steps you need to take that will help you feel better, look better, and live longer!
Resolve to get in shape
Realizing that you need to get in shape and commit to change is the beginning. If your lifestyle has become too sedentary and if you have succumbed to fast food marketing and convenient prepackaged junk, it’s time to reassess. Every journey begins with the first step, no matter how small. And no change can be made with external pressure; it must come from within. Make the choice to do better!
Diet
Fitness expert Skip LaCour emphasizes that exercise alone will not allow you to reach your goal of optimal health. He is a 6-time drug-free bodybuilding champion who, now in his late 50s, teaches men how to eat right for success. Most people think that hitting the weights at the gym is enough, but it’s not. You’ll see some improvement in your body but at one point your progress will plateau. You’ll have to make the effort to eat healthy; foods with complex carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats that supplement the work you put in the gym. Lean protein diets with a balance of complex carbs will give you your quickest and best result.
Exercise Plan
There are as many exercise programs and gyms as there are Starbucks. If you do well on your own, you can go for at home exercise, walking, biking, weights, etc. However, it is recommended that you join a gym, class, or get a proper trainer who will make sure that you are progressing and that you are performing your exercises in the correct form. The important thing is to start slow to avoid injury. If you bench-pressed 200 pounds 4 years ago when you used to work out, that’s great! But don’t expect to start there again as you begin your new workout regimen! You don’t want to get hurt or have another excuse not to exercise.
Get Good Sleep
One of the reasons for an unfit body and a slowing metabolism is lack of sleep. What better way to counter that but with sleep. This is the time when the work you put in through diet and exercise comes to fruition. It’s during sleep that the post-exercise damage to muscle fibers is repaired. You also get to have your aging and dead cells replaced with newer younger ones. The truth is there is a lot of beauty in sleeping.
Pace Yourself
The key to reaching your fitness and nutrition goals is to work hard and smart. Exerting yourself too much (especially at our age) can have adverse effects on your health and may prematurely end your fitness journey. No need to make things hard for yourself. You don’t have to spend hours in the gym. Do an effective workout within 45 minutes, three times in one week. And 30 minutes of cardio, just a walk will do, 6-7 days a week will keep your heart and brain healthy. You’ll still get amazing results.
Just remember that when it comes to fitness, it’s not a sprint but a marathon. So there is no need to rush; just trust in the process and stay committed to a healthy lifestyle. The effort you’ll put in now will pay dividends later in life. You’ll be feeling strong, healthy, and looking sexy even decades from now.
