Stay Active over Fifty

If you do any searching on the internet about staying healthy, you will find that the most recurring message is, more exercise. You will also find that it doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym every day. There are a lot of low impact activities we can do that will help us. I wrote a post about stretching, this can do so much good for us as we age. But it may just be a walk in your neighborhood, yoga, yard work, riding a bike, stretch bands and so on, there is so many easy types of activities that everyone should be able to find something. The key is just start somewhere!

As we age, we start to have less muscle mass, our metabolism slows down, and we end up gaining weight. Exercise can do so much to help reduce or reverse this part of aging. People think that lifting weights is for bulging muscles, it can create a very toned body, or it can build muscles, depends on the way you lift. If we have tones muscles, we have better balance, or metabolism increases, it promotes good health.

I have been working at least 4 times a week, in my home gym since November. Previous I was going to a gym and I was not very consistent. I weighed 238# back then, it is the 9th of May and I am 235#. I have not lost any weight, but my shirts are tighter, and my pants are getting loose. Our weight is not as important as our health as getting ourselves fit, inside and out. Focus more on being healthy, eating healthy, getting some activity, and let the weight and calorie count go.

One last point with this is to love yourself. We are usually harder on ourselves than we are with other people. Be positive, encourage yourself, except the fact that we can’t just magically change overnight. I like the message in “What About Bob”, take baby steps. Just start working on yourself, love yourself and show progress in any way we can, this is not a sprint, it is a lifelong marathon.