Over 50? It’s Not Too Late to Get Fit!
09/21/2012 Leave a comment
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| Photo Credit: Shustov CC-BY-3.0 |
If you’re over 50 and you want to get started on the path to fitness and better health, there is good news. It’s never too late to get fit! Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s impossible to lose the middle-age spread that has widened your hips and given you a belly pooch. You can slim down and firm up flabby muscles. First, see your doctor for a complete physical. Take precautions to accommodate any limitations or illness, such as osteoporosis or diabetes. Consult a fitness expert or hire a personal trainer and GET MOVING!
The first step to fitness and a trimmer body is to exercise. If you’ve been sedentary most of your life or exercised only sporadically, start slow. Walking is a great way to get fit and lose weight. Start by walking around your block 1 time every morning or evening for 7 days. Start the next week with a walk around the block 2 times. Gradually increase the pace and distance you walk each day until you can walk at a brisk pace for a full 30 minutes.
Change your diet. Put away the soda, sugar and fatty foods. Replace sugary sodas with flavored water or a sugar free variety of your favorite food. Switch to low-fat or skim milk. Replace junk food snacks with fruits and nuts. Drink plenty of water, too.
Add strength training to your weekly fitness routine. Try to do some bodyweight exercises 2 to 3 days each week. Push-ups, sit-ups, crunches and squats are challenging functional exercises that use your own weight against the force of gravity to increase muscle mass and improve your endurance.
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