Fitness After 50
by Karen Little
Editorial Assistant
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Now that you’ve seen what fitness after 50 can really look like, how do you get there? Here are 10 things to consider when trying to stay fit into your golden years.
Keep Your Ticker Ticking
Whether you’re 25 or 65, heart disease is a top health concern in America, and as we age our risk increases dramatically, starting around age 50. Genetics, what we eat, our blood cholesterol levels and how physically active we are, are the best predictors, but the symptoms of heart disease can be exacerbated by other chronic diseases — such as diabetes and high blood pressure — later in life.
Many experts agree that not exercising enough is one of the quickest ways to develop heart disease. And as technology continues to advance and daily tasks become simpler, complacency with a sedentary lifestyle is gradually becoming the norm, rather than the exception.
According to Cody Butler, founder of H.E.A.T. Boot Camp in Austin, younger generations are a lot less healthy than they were 10 years ago — in part because of things like fast food, use of the Internet and less time spent outdoors.
“We try to bypass that,” Butler says.“We’re in our 20s and 30s and we don’t think we have to worry about cholesterol. But in fact, we’re surrounded by so much unhealthiness that internally we’re aging at a much faster rate; especially as it relates to cholesterol and high blood pressure.”
Make Meaningful Connections
Coping with change as you get older can be difficult unless you have an outlet to share your thoughts and feelings. Plus, after age 50, depression and anxiety tend to increase.
Learn from centenarians: their longevity and quality of life is vastly improved because of the healthy relationships they’ve cultivated throughout their life. Family, friends and loved ones can be a great source of support, comfort and love. Don’t forget to make time for them every day.
Get Revved Up!
We all wish it was something we could control, but after age 30, our metabolism naturally begins to slow. By age 50, we often feel like the metabolic fires have burned themselves out.
Amy Culp, RD, LD, recommends eating frequent meals throughout the day to help keep your metabolism primed and your appetite constant. She often sees people who cut their food intake too drastically during the first half of the day, then end up overeating in the latter half.
“I’ll see people cutting their calories too low overall, resulting in inadequate fuel for their workout,” Culp says. “It’s not a specific diet that helps boost metabolism — it’s about fueling the workout properly.
You have to match how much you’re burning throughout your day with how much you’re taking in.
If you’re trying to lose weight, there needs to be a caloric deficit; but not too low or you risk lowering your metabolism even more. There needs to be a balance.”
Another way to monitor a naturally slowing metabolism is to calculate your body mass index (BMI) and determine whether or not you fall into a healthy range.
Though not the gold standard for determining your overall health or a reliable method for measuring body fat percentage, your BMI will give you a rough estimate of where you are, based on something we all know — our height and weight.
Culp also recommends monitoring what and when you’re eating by keeping a food and activity log. Online food logs, such as thedailyplate.com are free and helpful.
“It’s always good to do an assessment and get a sense of what’s going on,” she says.
Stay Limber Later in Life
The American Council on Exercise says that each decade after the age of 25, three to five percent of our muscle mass is lost. That means by age 50, one-eighth of the strength we enjoyed in our 20s, may have vanished.
As we get older, joints don’t move as freely and they become less sensitive to messages from the nervous system. This increases the potential for aches, stiffness, sprains and coordination issues.
Luckily, there’s something we can do about it. Maintaining our flexibility becomes increasingly important later in life — it provides a foundation for any strength-based program, keeps our posture in check and mitigates muscle loss associated with the aging process.
In fact, in an effort to stay limber, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of “baby boomers” joining gyms and yoga studios during the last decade. Statistics show that older gym-goers now make up at least a quarter of the current fitness population.
Butler believes this may be because we’re increasingly invested in our health and the potential of enjoying a higher quality of life, later in life.
“People are realizing there’s so much more to do when you’re in your 50s, 60s and 70s,” he says. “A lot of individuals want to do the same things in their 50s that they were doing in their 30s.”
Finding The Right Balance
It’s no secret that as we age, our hormones take a beating, and over time they can become imbalanced, which can have a myriad of health implications. Mike Clark, clinical director at Natural Bio Health in Lakeway, says his clients’ biggest misconception is that a regimen of regular exercise and a healthy diet is enough to keep them in shape.
“Any male over age 50 is going to have low testosterone, which is the primary male hormone,” Clark says. "And for women, progesterone and probably testosterone will both be low. That’s typically why we start gaining weight and having health issues.”
Treating everything from hair loss and thyroid issues to osteoporosis and unhealthy sleep patterns, the use of bioidentical hormones has been shown to reset the body’s internal clock and restore a feeling of youthfulness. In fact, according to Clark, many of his patients testify that hormonal therapy puts their life back on track.
“Some of the best advice we give our clients is to test their hormones and restore them to optimal levels,” he says.
Try to Stay Whole
Culp says one of the most common misconceptions she hears from patients is that they can’t lose weight after age 50. Where people hold their weight later in life depends upon a multitude of factors — diet, fitness and genetics. For starters, Culp advises having realistic expectations of how things change naturally as part of the aging process. But she also contends that weight-loss after age 50 is not a lost cause, particularly when we keep our diets varied and based on whole foods.
“Most nutrients can be obtained from a balanced, healthful diet — which is always optimal since we absorb many nutrients from food,” Culp says.
Omega-3 fatty acids are highly recommended by Culp, especially DHA from fish oil. If you aren’t getting enough dairy or other foods high in calcium or Vitamin D in your diet, it might be time to supplement, too. Iron needs change for women after the age of 50 and Culp recommends getting Vitamin D and iron levels checked by your physician prior to supplementing (to avoid going overboard, while ensuring adequate intake.)
“Be careful of special diets or programs that eliminate certain food groups; especially ones that are high in saturated fat or require a special supplement to ensure balance,” she advises.
Don’t Get Too Sensitive
What type of workout is best after age 50? Well, it depends on your current fitness level, your overall athleticism and your previous exercise experience.
“You can have a 50 year old that’s in the same shape as a 20 year old,” Butler says. “You also can have a 20 year old in worse shape than a 50 year old.”
However, it’s important to remember that with each decade we lose muscle mass and become increasingly prone to injury. Therefore, thinking of our workouts in a different context can keep us from pushing ourselves too hard.
For example, Butler, now age 30, says his workout mindset is already starting to change. Instead of focusing on the size of his muscles, he’s become more interested in improving his endurance and taking better care of his heart.
Into our fifties, Butler recommends using low-impact cardio and air-powered strength training machines, as well as watching blood pressure more carefully. He also suggests working out consistently during the week instead of powering through a compressed weekend routine. If you’re inactive during the week, your body doesn’t have a chance to adapt to the stress of exercise, which can leave you more vulnerable to injuries and acute cardiovascular events like a heart attack.
Stay Sharp
Being fit after 50 doesn’t just mean having sound physical health. Keeping your mind sharp is just as important, and the good news is that it’s easier than you might think.
Reading daily, playing games, solving crossword and Soduku puzzles, and even writing emails have been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and senility. Keeping your mind engaged on a daily basis can keep cognitive impairments at bay, thus giving you more independence and control over your life as you age.
Milestone Medical Tests
One of the most important things you can do for yourself after age 50 is preventive care. Our bodies require constant maintenance from this age onward, as older cells are more are prone to chronic disease, particularly cancer. So don’t ignore warning signs, avoid the doctor or hesitate to ask probing questions on your next visit.
“It comes down to listening to your body,” Butler says. “Prevention comes from within, so pay attention to what you’re doing. Ask questions to health professionals like doctors and trainers.”
By age 50, there are a host of medical tests to be mindful of, too. First, it’s recommended that you have your first colonoscopy, regardless of your gender. Women are instructed to have a thyroid hormone test every five years, a pelvic exam and pap smear every one to three years and a mammogram at least every year. Meanwhile, men should have a prostate exam every year.
Other milestone medical tests are an annual physical (including a rectal exam and an eye exam), having any moles checked by your dermatologist, blood cholesterol measured at least every five years and your blood sugar at least every three.
Keep it in The Bedroom
Sexual health is important at any age. However, after about age 50, our natural desire for intimacy can begin to wane.
While most men don’t really notice differences in their sexual response until they reach their early 60s, erectile dysfunction may have already set in. And for women, menopause can wreak havoc on sex drive.
Most experts agree that the key to keeping your passion alive is rooted in communication. Don’t hesitate to ask each other questions or try non-sexual activities to increase your intimacy.
Keep Your Ticker Ticking
Whether you’re 25 or 65, heart disease is a top health concern in America, and as we age our risk increases dramatically, starting around age 50. Genetics, what we eat, our blood cholesterol levels and how physically active we are, are the best predictors, but the symptoms of heart disease can be exacerbated by other chronic diseases — such as diabetes and high blood pressure — later in life.
Many experts agree that not exercising enough is one of the quickest ways to develop heart disease. And as technology continues to advance and daily tasks become simpler, complacency with a sedentary lifestyle is gradually becoming the norm, rather than the exception.
According to Cody Butler, founder of H.E.A.T. Boot Camp in Austin, younger generations are a lot less healthy than they were 10 years ago — in part because of things like fast food, use of the Internet and less time spent outdoors.
“We try to bypass that,” Butler says.“We’re in our 20s and 30s and we don’t think we have to worry about cholesterol. But in fact, we’re surrounded by so much unhealthiness that internally we’re aging at a much faster rate; especially as it relates to cholesterol and high blood pressure.”
Make Meaningful Connections
Coping with change as you get older can be difficult unless you have an outlet to share your thoughts and feelings. Plus, after age 50, depression and anxiety tend to increase.
Learn from centenarians: their longevity and quality of life is vastly improved because of the healthy relationships they’ve cultivated throughout their life. Family, friends and loved ones can be a great source of support, comfort and love. Don’t forget to make time for them every day.
Get Revved Up!
We all wish it was something we could control, but after age 30, our metabolism naturally begins to slow. By age 50, we often feel like the metabolic fires have burned themselves out.
Amy Culp, RD, LD, recommends eating frequent meals throughout the day to help keep your metabolism primed and your appetite constant. She often sees people who cut their food intake too drastically during the first half of the day, then end up overeating in the latter half.
“I’ll see people cutting their calories too low overall, resulting in inadequate fuel for their workout,” Culp says. “It’s not a specific diet that helps boost metabolism — it’s about fueling the workout properly.
You have to match how much you’re burning throughout your day with how much you’re taking in.
If you’re trying to lose weight, there needs to be a caloric deficit; but not too low or you risk lowering your metabolism even more. There needs to be a balance.”
Another way to monitor a naturally slowing metabolism is to calculate your body mass index (BMI) and determine whether or not you fall into a healthy range.
Though not the gold standard for determining your overall health or a reliable method for measuring body fat percentage, your BMI will give you a rough estimate of where you are, based on something we all know — our height and weight.
Culp also recommends monitoring what and when you’re eating by keeping a food and activity log. Online food logs, such as thedailyplate.com are free and helpful.
“It’s always good to do an assessment and get a sense of what’s going on,” she says.
Stay Limber Later in Life
The American Council on Exercise says that each decade after the age of 25, three to five percent of our muscle mass is lost. That means by age 50, one-eighth of the strength we enjoyed in our 20s, may have vanished.
As we get older, joints don’t move as freely and they become less sensitive to messages from the nervous system. This increases the potential for aches, stiffness, sprains and coordination issues.
Luckily, there’s something we can do about it. Maintaining our flexibility becomes increasingly important later in life — it provides a foundation for any strength-based program, keeps our posture in check and mitigates muscle loss associated with the aging process.
In fact, in an effort to stay limber, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of “baby boomers” joining gyms and yoga studios during the last decade. Statistics show that older gym-goers now make up at least a quarter of the current fitness population.
Butler believes this may be because we’re increasingly invested in our health and the potential of enjoying a higher quality of life, later in life.
“People are realizing there’s so much more to do when you’re in your 50s, 60s and 70s,” he says. “A lot of individuals want to do the same things in their 50s that they were doing in their 30s.”
Finding The Right Balance
It’s no secret that as we age, our hormones take a beating, and over time they can become imbalanced, which can have a myriad of health implications. Mike Clark, clinical director at Natural Bio Health in Lakeway, says his clients’ biggest misconception is that a regimen of regular exercise and a healthy diet is enough to keep them in shape.
“Any male over age 50 is going to have low testosterone, which is the primary male hormone,” Clark says. "And for women, progesterone and probably testosterone will both be low. That’s typically why we start gaining weight and having health issues.”
Treating everything from hair loss and thyroid issues to osteoporosis and unhealthy sleep patterns, the use of bioidentical hormones has been shown to reset the body’s internal clock and restore a feeling of youthfulness. In fact, according to Clark, many of his patients testify that hormonal therapy puts their life back on track.
“Some of the best advice we give our clients is to test their hormones and restore them to optimal levels,” he says.
Try to Stay Whole
Culp says one of the most common misconceptions she hears from patients is that they can’t lose weight after age 50. Where people hold their weight later in life depends upon a multitude of factors — diet, fitness and genetics. For starters, Culp advises having realistic expectations of how things change naturally as part of the aging process. But she also contends that weight-loss after age 50 is not a lost cause, particularly when we keep our diets varied and based on whole foods.
“Most nutrients can be obtained from a balanced, healthful diet — which is always optimal since we absorb many nutrients from food,” Culp says.
Omega-3 fatty acids are highly recommended by Culp, especially DHA from fish oil. If you aren’t getting enough dairy or other foods high in calcium or Vitamin D in your diet, it might be time to supplement, too. Iron needs change for women after the age of 50 and Culp recommends getting Vitamin D and iron levels checked by your physician prior to supplementing (to avoid going overboard, while ensuring adequate intake.)
“Be careful of special diets or programs that eliminate certain food groups; especially ones that are high in saturated fat or require a special supplement to ensure balance,” she advises.
Don’t Get Too Sensitive
What type of workout is best after age 50? Well, it depends on your current fitness level, your overall athleticism and your previous exercise experience.
“You can have a 50 year old that’s in the same shape as a 20 year old,” Butler says. “You also can have a 20 year old in worse shape than a 50 year old.”
However, it’s important to remember that with each decade we lose muscle mass and become increasingly prone to injury. Therefore, thinking of our workouts in a different context can keep us from pushing ourselves too hard.
For example, Butler, now age 30, says his workout mindset is already starting to change. Instead of focusing on the size of his muscles, he’s become more interested in improving his endurance and taking better care of his heart.
Into our fifties, Butler recommends using low-impact cardio and air-powered strength training machines, as well as watching blood pressure more carefully. He also suggests working out consistently during the week instead of powering through a compressed weekend routine. If you’re inactive during the week, your body doesn’t have a chance to adapt to the stress of exercise, which can leave you more vulnerable to injuries and acute cardiovascular events like a heart attack.
Stay Sharp
Being fit after 50 doesn’t just mean having sound physical health. Keeping your mind sharp is just as important, and the good news is that it’s easier than you might think.
Reading daily, playing games, solving crossword and Soduku puzzles, and even writing emails have been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and senility. Keeping your mind engaged on a daily basis can keep cognitive impairments at bay, thus giving you more independence and control over your life as you age.
Milestone Medical Tests
One of the most important things you can do for yourself after age 50 is preventive care. Our bodies require constant maintenance from this age onward, as older cells are more are prone to chronic disease, particularly cancer. So don’t ignore warning signs, avoid the doctor or hesitate to ask probing questions on your next visit.
“It comes down to listening to your body,” Butler says. “Prevention comes from within, so pay attention to what you’re doing. Ask questions to health professionals like doctors and trainers.”
By age 50, there are a host of medical tests to be mindful of, too. First, it’s recommended that you have your first colonoscopy, regardless of your gender. Women are instructed to have a thyroid hormone test every five years, a pelvic exam and pap smear every one to three years and a mammogram at least every year. Meanwhile, men should have a prostate exam every year.
Other milestone medical tests are an annual physical (including a rectal exam and an eye exam), having any moles checked by your dermatologist, blood cholesterol measured at least every five years and your blood sugar at least every three.
Keep it in The Bedroom
Sexual health is important at any age. However, after about age 50, our natural desire for intimacy can begin to wane.
While most men don’t really notice differences in their sexual response until they reach their early 60s, erectile dysfunction may have already set in. And for women, menopause can wreak havoc on sex drive.
Most experts agree that the key to keeping your passion alive is rooted in communication. Don’t hesitate to ask each other questions or try non-sexual activities to increase your intimacy.
Fairway to Fitness, June 2009 Issue
Get Stoked to Get Soaked: 15 Austin Lake Activities, May 2009 Issue
Austin's 10 Fittest, August 2009 Issue
