Keeping fit and healthy is important at any age, but it’s even more vital once you hit that 50-year-old milestone. The high-intensity workouts you were able to accomplish during your 20s, 30s, and often 40s will become much more difficult and may result in injury. Therefore, it’s important to make a few changes to your fitness and general health routines.
Squeeze In 30-45 Minutes of Daily Cardio
You don’t need to hit the gym hard to keep fit – a simple dose of daily cardio will go along. According to national recommendations, 30-45 minutes of movement is enough. This can be as low impact as going for a walk or climbing the stairs. The important part is that you enjoy your workouts and stick with them.
Remember Muscle Training
If you wish to maintain your independence well into your old age, it’s important to take care of your muscles. Therefore, it’s vital to dedicate at least 20 minutes of your workout routine to strength training. After training your muscles, remember to pack in some much-needed protein post-workout to reduce muscle aches and inflammation.
Target Knee, Shoulder, and Spinal Recovery
As you age, your muscles and joints will begin to ache. However, you can keep this at bay by squeezing in at least 10 minutes focusing on the spine, shoulders, and knees. These are the parts of your body required to move around freely and get the rest of your exercises taken care of.
If you suffer from any spinal or joint injuries post-50, it’s important to have them checked out by a professional straight away. In some cases, this may be a trip to an NHS-operated medical facility. However, you’ll be faced with long wait times and the treatment can be dismissive if it’s not deemed serious. Therefore, we recommend exploring your options for private health insurance NI. You can find private health insurance from Compareni.com.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Working out isn’t the only important part of staying healthy post-50 – you need to adjust your lifestyle as well. To keep your mind and body focused and capable of functioning, make sure you’re getting enough sleep – the recommendation is 7-8 hours. Not only will sleep help you stay focused during the day, but it’ll also improve ache recovery speeds.
Drink Plenty of Water
Keeping hydrated is essential at any age, but it’s even more important as you age. Drinking plenty of fluids will help to eliminate toxins, make your skin glow, and keep your body fuelled. According to professionals, the average adult should drink around 3-4 litres every day. If you can’t stomach plain water, then add a little flavour with low-sugar squash.
Adjust Your Diet
Liquids only make up for part of your consumption needs. Reducing the number of processed fats and unhealthy meals you have will drastically improve your health. With unnecessary sugars removed from your diet, you’ll have higher levels of energy and greater focus.
Take Away
Keeping fit post-50 is important because it reduces medical conditions and allows you to hold onto independence for longer. You don’t need to dedicate your life to working out, just make the subtle changes outlined above.
