How to keep fit at 50? | The Things To Know

How to keep fit at 50?

Anyone over thirty knows well that they have to deal with a ruthless dictator: the passing of time, which brings with it the physical changes typical of an older age. Unfortunately, over the years our bodies no longer become toned, healthy and strong, birthday after birthday.

However, although we cannot stop the advance of time and physical ailments indefinitely, we can certainly "fight back" and limit the damage considerably, keeping ourselves in good shape even when the fateful "-anta" have entered our life by now. for quite some time.

If our goal is to keep fit even after 50, we must pay close attention to different aspects of our daily life, while avoiding making a series of rather common mistakes.

1. The most common mistake: letting go!

Over the years, we tend to take everything in a more comfortable and "relaxed" way: we get less angry, we become wiser and more diplomatic, we try to eliminate the sources of stress and unnecessary fatigue.

However, it is a pity that, at times, this tendency towards "relaxation" and comfort leads many men to let themselves go also from the point of view of physical fitness: the car is preferred to the bike even for short journeys, the walks decrease, the five-a-side football games with friends become increasingly rare, morning runs are getting shorter and more infrequent and, often, even the gym is left behind.

Often, even the diet suffers from this change: the portions become a little too abundant and less attention is paid to what you eat and drink every day. Healthy lifestyle habits become a bit like that awkward haircut we wore as boys, or that old-fashioned shirt bought in college years: they fall by the wayside.

Yet, if there is a moment in life in which one should try harder to keep fit and pay attention to one's well-being, it is precisely the arrival of "middle age": when we are young, our body is still strong and often succeeds to make up for a lack of exercise or an inadequate diet, but over the years our body needs more care and attention and, therefore, more discipline on our part.

2. The secret is to set a goal!

According to one of the gurus of US fitness, Tony Horton, the most important thing to do to keep fit after fifty is "set clear and realistic goals". What is meant by this sentence?

Is simple:

1. Always have in mind what your starting situation is: if your initial physical form is not the best, then paradoxically it will be easier to achieve good results; on the contrary, if you have always enjoyed excellent health and an enviable form, you will start from a better level but it will be more and more difficult, over the years, to keep yourself in the same physical condition.
2. Get organized with precision: each of us has different commitments, needs and schedules. Consistency in training is what keeps us fit and fuels our motivation. Establish a weekly exercise routine, taking into account your family or work commitments, and stick to it closely.
3. Look for someone to share your goal with: keeping fit after XNUMX becomes easier when we work on this goal with a person (or a group of people) with the same goal as us. It will probably not be difficult to find this person in our circle of friends or family.

3. Be careful what you eat and when

Obviously, nutrition also plays a very important role for those who want to keep fit: this is even more true in the case of over 50s.

It is important to eat at least 3 or 4 hours before a training session and have a complete and nutritious breakfast every day, especially if we intend to carry out our physical activity between late morning and early afternoon.

The diet will have to be balanced and varied, trying to contain excesses and "breaking the rules" and limiting the consumption of alcohol and caffeine.

As indicated by the sports doctor and nutritionist, Dr. Raffaele Canonico: “a healthy and varied diet is inspired by the Mediterranean diet: 5 portions a day of vegetables and fruit, cereals and derivatives (rye, pasta, barley, spelled, oats etc. ), you can consume a small portion of nuts, it is better to use extra virgin olive oil and not butter and to consume milk and / or derivatives, low in fat, daily. White meat can be eaten weekly (even more than once, depending on age, health and sporting activity), red meat 1-2 times a week, together with preferably blue fish, eggs (2 -3 per week) and legumes (at least 3-4 times a week) ".

To conclude

In conclusion, staying in shape after fifty is not only possible, but also desirable: it is one of the most important and lasting "gifts" you can give yourself, to celebrate the entry into a new part of your existence, often less celebrated but potentially full of as many satisfactions.

Like all important gifts, it is a prize that is not easy to obtain and that takes time and dedication, but that will give you great results.