Stay Fit as You Age

From the Marion Star (OH).

"Remember what it was like to eat whatever you wanted and never gain weight? Do you ever find yourself asking, "When did that stop happening - and where did these love handles come from?"

Welcome to the aging process. The good news is that it's possible to maintain physical fitness as you grow older. The bad news, of course, is that you'll have to work a little harder to make it happen.

Fitness expert Larry Miller offers these tips:

The argument that "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" doesn't apply here. A good physician can red flag any problems before they occur, and help you regularly monitor things like blood pressure.

"Make sure you have a physician that you call yours," Miller said. "That they know you and you know them."

If you haven't yet found a physician you trust and meet with regularly, talk to people in your social circles or check online databases to view information about doctors in your area. The American Medical Association's "DoctorFinder," for example, provides information about more than 800,000 licensed physicians nationwide. The website WebMD.com offers a similar service, and both are free.

"As we age, sad as it is, our metabolic rate does change," Miller said. "What used to work for us 10 years ago when we were in our 40s doesn't work anymore."

You'll have to adjust your calorie intake - yes, in the downward direction - and pay closer attention to what you're putting into your body. Boost your veggie and whole grain intake, reduce your sodium and eat moderate portions.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines recommend the general population consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day - or about a teaspoon of table salt. Middle-aged and older adults should limit intake to 1,500 milligrams per day.

Also be sure to eat at least 4.5 cups of fruits and veggies a day, including a variety of dark-green, red and orange vegetables, as well as beans and peas, according to fda.gov.

"We don't drink enough water," Miller said. "Water is one of the largest or greatest elements we can use to keep us healthy."

Miller said he knows several people who eat well, exercise and drink plenty of water and are successful in managing their weight.

Much research has been done on the subject: A 12-week study presented in August by Virginia Tech researchers, for example, found that middle-age and older adults who drank two eight-ounce glasses of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner lost about 30 percent more weight than those who didn't, according to a February AARP bulletin.

"We're meant to move, so keep moving," Miller said.

If you're a person who doesn't walk at all, start walking. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that goes a long way toward physical fitness; other activities, such as golf, tennis and dance promote social as well as physical well-being.

"These are sports that are low-impact but are good for a lifetime," Miller said.

A January AARP Bulletin article titled "The real fountain of youth: Exercise," noted that regular exercise "maintains healthy blood vessels for good circulation in the body and brain" in addition to helping with stress management and age-related loss in bone density and muscle mass.

In short, it stated, "dozens of studies" indicate that people who exercise, on average, live longer than those who don't.

"We tend to look at ourselves, when we are in our 50s and 60s, and our mind still thinks we are in our 30s," Miller said - a syndrome especially common in former athletes.

Even if you used to launch into an exercise routine without stretching or warming up, both of those now are vital parts of fitness as you age.

"Make sure you stay hydrated, stretch and get a really good warm-up before performing these exercises," Miller said.

AARP fitness experts recommend stretching to prevent injury, maintain your flexibility, relieve chronic pain and improve posture, among others.

Start slowly and don't over-stretch; be sure to breathe deeply and do a light warm-up for at least five minutes prior to stretching to avoid pulling muscles.

Monitor your blood pressure, sugar and calories and be aware enough to notice when things aren't quite right.

"Being old is not for sissies, but if we do it right, it's amazing what the human body can do if we take care of it," Miller said.

Remember what it was like to eat whatever you wanted and never gain weight? Do you ever find yourself asking, "When did that stop happening - and where did these love handles come from?"

Welcome to the aging process. The good news is that it's possible to maintain physical fitness as you grow older. The bad news, of course, is that you'll have to work a little harder to make it happen."

Those may be HIS recommendations, but I have mine here. He's welcoming you to the aging process like it's a book club meeting or something--and it becomes one when you follow conventional recommendations. Drink more water--right! Try EATING it through consumption of fruits and veggies.

As far as finding a physician I trust, good luck with that. They're all taught in the conventional medical industrial complex way, which means PROFIT FIRST. Good health outcomes through them are just a side effect.

A side effect of good health is slower aging. He seems to be encouraging death.