You’ve heard of low-carb diets and low-fat diets. But you’ve probably never heard of anyone telling you to avoid eating protein – especially after age 50 or so, when we need to double our efforts to get enough of it. You need protein to grow and maintain muscle mass, which we naturally lose as we mature, causing frailty, falls, and more problems.
Read MoreIt’s easy to think of aging as a steady decline. But fitness proves it doesn’t have to be that simple and dreadful. If you exercise regularly, you’re more likely to maintain physical abilities. Period. So think of it as a sliding scale – with physical dependence at one end and being an elite athlete on the other. Nobody wants to be physically dependent, of course. And while most of us don’t aspire to be an elite athlete, everybody wants something in the broad middle there. We want to be fit so we can stay independent and avoid becoming frail for as long as possible.
Read MoreThe holidays can be a “good news, bad news” situation for some people. The good news: We get time off from work, we get to see families and friends, and we get to eat our favorite foods. The bad news: Disrupted schedules, busy calendars, and extra calories can throw us off our healthy tracks. It doesn’t have to be this way. You can enjoy the holidays AND maintain the commitments you’ve made all year to eating right and exercising regularly.
Read MoreFifteen years ago, Alan Rosenthal was a fit 60-year-old who had just returned from a bicycle trip through France. Then a blood test revealed type 2 diabetes. His doctor gave him a three-day course on diet, exercise, and self-care. The doctor also recommended a local trainer. And even though Alan knew his way around a gym, he adopted a new perspective and learned workouts to keep him healthy.
Read MoreDo you hear Mother Nature calling?
How can you resist the temptation to get out and enjoy the cooler temps and the mesmerizing transformation of fall foliage? Even if it means a short drive to reach the perfect spot, the rewards of nature are worth it.
But there's more to this than just a visual treat. With a fall hike or even a leisurely stroll outdoors, you get a super-charged workout that doesn't even feel like exercise.
Read MoreNate Wilkins was living the good life. He was traveling a lot for work, as a parks and recreation administrator in Florida. He was eating out and indulging at business lunches and happy hours. Sure, he noticed he was packing on pounds, but he was busy -- dealing with that would have to wait.
Read MoreNo one's sure where we got the idea that 10,000 is the ideal number of steps everybody should take every day. It doesn't seem to be based on anything scientific or medical. And the number might be daunting to people who are new to the idea of daily exercise.
Read MoreIf you think it’s expensive to eat right and exercise regularly, just consider the cost of being cheap with your health. For example, some people drink so many sodas that eliminating them could save almost $1,000 a year. That’s from health coach Kathryn Eyring, who presented “It’s Cheaper to be Healthy Than It Is to be Sick” at the Functional Aging Summit, an annual event for fitness professionals who serve people over 50.
Read MoreWe’re halfway through the year, and it’s a great time to assess progress on health, fitness, and other goals you had at the start of 2023. Or… maybe you didn’t have any and are only thinking about creating some goals now. That’s fine! With a new season upon us, we’re here with 23 tips to make this your sunniest yet. Forget regret. Abandon perfection. Embrace consistency!
Read MoreBeing obese means having a bigger body, of course. But research indicates it also means having a smaller brain – and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. “The more we understand about (body fat), the clearer it becomes that belly fat is its own disease-generating organism,” said Dr. Lenore Launer in a statement by the National Institutes of Health.
Read MoreAfter age 50 or so, many people start to gain weight, develop high blood pressure, and become frailer and weaker by the day. Plus, we have universal fears that getting older means we’ll be likely to fall and develop dementia, losing our independence in life. But what if I told you about a miracle drug that would help you lose weight, manage your blood pressure, and improve your bone density and strength? What if this drug also helped prevent falls and memory loss?
Read MoreToo many myths cloud the topics of aging and fitness. They keep people from living a healthy lifestyle, and most come from younger people and society at large. But there’s one super-persistent myth that people over 50 perpetuate themselves. To be more precise, women over 50 use this falsehood too often to avoid the most important type of exercise they need: strength training. “I don’t want to lift weights because I don’t want to get all big and bulky.”
Read MoreNobody likes belly fat, but almost everybody struggles with it to some degree. Among all kinds of fat, belly fat is the one that gets the most attention. I am frequently asked to help my training partners lose weight – and often, it’s specifically about the extended, round belly that tends to accumulate after 50 or so. Here’s the good news: Belly fat isn’t inevitable. We’re here to show you how to exercise and eat right to lose body fat for better health -- and to feel, look, and move better.
Read MoreHere’s a common scenario for people over 50. They’ve gradually gained weight over the last couple of decades, and now they’re obese or getting there. Somewhere over the years, they stopped participating in hobbies and sports. If they ever were a regular gym-goer or runner, that slipped away at some point, too.
Read MoreHere’s good news for mature women who think obesity is just part of their DNA. It turns out that exercise lowers their risk of obesity, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from 8,200 women of European ancestry in their 70s.
Read MoreWant to do something that’s good for your health, will get you moving outside, and even guarantee a boundless source of love in your life? Then you should consider getting a pet, specifically a dog, according to research that shows the health benefits canine companions have on older adults.
Women and men over 50 who want to avoid obesity should be lifting weights regularly.
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