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Guide to Staying Fit at any Stage in Life Special to ALMetro360 J UST LIKE YOUR 401( K ), YOUR HEALTH IS A LONG - TERM INVESTMENT THAT YOU REALLY CAN ’ T AFFORD TO KEEP AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR PRIORITY LIST . here’s no secret to living a long and healthy life. You can be just as fit in your 60s as you were in your 20s. All you need is a little time and a good fitness routine. Life changes with every decade. And, as we age, our bodies change. Our focus changes. Our motivation changes. Our nutritional needs change. Our activity habits and abilities change. How do we adapt? How do we make the best of where we are, right now? The trick is to focus on the right things at the right times. By giving our bodies what they need today, we can help ourselves stay as healthy and vibrant as possible for to- morrow. Use this guide to become your fittest, strongest self – no matter your age. 20 S : • Start to build your “body’s manual.” Now that you’re out on your own, learn the fundamentals of exercise and nutrition choices and how they work for you. What is important to you? What are your goals? What healthy habits make sense for you and your life? • Look for simple, general habits that you can still follow on a small budget. • Weight train regularly and get enough protein. This is important for men and women. Your 20s is an ideal time to build muscle, bone, and strong connective tissues: you’re building a foundation for your body that will last the rest of your life. • Consider a variety of activities. Cross-training will build a solid foundation of movement, and it will help you explore a wide range of options to see what you enjoy the most. 30 S : • Adjust your caloric intake and activity levels to account for a slightly slower metabolism. (Remember how you used to be able to consume all that pizza and never gain a pound? Those were the good old days.) • Be more careful with the quality of your intake. Your body might be a little more sensitive to what you feed it. For example, you may find you can’t tolerate certain foods and alcohol like you once did. • Optimize your hormonal (and overall) health if you are planning on starting or growing a family. • Establish simple nutrition and fitness routines that juggle many demands (i.e. quick, effective workouts or fast-prep healthy din- ners). • Include destressing-type activities as part of your exercise. 40 S : • Keep adjusting your caloric intake as your metabolism continues to slow down. • Spend more time on strength/resistance training to slowmuscle loss as well as to maintain insulin sensitivity (which helps regu- late blood sugar and prevent Type 2 diabetes). • Spend more time on mobility, “pre-hab” types of activities, warming up, and active recovery. • Consider your nutrition more carefully. That can mean focusing more on quality food choices and prevention of chronic disease, including: • nutrient-rich foods such as colorful fruits and vegetables. • a wide range of food types that cover the nutritional bases. • Eliminate certain foods that now bother you, while adding others that help control inflammation (such as foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids). • Supplement with a good probiotic as digestion starts to change. • Practice mindful eating in the midst of life’s whirlwind. 50 S : • Keep adjusting your caloric intake as your metabolism continues to slow down. • Make an effort to get essential fatty acids to keep your brain sharp and other fatty tissues such as eyes healthy. (Omega-3 16 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com LIVING WELL ......................................................................................................................... T