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Health and Fitness - How to Keep Fit as You Age

By Moses Wright

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Published: 21May2008
Word count: 791
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It is common knowledge that as we begin to add years under our belts that we will need to work a little harder at maintaining fitness and weight. It takes a little more to shed those last few unwanted pounds.

It is well-known around the globe, today, that our metabolisms begin to slow to a biological crawl as we get older. Except for the hopes of some sort of miracle, or some extreme technological breakthrough, this is the facts, and we have no choice but to live and accept it as it is.

Medical science, for some time now, has been doing exactly that; trying to find a "cure," if you will, to the unstoppable process of aging. Studies have, in the last twenty years, hinted as to what causes aging. Hopes are that by continuing these studies, more knowledge will be attained, therefore, this newfound knowledge should put us closer to finding methods to "reverse," or at least slow down the aging process.

There's no telling as to when such a breakthrough is going to happen, so until then, it seems that the most sensible thing for a person to do is to use the methods we have in order to stay healthy. It should be of no shock to anyone to know that the two main factors to achieving this goal is proper exercise and a sensible diet.

Depending on a persons age and current health, it's wise to establish a diet and workout regimen that will better suit the individual. Some discomfort following the days after a person begins working out is expected, but this discomfort will, within a few days dissipate to a comfortable level. Extreme pain is a sign that a person is overexerting themselves, which will not help in the long-run. Find a happy medium.

Let it be known that in order to maintain a healthy physique, it's necessary to alter your diet as well. How healthy of a physique can one expect to get when they haven't cut down on fatty foods?

Some people, after reaching a certain age, have a tendency of eating foods that they would've normally have shunned in their earlier years. At times, this indulgence comes as a sort of reward after the many years of discipline and hard-labor. The one thing that goes over-looked by so many, though, is that this can prove very negative in these latter years as our metabolisms slow.

As with everything and at any age, everything should be done in moderation. There's nothing wrong with an occasional snack every now and then as this could prove beneficial, both for the mentality and for health reasons. Sugar and fat are actually necessary components in our diets, seeing that simple sugars are essential for energy and unsaturated fat is beneficial for regulating hormones and other important activities.

Although, many of us try to maintain a healthy diet, regular exercise is also a key attribute to a true healthy body. Even something as simple as walking is suggested to strengthen our cardiovascular systems. It's been proven that this simple activity helps to keep the joints strong and lubricated, and helps to maintain strong muscles and bones.

Professionals have proven that those in the 60 or more age group with little to no exercise have only a 60% aerobic capacity of those in the 30 year old age group. Up to seven pounds of muscle mass can be lost in just the small span of ten years without proper diet and exercise. Studies have also proven, though, that this does not have to be the case, as long as we learn how to take better care of ourselves.

Certain medical facilities have examined the effects of runners for the span of twenty-five years, and have shown that the results proved that these runners lost very little capacity over the past twenty years. Even those that engaged in resistance training maintained over a ten year span. This is in accordance with a very popular saying that goes, "Either use it, or lose it."

For people that really haven't changed their lifestyles, whether by diet or by exercise, have a better chance of reversing the effects of aging. Like anything else, though, it's wise to start slowly, and work yourself up to a regimen that you're comfortable with. Many people that overexert themselves tend to feel more pain than those that start slowly, and because of this, many people tend to give up before they've witnessed any positive results. Even to become a jogger, one should start as a power-walker. Also, very importantly, don't be afraid to seek the advice of a professional.

Moses Wright is a health conscious webmaster. He sets up this site to help people learn more about health and fitness. You can also get more useful resources on exercising during pregnancy at his site.

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