I recently turned 37 years old. When it’s your birthday, everyone likes to ask you ‘How do you feel?’ Or ‘Do you feel older?’. Honestly, I don’t. I’ve got more muscle on my frame than at any point in my life (photo below), I can go on a 30+ mile bike ride even without strict cardio conditioning, and I’ve maintained and maybe even increased my flexibility and mobility in the last year.
(37 year old Me!)
But I'm a Personal Trainer in Chicago. A lot of my friends and family can’t say the same. They admit that they ‘feel old’. It’s harder to get out of bed in the morning, they have less energy during the day, and they can’t perform at the level they did just a few short years ago. And these are people in their early to mid 30s!!!
I promise, it doesn’t get easier from here. Time is undefeated. But, there are ways we can maintain a high level of energy, performance, and health even as we get up there in years.
With that in mind, here are 5 ways to avoid ‘Feeling Old’!
*Always consult a healthcare profressional before beginning any fitness/nutrition program. This article is for educational purposes only.
STAYING ACTIVE
It’s true, a body in motion will stay in motion while a body at rest will stay at rest. I have a lot of clients who spend their entire day behind a desk. I tell them to take 5 minutes every hour to do the same warm up we do pre-workout to keep their muscles loose and get the blood flowing again.
I also recommend trying to take 10,000-12,000 steps per day. This is the equivalent of spending an hour on a treadmill and you can do it while accomplishing other things! Run your errands, walk your dog, play with your kids.
We know the couch is tempting and work needs to be done but, if you can slowly increase your step count day by day, you will have more energy, keep your muscles loose, and avoid feeling your age!
STAYING ATHLETIC
Walking is a great start but, when it comes to athleticism, you either use it or you lose it.
When we think of athleticism, think of the way your body moves. Are you able to make quick, sudden movements and avoid injury? Do you move fluidly when you walk or run? Do you exercise with proper form? If not, you might want to consider adding mobility training to your routine.
I work with pre/post natal women, seniors, and people rehabbing injuries/joint replacements to keep their hips mobile and their posture aligned. We utilize bands, mobility drills, and even yoga sessions as ways to increase mobility, flexibility, and athleticism while protecting their joints.
If you want to regain athleticism and improve your quality of life, it might be time to change up your routine.
STAYING STRONG
We’ve all seen people in advanced age who appear frail. They’re hunched over and moving very slowly. While this may seem unavoidable, I promise you that it isn’t. We can all take steps now to maintain muscle mass, bone density, and a high quality of life as we age by strength training with progress overload and proper form.
It is crucial to maintain muscle mass and bone density as we age. I recently had a 75 year old client tell me that he was only able to care for his wife post surgery because he had been training with me for years.
Adding 2-3 strength training sessions per week and using moderate weights with proper form is an excellent way to maintain muscle mass, bone density, and a high quality of life.
NUTRITION/HYDRATION/SLEEP
We’ll group these 3 together as ‘quality of life’ behaviors that can be done without exercise.
Nutrition: Whether you are eating to lose weight, eating to bulk up, or just maintaining a consistent weight, you need to eat fresh, nutrient dense food to fuel your body and maintain consistent energy. A high protein diet is also a great way to help build muscle and keep your frame strong. I always recommend new clients track a typical week of eating before making any changes so they can see how strong or poor their nutrition currently is. Try this on your own! Log what you eat for a week and see how many calories you are consuming versus burning each day. If you use an app like MyFitnessPal, you'll also see how much fat, carbs, and protein you are eating each day.
Hydration: 75% of adults walk around dehydrated every day. Considering how many of those giant Stanley cups I see throughout the city, this is hard to believe. You want to target between 60-80 ounces of water per day, more if you exercise regularly. Staying hydrated will naturally increase energy, improve your skin, and promote mental energy as well.
Sleep: Your body and your mind recover while you sleep. Are you consistently getting 8 hours per night? If not, it’s time to troubleshoot what is stopping you. Are you on your phone too much? Stressed from work/family obligations? Or just not getting enough activity throughout the day so you’re fatigued when your head hits the pillow?
You will not build muscle without sleep. It is vital to your overall health and quality of life.
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