diet, Elderly, Exercise, Fitness, Health, Men, women - April 24, 2014

6 Top Fitness and Nutrition Tips for the Elderly

Just because you’re over 55 years of age doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve peak health and fitness. It simply means that you have to take a slightly different approach so that you can protect yourself from injury or harming your gracefully aging body in any way.

Here are some tips that will help you when it comes to diet and exercise:

Talk to your doctor first. Although this really applies to everyone, it is perhaps more important the older you get. As we age, our bodies go through many changes so you want to make sure the fitness and nutrition modifications you want to make aren’t going to hurt you.

Take it slow. When we are younger, our bodies have a better ability to adapt to quick changes, but this isn’t so much the case later in life. Whatever changes you are going to make to your diet or exercise, take them slowly so that you don’t shock (and potentially harm) your body in the process.

Do it in pairs. Having someone beside you as you sweat your way to fitness is advantageous in the event that something goes wrong and you need help. And, if you have someone else that is making dietary changes too, it is easier to make them stick.

Increase your fiber. Try to eat a lot of fruits, veggies, and grains to not only help you feel full longer and supply your body with essential nutrients, but also to keep you regular. You may want to increase your intake slowly though as too much of a surge will give you an upset stomach complete with bloating and discomfort.

Drink a lot of water. The more hydrated you keep your body, the more energy you’ll have, the easier it will be for your joints to move, and the better all of your systems will work.

Listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, quit doing it. You know yourself better than anyone so make sure you heed any warnings your muscles, bones, or tendons are sending you.

Follow these six simple little tips and you’ll be on your way to health and wellness – regardless of your age!