Fitness Past 50

[Pistolier60]

I’m 58 and have basically considered myself an athlete since I was about 12. I’ve taken very little time off of working out through most of my life. Maybe a month or 2 here or there but it starts to nag at me if I take too many days off.I try to avoid sugar and fried foods as much as I can. These days my workouts consist of weights a couple of days a week followed by hiit on the treadmill in the winter. Warm weather workouts are bicycle about 3 days a week and weights and treadmill 2 or 3 days a week.My main focus is to try to keep my health better than average and make it to retirement so I can tackle an Appalachain trail thru hike. Who knows after that ,maybe PCT or Florida trail.

 

[sabrev65]

I definitely need to step it up. I injured my knee and shoulder several years back, and don't have the zip I used to. I walk most of the day and rarely find the energy to get it done. I had my knee replaced last year and have been struggling with flexibility.
Are there any supplements that are good for energy? I have cut sugar from my diet and cut back on carbs.

 

[eightnsand]

Keep moving. Interval Fast. Walk. No high impact moves. No eating out. No simple sugars. Only simple foods. Lots of sex. Keep up the good work. Keep us posted.

 

[ShawnZR-1]

The heaviest thing you'll ever lift is your ass off of the couch.

I'll be 50 this year. I've been diagnosed with bladder cancer but I've been clean for 9 months! Although that will give you a new perspective on life, it wasn't what kicked me in the butt to get back into shape. Two bulging and herniated discs deflecting my sciatic nerve to the point I couldn't walk gave me the wake-up call I needed. I can't believe that in one year, I gained 22 pounds after my son left baseball to focus on High School. I had been coaching him for 7 years and I we were on the ballfield almost every day. Then... nothing. I became sedate. And I paid the price! It took 3 rounds of epidural steroid shots and 8 weeks of PT but I got myself back on my feet and I vowed I would stay healthy!

Now, I'm back down to my ideal weight. I go to the gym 5 days a week with a focus on core but each day has a different secondary focus. Weight training on 3 and cardio on two days.
A few key things I've learned along the way:
1. You need to track your calorie and macro intake.
2. You need to track your calorie expense (how much you are burning). There are a myriad of fitness tracker devices (I love my FitBit) and calorie counters (MyFitnessPal).
3. You need to commit to healthy changes. It's a bit rough in the beginning but once you're in the groove, it becomes fun!
4. Set goals. There are three goals, short term, mid term, and long term. Examples: Short term, 10,000 steps in a day. Mid term: lose 2 pounds in 2 weeks. Long term: Drop 10 pounds in 3 months. You'll also find other goals to set and hit, like run a mile or add more weight to your reps.
5. Reward yourself! You're making positive strides and hitting those goals will feel good! There's nothing wrong with indulging in your favorite meal or drink once in a while. Everything in moderation. Stop and smell the flowers, but don't forget to get back on the path!
6. NEVER punish yourself!! Look, we're human. We'll take that extra bite of cake, down a beer or two but it doesn't mean you have quit! Hell, a lot of health professionals recommend taking breaks and letting yourself relax. It does a lot to reset the mind and body. Don't feel too guilty, you'll get back at it and you'll feel better for it.
7. Seek advice and inspiration. It gets boring doing things alone. Having a gym mate helps keep you both on track as well as inspires a little competition, keeps you moving and moving forward! Even if you don't go to the gym, find a walking partner, you'd be surprised how many people want to get out but are afraid to take the first step. Be their inspiration.

Most of all, have fun with it! If you think it's becoming a chore, change things up. There's always something new to try!