Are you in your 40’s, 50’s, or beyond? Do you ever find yourself wondering if it’s too late to find your fitness and prioritize a healthy lifestyle?
First of all, it is NOT too late. Second of all, you have come to the right place!
In this episode of the Fit is Freedom Podcast, I am joined by Kevin English. Kevin is a healthy aging expert. He iis going to walk us through the three main keys to achieving, maintaining, and improving your optimal health as you age gracefully.
All About KevinIn his mid-forties, Kevin English discovered he was losing track of himself and his health. While his health slowly crept into an unsatisfactory state, it was a sudden health scare that served as a wake up call to start prioritizing himself once again. This personal change led Kevin to become a healthy living expert and he founded Silver Edge. Silver Edge is a business that includes a podcast, coaching, and so much more that focuses on finding health and wellness for those over 50.
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Three Keys to Optimal Health
Kevin thinks of the three main pillars to optimal health, like a three-legged stool. If you have all three, you’re solid, but if you’re missing one, it can all fall to pieces. When setting your sights on being strong and healthy beyond fifty, it’s important to make sure all three of the following keys are a priority…
Fuel
Did you know that 70% of the average American’s diet comes from processed foods? That is a staggering statistic that can wreak havoc on your health. The general rule of thumb for fueling yourself properly is to focus on eating as many real foods as possible. Shop the edges of the grocery store. Switch out those Cheez-Its for some peanut butter and an apple.
Another important thing to consider when fueling yourself as you age is protein! Generally, our body tends to lose muscle mass as we age, but prioritizing protein in your diet (along with the other keys to optimal health) can prevent that from happening. Ideally, you want to eat .7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your ideal weight. So, if your ideal weight is 180 pounds, you should aim to eat 126 to 180 grams per day.
Sticking to non-processed foods and packing the protein will get you going on the right track to building muscle and maintaining your health and strength as you age.
MovementAs we age, we lose about 10% of muscle per decade. For a while, people in the health and fitness industry just accepted this as an inevitable fact. As it turns out, this doesn’t have to be the case. Yes, losing muscle mass can become easier as we age, but if you prioritize a variety of movements (along with eating a healthy, protein-focused diet), you can prevent muscle loss.
There are two main types of muscles: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 muscles are slow twitch muscles that are well developed for longerform exercise like walking, running, etc. Marathon runners have well developed Type 1 muscles.
Type 2 muscles, however, are the opposite. They fire with faster movements like strength training and progressive overload. Type 2 muscles are metabolically expensive and the easiest to lose. As we age, it becomes more and more crucial to prioritize movements that continue to build your Type 2 muscles.
So, for those who are serial cardio lovers, don’t forget about those Type 2 muscles and make sure you take time to strength train properly.
Lifestyle Integration
This “third leg” of the three legged stool is crucial. You can’t simply achieve health and wellness by focusing on your fuel and movement alone. You’ve also got to ensure you are sleeping and resting in a way that heals your body and allows it to properly thrive.
Kevin thinks of sleep as a magical secret hack. It’s the foundation for over 50 health because it is where all of the repairs happen. Make sure you are prioritizing not just sleep, but also rest.
Recovery is critical to getting strong and progressing. You will inevitably get hurt if you are breaking down your muscles and then only allowing them to partially repair. We need to break down our muscles, allow them to repair, and then adapt.
With proper fuel, intentional movements, and lifestyle integration, anyone can find their way back to health and fitness in their later years!
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