Health
Aging is not fun I am told, and I am finding this out on my own. I am starting to see some changes, more gray hairs, a slower recovery from fatigue, and stiff joints when I’ve been sitting too long. With these changes occurring I am taking a little more proactive approach to these challenges. I am developing an aging strategy. My motivation lies in that I do not want to end up like some family members that did not age well. I also do not want to end up with mobility issues and suffer the impact that would have on my lifestyle. I would like to stay active for as long as possible. Here is a ten step program I developed that I am following to shore things up as I start to cross the other half of the middle age mark.
The entire plan is based around being intentional about the most important factors to consider when aging. Weight, sleep, substances, strength, cardio, stress, and nutrition all round out the plan. I would add relationship building, that is the advice I hear from many elderly people, but this plan is self-focused. I will address that important life aspect on its own.
- Monitoring – weighing yourself and tracking your weight daily lets you look at trends and manage weight gain, which tends to happen over long periods of time and can sneak up on you.
- Sleep – sleep hygiene is real and something to practice.
- Alcohol/Nicotine – there is just no room for either when you age. It is best just to abstain.
- Weight training – strength training relieves a lot of aches and pains and lets you stay active.
- Walking – a daily walk can help you gather your thoughts and get your blood flowing during a sedentary workday.
- Cardio – your heart will thank you, and it does not need to be boring machine work, swimming, hiking and cycling are great also
- Stress management – over-stimulation, poor coping mechanisms, and pressures can affect what you eat and how you sleep, easier said than done of course
- Breakfast – a fixed breakfast meal plan that you eat everyday should include protein and minimized processed foods and sugar.
- Lunch – salads are best at this meal because they give you a mid-day fiber boost. A programmed lunch also reduces decision fatigue.
- Dinner – keep it to one plate at the most, second servings are where the calories get you.
I am going to spend each day in this blog thinking about each of these ten steps in more depth. Next, let’s think about monitoring…