How I Stay Fit in My Fifties

June 30, 2011

By Steve Winston

I’m in my 50s. I weigh less than I did five years ago. I run faster. I lift heavier weights. I’m just as lean. I climb 15,000-foot mountains (with a 35-pound pack on my back). I don’t eat a lot … but I’m never hungry. And I can still wear the same clothes.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it’s easy. In fact, sometimes, when I’m running in the Florida rain at 6 a.m., it can seem damned hard! But it’s worth it.

What’s my secret? There is none, really, other than discipline. Watching what I eat (and how much of it). Educating myself. Realizing that “wellness” is not just physical, but also emotional and spiritual. And – for the first time in my life – listening to my body when it screams “Stop!!!”

Over the years, I’ve learned a lot. And maybe some of it can help you, too.

Drink! Drink! Drink! No, we’re not talking about alcohol. We’re talking about water, which hydrates your system and keeps stuff from sticking around too long in your gut.  And green tea, which is filled with age-defying (and disease-defying) antioxidants. And, by the way, I do drink a glass of red wine with dinner. It, too, is filled with antioxidants. And it’s good for your heart. Not to mention your post-dinner mood!

Exercise. At least four times a week. It doesn’t have to be 5-6 times a week, like I do it. But it’s got to be at least four times to be of any benefit. And it’s got to be for at least 30-40 minutes.

Aerobics/Cardio Works Your Heart. Run. Walk. Swim. Row. Bike. Get your heart rate to at least 80% of your maximum exertion rate, and it’ll pay you back … by beating for more years, and by beating slower. (Generally, the less times it beats, the more beats you have left in your life.)

Strength Training Works Your Muscles. It keeps them toned and strong longer. And it burns fat. When it burns fat, your metabolism gets a good boost. And when your metabolism gets a good boost, you stay leaner longer, and there’s less build up of fat (sounds gross, doesn’t it?) and plaque around your heart.

Moral of the Previous Two Points? The best way to stay in shape is to do both strength training and cardio!

Eat Protein – A Lot of It. Protein is not only the building block of muscle, but it’s also the building block toward jump-starting your metabolism. Which, again, decreases your fat (both on the inside and the outside of your body), and increases lean muscle.

Eat Fiber. Being over fifty, you probably know this already … but it bears repeating. Eat fiber. Lots and lots of fiber. The less time stuff spends in your gut, the less chance it has of turning into something bad.

Eat the Mediterranean Diet. It’s heavy on fresh vegetables, fish, raw (unprocessed) nuts, fruit, seeds (like sunflower seeds or flaxseed), and olive oil. It’s heavy on eating foods – especially vegetables – in their raw, natural states. And it’s light on processed foods, dairy (which is high-fat), and animal protein (which, by the time it gets to you, is often filled with antibiotics, additives, and stuff that animals eat that you really don’t want in your own gut).

Make Exercise Fun. If you like to walk a few miles each day, why not turn the walk into a hike? Maybe carry a light pack on your back, pick up the pace a bit, and walk in a different place than usual. Consider buying a pair of hiking poles, so that you can get the same benefits as you do on the machines at your club – except you can get them outdoors. Hills are superb for getting your metabolism into gear while jogging or walking. Or just change your route. The more you vary your routine, the better the chance you’ll stick with it.

It’s OK to Splurge with Food – Occasionally. During the week, I eat only soybeans and fresh vegetables like kale and uncooked spinach and raw carrots (un-peeled), whole wheat products, seeds, raw oats, no salad dressings, except for vinegar and oil, nothing from a can, nothing that’s processed or preserved in any way. But on weekends I loosen up a bit. On Saturday afternoons in the fall, when I’m watching my beloved University of Miami Hurricanes, I’ll have a beer in one hand and some chips in the other. And don’t dare stand in front of me at the Chinese buffet; I’ll run you down without a second thought. You can eat most of the things you love … occasionally, anyway. Just remember to exercise portion-control (and that way you can enjoy them more often!).

Try Race-Walking: One exercise method I always recommend to other middle-aged folks is race-walking. You don’t even have to move your legs faster than usual (although that helps!). But if you move your arms, as well, you’ll get a workout that’s twice as good. Try to really pump them. That way, your upper body will benefit as well as your lower body.

Eat Slowly! Try – it may be hard at first – putting your fork down after each bite. Scientists are telling us we eat so fast that we don’t give our bodies time to signal us that they’re full … which is why so many of us are eating so much. Slow down! Taste your food. Learn to enjoy the experience of eating. And drink a lot during meals; scientists are also telling us a lot of what we think is hunger is, actually, thirst. You’ll eventually eat less … and you’ll stop eating when you’re full.

Eat Small Meals. One of the best ways to jack up your metabolism is to eat a bunch of small “meals” during the day. Particularly if you’re eating the right foods – and a lot of protein – this will jump-start your metabolism every few hours. I eat three small meals a day, and protein snacks between meals (yogurt, etc.). A lot of liquids. And I’m never hungry.

Take it Easy. The flip side of not exercising at all is becoming an exercise addict. We’re no longer in our twenties. Or thirties. Or forties. In those days, we could ignore our body’s signals … and they’d probably be gone anyway by the next day. Take it from one who, until well past his 50^th birthday, often ignored those signals. It doesn’t pay; all it’s going to do is turn “next day” into next week – or next month. Listen to your body.

It may require some lifestyle changes. But once you get going – and see success – you’ll never want to go back to “the dark side.” Because you’ll be lighter, leaner, more energetic … and happier!

Resource Links: A few of the websites I think are helpful are www.menshealth.com; www.womenshealth.com. I also find good advice about healthy eating on Yahoo News. Go to “Health,” then search for “Super Foods.”

Steve Winston (www.stevewinston.com) has written/contributed to 17 books, and his articles appear in major media all over the world.