It is easy to get distracted by work, family and other responsibilities throughout your life. This removes your focus from your health and becoming the best version of yourself. But, now that you are over 70 and in retirement, this is a time when you can prioritise your health. Indeed, this is recommended if you want to stay active for many more years and spend more time with your loved ones.
If you are looking to transform your health and you are over 70, you might wonder whether you should prioritise exercise or diet. Maybe you want to lose a few pounds, or you want to get fitter. Either way, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
Well, out first piece of advice is that you should not rush anything. In other words, you want to make changes to your routine slowly. Going full throttle can lead to injuries and binge eating. Here is a useful guide that can help you make positive changes and transform your lifestyle.
Balance Diet and Exercise
Know that if you want to be fit and healthy, you need to have a combination of a good diet and some exercise. Since you are over 70, you should transition slowly into your new lifestyle. This is going to have better results and make sure that you stick to your new routine. You want to start with slow changes and progress from there.
When it comes to your health, diet is very important. You need to ensure you are getting the right nutrients you body needs through varied foods. Yes, we mean vegetables and fruits, which also contain cancer-preventing antioxidants. But, we also mean lean meats for protein and oily fish for omega 3s. This is not to say that you can never have any junk food again. You can still treat yourself. Typically, people find the 80/20 rule the best. This means that you eat well 80 percent of the time. Then, the other 20 percent can be foods that you enjoy.
Then, you are going to have to think about exercise. Generally, you want to include some cardiovascular exercise, which is going to be good for your heart and lungs. Then, you can include some light strength training too. This means testing your muscles and ensuring they stay healthy, which helps you be mobile when you are older.
Diet and Exercise Tips
Do you want to start feeling and looking better? Then you need to start your new lifestyle. Here are some simple diet and exercise tips that can make a huge difference.
Address Health Concerns
Know that you should always address any health concerns you have first. Usay Compare has health insurance for you if you want to use private healthcare. This can get you seen by a doctor quickly. Indeed, once you know that you are well enough, you can embark on a new health and fitness journey.
Try to Exercise every Day
A goal for those over 70s should be doing something physical every day. You do not have to run on a treadmill for hours at the gym. Instead, going for a brisk walk around your neighbourhood will be good for your health. Take your dog for a longer walk than usual. Alternatively, you can take the stairs when you are out and about instead of the elevator. The key is to keep things interesting and challenge yourself in small ways.
Look for Fun Recipes
If you are trying to transition and incorporate healthier foods into your meals, you have to do this gradually. Otherwise, you could be eating bland food that you do not like. This is how you will escape back into your old lifestyle and resort to junk foods because they taste better. You have to do things slowly. But, something that is also going to help is look for fun recipes. Cooking from scratch can be a fun and rewarding activity. There are plenty of healthy ones out there that are going to be enjoyable to cook.
Try a Fitness Class
Know that exercise does not have to be boring and feel like a chore. Instead, there are ways you can have fun at the same time and socialise. For instance, there are fitness classes for over 70s. These can be at your local swimming pool or club. Here, you can try something new and have some fun. You might find something you love.
Invite a Friend
Something that is great about exercise is that it does not have to feel like hard work. For instance, when you go walking with a friend, you are concentrating on chatting and laughing with them. The emphasis is not on how many steps you are doing or how many calories you are burning. Thus, a good way to improve your physical help is to invite a friend on your fitness journey. You can walk with them regularly. What’s more, they can keep you in check if you start to falter.