Fitness for Longevity: How to Stay Healthy For a Lifetime

Fitness for Longevity: How to Stay Healthy For a Lifetime

Getting fit is a worthy goal but staying fit over the course of your life? Now that’s the real challenge.

Because while regular fitness might seem like a young person’s game, it can actually be your golden ticket to a healthier and happier future.

Let’s explore how fitness can help you live longer and stronger. 

Benefits of Exercise for Longterm Health

We all know how important exercise is for improving your health in the present but what about ten or even twenty years down the track? 

Every time you push through and choose to walk to work, jog in the afternoon or do that extra rep, you are giving your future self a gift. The gift of better long-term health.

Fitness for longevity may be swimming, walking, cycling or a hundred other activities. The fact that you chose to exercise is more important than how you actually exercise. 

Exercise improves your mood and mental health as well as reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and helps control your weight.

Not only that but exercise helps battle the aging body. As you get older, your metabolism slows down while body fat and the risk of depression increases. However, regular exercise can help turn back the clock on these struggles. 

In fact, with careful fitness over the course of your life, you can benefit from:

Fitness for Longevity: How to Stay Healthy For a Lifetime

1. A decreased resting heart rate

The more you exercise, the stronger your heart becomes (essential for fighting off potential cardiovascular diseases). 

It slows down because as your heart pumps more blood per beat it doesn’t need to pump as often.

2. Decreased body fat

When exercising, your muscles burn through stored energy or ‘fats’. This fat is released into the bloodstream and travels to key muscles to provide them with the energy they need.

Losing weight can help reduce your chance of developing type 2 diabetes as you age which is also associated with decreased body fat.

3. Improved mental health

Exercise has been proven to improve self-esteem and cognitive function, both vital qualities for ensuring a high quality of life as you age. 

This reduces your chance of anxiety and depression so you live a more joyful life.

Fitness for Longevity: How to Stay Healthy For a Lifetime

 

Building your fitness routine

We know the benefits of exercise but now it’s time to turn that knowledge into a regular fitness routine for longevity. 

Exercising is all about finding what works for you and making it a habit. In order to enjoy lasting health benefits, you’ll need to first create lasting fitness habits. 

There’s no one size fits all strategy however here are some tips to create a sustainable and effective fitness plan:

1. Consider your fitness level

You’re not an elite athlete and you shouldn’t try to train like one. Try to set realistic goals based on your fitness levels. Too easy and you’re wasting your time. Too hard and you’re setting yourself up for an early failure. 

2. Scale it up and down 

This simply means starting small and getting bigger. You might set milestones to show your progression or share your achievements with friends and family. However, it’s also important to scale your workouts after injuries.

 As you get older, you’re more likely to injure yourself.  It’s important to consult with a health professional about any injuries and scale your routine accordingly so you can safely return back to exercising.

3. Monitor and share your progress 

You’ve designed a great fitness plan that’s built to survive any shock injuries. The next step is to celebrate your success! 

Grab an exercise buddy or simply tell your loved ones what you’ve been doing (or plan to do).  Sharing your successes will keep you motivated and may even motivate others. 

Exercise is the best way to take back your life. After all, you can’t control aging but you can control how you age. 

We know the many benefits of exercise, particularly as you grow older. Now, the real challenge is getting started.

But if you’re truly serious about living your healthiest life, then download the OOMPH app today! Not only does OOMPH have a great community feature but you’ll gain access to some of the best coaches in the world. 

The journey to a stronger and longer life begins now! 

 

Fitness for Longevity: How to Stay Healthy For a Lifetime

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