One of the downsides of growing older is your body begins to change. You become overweight. Your back hurts and even goes out on you from time to time. Your strength seems diminished. You use to love walking around town, but now you call Uber because you don’t have the energy to walk the mile you use to travel with ease. You more and more feel sluggish, weak, and frail.
That was my life just a few years ago. But I decided I did not want to end up that way. I look around every day, and I see men and women in their 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s living with vitality. Their health is good. They stay busy doing things they love. They travel and go on adventures and live life fully all the way to the end. That is how I want to live.
Then I see others who can’t do any of those things. They can’t pursue hobbies or explore anymore because of their health issues. Their life is over before it really is over. They now have to live out the last years of their life stuck in front of a television watching the world go by instead of actively participating in it. They also live with a nagging sense that they are responsible for where they are right now. Their issue isn’t some rare disease they contracted that has lead to their situation but rather the result of not taking good care of themselves. I don’t want to finish this life with those regrets.
As I have thought about finishing my life as healthy as possible, I have discovered two simple rules that have helped me immensely as it relates to my health.
“As much as possible, I need to eat healthy non-processed foods.”
One, as much as possible, I need to eat healthy non-processed foods. I am a big man with a big appetite who genuinely like all kinds of food. Because of these tendencies, I have had to put some parameters on how I eat. My guidelines are simple. I eat meat, vegetables, and fruits. I stay away from fried foods, sugar, and all things processed.
Do I do this perfectly? No! I eat clean about 90% of the time. Every couple of weeks I will let my guard down a little and enjoy something outside of my totally clean eating zone. Fried chicken, a slice of pizza, a piece of chocolate cake, all get eaten from time to time. But I feel healthier when I only do that a couple of times a month. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel if you just followed this simple plan. Eat real food that comes from the earth, not processed food that comes from a factory.
“I try to do something physical at least five days a week.”
The other rule that helps me is I try to do something physical at least five days a week.
I live in the city and work mainly on my laptop, so I do not get a workout with my job. I have to schedule exercise designed for that purpose, so I go to a gym several days a week to do serious strength training. Losing muscle is a huge problem for us as we age. I want to stay healthy as long as I can, and that requires working out.
Almost all of my older friends also struggle with flexibility and shortness of breath. That is why I am beginning to add yoga to my health regiment. I am finding the practice of stretching and controlling my breathing to be very rewarding to me.
So there it is! My two rules for aging well: Eat real not processed food and do physically taxing activities like weight training and yoga at least five days a week.
Obviously, this is a bare minimum protocol. As you do these things, you will want to read experts as they write on food and fitness. My favorites are Charles R. Poliquin, who is considered the world’s best strength coach. He has trained more than 800 Olympians and is an expert on muscle, strength, and sports performance. I also have learned a great deal from Neurosurgeon and Anti-aging doctor Brett Osborn. His latest book is called Get Serious, which is an excellent primer on eating and working out to help you age well. Both of these men will help you create a diet and exercise plan that will make aging easier.
Will this mean you will have an incredible physique? No. Does it mean you will be as slim as the doctor wants you to be? Probably not. But you getting on a health plan does show you are taking steps to be healthier longer than those who choose to do nothing.