Today
health and fitness is a big, mega-million
pound industry. A lot is written about
it in order to sell dreams and shift products.
Whether diet books, gym memberships, celebrity
fitness DVDs, exercise equipment, dietary
supplements or fancy fitness clothing,
there is seemingly always some new magical
product that guarantees you that perfect
combination - eternal life and an attractive
you.
For
some strange reason, however, in health
and fitness terms once you're over 50
you're suddenly relegated to the 'old'
pile in terms of marketing thrust. Walk-in
baths, stair lifts, back supports and
comfy slippers.the mind boggles at who
dares to insult in my primers
with such things.
However,
perhaps as a group we only have ourselves
to blame. Like most of the rest of the
population, our health and fitness levels
aren't as good as they might be, so for
some, in my prime becomes
a prime time for the bad habits of a lifetime
to come to roost.
It's
never too late to stop bad habits
The
good news is that it's never too late
to cease those bad habits and get a grip
on a better future. In fact, there's never
been a better time in as much as we can
no longer fool ourselves that our bodies
will bounce back unscathed as they did
when we were young.
So
- what to do? Our view is that if you
like the sound of something, try it. If
it works for you keep doing it, and if
you have success in one area, then add
to it by doing something else to improve
another aspect of your health and fitness.
However,
if like many of us, you have tried every
diet, and every latest fitness regime
going, still without long-lasting success,
we recommend going back to basics.
We
believe the following is the most sensible
and potentially productive route to take
to improved health and fitness and encourage
you to give it a go:
Start
small - don't try and do everything
all at once. You're in this for the long
term i.e. the rest of your life, so you've
plenty of time to build up to leading
a perfect lifestyle. Make small changes,
gradually, and concentrate on persistence
and steady progress rather than sensational
speedy results.
Check
your health with your doctor at
the outset. You'll find this health warning
attached to every diet or exercise programme,
but at this age, it's worth taking heed.
You shouldn't have any problems if (see
previous point) you start to make gradual
changes, but it's better to be safe and
sure.
Give
up smoking - Everyone knows
the risks so nothing more to say. Try
these websites for useful advice: www.givingupsmoking.co.uk
www.nicotine-anonymous.org
www.ash.org.uk
Oh,
and if you're using any drugs other than
nicotine, give them up too. There's plenty
of help around if you need it. The Mental
Health Foundation, www.mentalhealth.co.uk
has a list of organisations that
help those struggling with substance abuse.
Restrict
your alcohol consumption - Fortunately
for most of us, alcohol is an indulgence
rather than an addiction. However, like
all habits, it can get out of proportion
and before long you find yourself habitually
drinking too much, too often. The effects
are detrimental to your health, weight
and wallet - so take control and cut back.
Restricting
alcohol will make you healthier, more
energetic, slimmer and often, a much more
interesting and amenable person.
It
can be good to start by giving up entirely
for a while, just to give your system
time to normalise. After a few days, you'll
start to feel great and if and when you
do decide to start drinking again, you'll
find it easier to drink less.
Current
advice on 'safe' drinking is:
- no more than two units
of alcohol a day for women
- no more than three
units per day for men
- you should have at
least two drink-free days a week.
For
support try:
Drinkline
- the national alcohol helpline - tel
0800 917 8282.
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
www.al-anon.org.uk
(support and advice for families
of alcoholics)
Eat
a balanced diet and smaller portions -
Staying healthy means consuming
all the essential nutrients you should,
and very few of those you shouldn't. Regrettably
in our affluent society we have become
over-obsessed with food to the extent
that 'food allergies' and 'intolerances'
now seem hugely fashionable afflictions
and eating disorders are becoming increasingly
prevalent for people of all ages.
While
not wanting to belittle those who suffer,
it might benefit us all to think occasionally
of our affluence and wonder how much our
relationship with food would change if
we had access to much less of it - both
in quantity and range.
Obesity
is now a major epidemic and for in
my primers as our metabolisms
start to slow down, it becomes an increasing
threat. We have to eat less and exercise
more in order to stay the same size -
which is fine if you're currently the
size you should be, bad news if not.
In
terms of losing weight, there are, unfortunately
no 'magic' foods or 'wonder' regimes that
really make a lasting difference.
And,
the whole point about being on a 'diet'
is that it is a short term programme that
often has little effect on your long-term
eating habits. By all means, try a diet
to kick-start your new eating habits,
but keep it sensible. The easier it is
to follow, the more you're likely to stick
to it.
For sensible advice see:
www.weightwatchers.co.uk
www.rosemary-conley.co.uk
www.fatmanslim.com
- the first weight loss programme
specifically for men
Take
regular exercise. People often
make the excuse that they 'haven't got
time' for exercise. All that means is
that they can't be bothered to make time.
According to recent research, in order
to get sufficient exercise, all we need
to do is walk for 20 - 30 minutes per
day. How difficult and time-consuming
is that?
In
our society, people immediately seem to
talk about 'joining a gym' if they want
to improve their fitness, but for many
people that's an option which is boring,
unrewarding and expensive. If you're one
of them, consider some of the other options
- sport (e.g. tennis, badminton, sailing);
dancing; hiking; cycling; skating; swimming;
riding, yoga - the list is endless.
Essential
elements of your chosen pastime(s) are
that it should be something you actively
enjoy doing, something that is relatively
accessible on a regular basis, and something
which ideally also brings you into contact
with other people.
And
don't forget that mundane tasks such as
gardening, housework, and washing the
car are all good exercise too!
Get
plenty of sleep. Sleep is a great
mental and physical healer and enables
us to cope better with the stresses of
daily life. At this stage in life some
people start to have more difficulty sleeping
than they once did so positive action
is called for. Instead of turning to sleeping
pills, search google (How can I sleep
better) or click onto www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/sleep
Get
regular checkups and screenings. This
can be the age where things start to go
wrong, but even serious illnesses and
afflictions can usually be treated successfully
if detected early enough. So don't ignore
unusual symptoms in the hope that they
will go away, or hide behind the ridiculous
excuse that you 'haven't got time' to
see a doctor.
On
the other hand, don't panic or over-react
either. Heartburn is not necessarily a
heart attack! In terms of your health,
ignorance certainly isn't bliss, so keep
abreast of health issues by clicking on:
www.netdoctor.co.uk
www.patient.co.uk
www.malehealth.co.uk
www.womens-health-concern.org
Ditch
stress - lead a balanced lifestyle. If
you're constantly stressed, you need to
do something about it. The whole point
of in my prime is to
help mature people to make changes, and
so you need to start considering what
changes you need to make in order to improve
the quality of your everyday life.
Aim
to achieve a balance between work, leisure,
family and friends, and giving back -
and allow some time for your self-development
and spirituality, whatever form that takes.
We
hear a lot about the negative effects
of stress and it's easy to forget that
stress is a natural and positive force
in terms of motivation towards action.
In fact, many people's stress comes from
the fact that they are bored and lack
purpose. Whatever the cause of your stress,
it needs stamping out. Click on: www.support4learning.org.uk/health/stress.cfm
