Don’t give in to your age!

Do you ever find yourself talking about the ‘good old days’ when you were more active and possibly in better shape? Or do you put weight-gain and/or ill-health down to your age and figure there’s nothing much you can do about it?

Well don’t be so quick to write yourself off!

We have two ages – our chronological age, and our biological or health/fitness age.

Our chronological age relates to how old we are according to time, from birth to now. Our biological (bio) age relates to how old our bodies are, and how it performs. Your chronological age isn’t a number you should get hung-up on, it’s your bio age that counts, and that you should work on. We have the power to slow down the effects of ageing and get our bio age as low as we can – generally that number reflects our lifestyle choices.

The choices you make can have your bio age much less than your chronological age, and on the other hand, your choices can send it higher than your actual age. Obviously this is not desirable, but the good news is in most cases you can improve it.

Here’s a basic estimating tool which you can try out – please note this is not very comprehensive at all, but can help give you a rough idea of how you’re tracking. There are much more accurate tests you can do – I’m looking into it, so watch this space!

http://www.bupa.com.au/health-and-wellness/tools-and-apps/tools-and-calculators/quick-health-age-check

FYI – I scored a 33 (actual age 39). I was hoping for a lower number, but that’s me, I’m pushy 🙂 I’d love to know your numbers!

How to stay young for much longer:

• Move more! You don’t have to become a body builder or a marathon runner to slow down ageing, but assuming you still want to be active and mobile at 80 and beyond, keep yourself moving before it gets too late.

• Resistance/strength training works so well and protects your valuable muscles, while increasing metabolism and bone density. You can look and feel great and stay strong for many years to come.

• Get enough sleep! Aim for 7-9 hours each night.

• Improve your diet. Eat lots of veggies, drink lots of water, reduce added sugar and alcohol and reduce overall calories (if need be) and toxins that enter your body. Aim to include protein at every meal to help build and protect your muscles (among other benefits). A multi vitamin supplement might help, although it’s a good idea to improve your diet before considering supplementation.

Making the above a part of your life will go a long way to improving your bio age and keeping your body (and mind) as young as possible.

These tips are not new, most of us know the basics in living a healthy life and improving our bio age. It’s never too late to work on your health and fitness, even if it’s just a small change. So don’t get too hung up on your chronological age, it doesn’t always reflect where you’re at in life.

I can confidently say that at 39 I’m in much better health than ever before and feeling fitter and more full of energy.

I see people in their aged in their 60’s and 70’s who are just as active and strong as someone in their 30’s or 40’s. And that’s my goal, stay fit and strong for as long as possible. Keep this in mind and remember the work you do now will pay off well into your future. View your exercise and healthy eating habits as an investment rather than a chore or sacrifice.

Ageing is a natural process but you are in control of how fast it happens. You can slow it down or speed it up with the actions you take.

And remember, your best days are not necessarily behind you. They could be ahead of you!

Have a great day,

Paula