Physical fitness in our 50's

[xfactor9]

6' 12% bf, trying to get down to 10% for a 6-pack, but it'll probably be impossible at my age. Nonetheless, it's a goal and I will try. (Shoot for the stars and even if you fail you land on the moon, right?)

I do weekly yard work from spring to fall, which is my light cardio. I also jog and bike to supplement the yard work. Lastly, I do 60 minutes of resistance training each week

I'm stronger now than I was at age 22, but my cardiovascular endurance was better back then.

 

[Al]

69 y.o. Spend (average) 50 min/day in the gym. 20 min on the treadmill set at 15% at 2.2 mph. I don't hold on to the bar. That is an equivalent of climbing over 500 feet vertical. I do the various machines and 2 days/week I do max effort on each machine. I weigh 142 and 5'9". I would guess I am in the top couple % in terms of physical fitness.

I eat carefully and avoid sugar as much as possible.

Originally Posted By: dblshock
Vitamin D3 and K2 work together to slow or reduce arterial blockage. There are a number of interesting studies. Here is some easy to digest info: http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/20...r-aging/page-01'
I'm on that add Magnesium Citrate

If that controls your Cholesterol (especially ratio Total/HDL) great. Nothing worked for me. one 20 ml statin brought it down to 172/67 giving a ration of 2.5.

 

[Eddie]

77 YO here and hit the gym M,W,F & sometimes Sat. 20 Minutes on stationary bike and then to my Aqua Aerobics class. Still fighting weight but, my once a year annual physical results in only one BP pill. Yaaaaa. Ed

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: dblshock


'Some things to think about as we age. Vitamin D3 and K2 work together to slow or reduce arterial blockage. There are a number of interesting studies. Here is some easy to digest info: http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/20...r-aging/page-01'

I'm on that add Magnesium Citrate


Might want to consider that calcium when consumed can end up in the arteries and not in the bones.

The vitamin K2 and D3 relationship is important for calcium transfer into bones. It seems that without sufficient D+K, there are problems.

 

[SatinSilver]

44 yrs, 5'10, 181 lbs as of this morning. Ideal weight based on my biometrics is 169-171 lbs so better lose a few more lbs. A few years ago I was 260 lbs.

An hour walk a day, 50 push ups daily, 80 squats, and 80 crunches. Also do a bridge and hold that shape for a minute or two.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins and an egg. Try to focus on salads and stir fries.

No gym but since the weather will go south here soon may join Planet Fitness for $10/month. I think they waive the $50 enrollment fee around the first of the year.

 

[andrewg]

52 years old. 5' 11" and 160 lbs. I'm at my ideal weight. Actually less than what I was in high school.

I used to work out. You name it, I did it. Hiking, cycling, running, basketball, rollerblading, treadmills, lifecycle, weights (free and machine), calisthenics....for decades.
I also worked physically demanding jobs at times and landscaped several properties....without heavy equipment, all by hand.

The result of all that? Carpal tunnel, worn left knee, chronic pain in achilles, torn muscles that never really healed (scar tissue), shoulder joint pain, chronic neck pain from a swimming injury, and worst of all....degenerative disc disease (bone on bone) in lower back that causes severe pain several times a week. I'm on pain meds 24/7.

My biggest regret in life is trying to be too macho....always proving myself physically...injuring my body. My back issues have ruined a good portion of my life and caused me much suffering.

How do I not get fat and look like a disgusting bag of flab? I walk as much as I can and I eat very little food. That's about it at this stage of my life. I am unable to exercise more than that or my back will put me down.

Best advice? Take care of your body. Real care...don't lift heavy weights that put high stress on the joints. Stop taking things..."to the limit" or maxing out. It's not worth the injury and completely unnecessary anyway.

 

[DoiInthanon]

67yrs, 6', 161#. So I am not in the 50's range, but fitness is important and a part of my day.
I have a three day cycle. Day A: Weight training. Day B: Aerobic training and flexibility. Day C: Anaerobic training and flexibility. Repeat.
I am pre-habing for the challenges life will present.

"Strong people are harder to kill and more useful in general." - Mark Rippetoe

 

[cjcride]

Andrewg, they are Words of Wisdom.
I think a good healthy diet would really help you. You could then eat more and not gain weight.
Walking is good.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Number 1 thing you can do RIGHT NOW to increase your health, if I had to name just one thing, is:

****** Make sure you eat no more than 10 grams of sugar per 2 hours. *******

So many references, so little time to read them all:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/22/how-sugar-accelerates-aging.aspx
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-kirkpatrick-ms-rd-ld/dangers-of-sugar_b_3658061.html

 

[javacontour]

Bicycling, indoor Cycling and some weight training and other excise 3-5x/week.

Just finished 20.5 miles at a 17.8 mph. Not bad for 225# 5'11" 50 something. 50 in chest and 37" waist. Twenty plus year cancer survivor.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
Twenty plus year cancer survivor.

That's the best part!!!

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
Andrewg, they are Words of Wisdom.
I think a good healthy diet would really help you. You could then eat more and not gain weight.
Walking is good.


Thanks...I pretty much do eat a fairly healthy diet. The girlfriend (lovely woman by the way) is an Atkins/Keto diet follower and does very well on it. That won't work for me as my body does not deal with really low carb diets as well as I'd like.
I eat VERY little. For breakfast I will have a tiny bowl of oatmeal or something like Grapenuts. Sometimes just a slice of whole wheat toast. Late morning I will have maybe a handful of nuts or some low fat cheese of some kind. Occasionally a lean protein. Lunch is a tuna sandwich or some kind of health food type bar. Dinner is a very small portion of pasta or rice with fresh vegetables/chicken mixed in. A nighttime snack would be raw fruit. About a cup.

That's about it. Every day...

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
52, ex bicyclist due to bad knees.



Depends what you mean by "bicyclist", of course, but I'm quite a bit further downrange on the age/degeneration trajectory, and I find bicycles essential for maintaining mobility.

Nothing fancy, and certainly nothing "sporty" but a small-wheel folder can be thrown in a car, possibly taken on public transport, and will easily fit in lifts (elevators).

When I can't ride it I use it as a more versatile "wheeled Zimmer frame" keeping most of my weight off the knees, supported by my arms on the handlebars, and I can hang heavy items on it.

I almost certainly do more miles by bicycle than car and motorcycle combined, and it avoids the "pointless exercise" problem someone mentioned above.

 

[ALS]

56 6'4" 235, Beginning of May I almost had a Coronary when I stepped on a scale and it showed 335 lbs and immediately went on a diet.

End of the month I was working in the yard and scraped against something I shouldn't have and two weeks later ended up in the ER with a bacterial infection.

While there they picked up that my Blood Pressure was pretty high. After everyone around me realized that I had never been to a Dr. since I was 18 it got pretty ugly. I literally got hounded by the ER Dr. and the hospital had nurses calling me daily asking me if I had a PCP yet. Got a Dr. in mid July, at least she is young, cute and very nice.

I also got myself a personal trainer in August and I put in 7 miles a day on my treadmill. Over the last month or so I've been transitioning from a whole body workout to strength training.

In a little over seven months I've lost 100 lbs and I still have another 35-40 to go. BP is still a little high and I would like to see it drop another 10 points on the high and low numbers.

Thing to remember is you are never too old for strength training.