As we grow older some things need to change in order to adapt to our biological needs. If you are 50 or older these are common mistakes you want to avoid and ensure you are correcting to ensure better health and body What are the biggest mistakes men make in their 50s when it comes to exercise? When it comes to exercising, many men use their age to play it “safe”. They no longer want to do the bigger compound exercises such as pressing or squatting variations that could benefit them the best, but use the excuse that they are too old now to lift heavier weights. This tends then to induce loss of muscle as many men tend to go lighter in their weights; even when they could push safely a lot more and utilize more machines because they are easier to operate. It’s highly recommended that if one doesn’t know how to exercise or has never exercised before to hire a professional as a coach or trainer to teach them how to properly exercise and not be afraid of lifting a bit heavier and challenging them outside their typical machine to machine routine. If approved by their doctor, men in their 50’s can easily have an active lifestyle that is higher paced and energetic.
What are the biggest mistakes men make in their 50s when it comes to unhealthy habits? Unhealthy habits start at a younger age and can be carried all through life if not stopped. Commonly most men over 50 are used to their typical way of eating and exercising and don’t want to adapt or change to anything that could be more beneficial for them. Nutrition is usually the unhealthiest habit most men have as they are used to eating what they grew up eating and switching to brands that may be heart healthy, lower sodium or higher in nutrients isn’t common. It’s true, old habits do die hard and simple things like not taking a multivitamin/mineral or keeping up with the heart’s needs for exercise is common at that age group. Not eating enough protein is also commonly observed as men over 50 don’t think they need it anymore as they aren’t carrying as much muscle mass as they used too. Eating out too often to avoid cooking at home is commonly seen in this age group as well.
The problem is we never know how things are entirely prepared and if they are as healthy as described on the menus. We have this tendency of wanting to move less and less as we age; which should be the opposite, and so eating out and doing the minimal to get away with our health standards is common. At this age is crucial to ensure our habits are preserving or enhancing any mistakes we might have done with our nutrition and exercise routines to ensure a sustainable longer lifestyle. So instead of going out frequently, walk to the nearest farmers market or grocery store if possible. Buy what you will be cooking yourself and then walk home. Small habits of increasing one’s movements go a long way not only for our health’s but for our minds as well.