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As you age, it is crucial to be mindful of staying physically and mentally fit to slow down aging and lose weight (if this is your fitness goal). This is because, with age, your metabolism reduces, and you start to lose muscle mass, which makes it quite challenging to maintain weight and stay in shape.
While you may follow different workout and diet routines, it is possible that you might get bored or not achieve the desired results. This is why it is essential to follow certain exercise habits to boost your weight loss effectiveness while also slowing muscle aging.
By following the simple exercise habits mentioned below, you might start to see a difference in your body. Practicing these habits for a period of time will help you gradually see your body slim down, and you'll also be able to maintain your muscle mass.
Power training and 4 other exercise habits to slow down aging and lose weight
Here are some of the best exercise habits to achieve a slimmer body and slow down aging.
1. Continue to lift weights
Lifting weights is one of the most crucial exercise habits to follow to lose weight and slow down aging.
People after 50 assume that heavy-weight exercises are not for them. They make the mistake of focusing only on cardio and low-impact exercises. Although cardio workouts have great undeniable benefits, your body requires enough resistance and endurance to continue maintaining and developing your muscles.
This can only happen when you lift weights regularly. Many physical therapists recommend using a weight that’s challenging in the 7 to 8-rep zone for the exercises.
2. Consider HIIT
Incorporating HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) exercises into your workout routine is another exercise habit you must follow to shed kilos and age gracefully. Besides losing speed and muscle endurance, your VO2 max (the maximum oxygen consumption rate during physical exercise) also reduces with age.
Regular practice of HIIT exercises offers many advantages, such as improved heart health, muscle development, and an enhanced VO2 max. Hence, it is recommended that you perform at least one or two HIIT sessions every week to boost your overall anaerobic fitness.
3. Try different rep ranges
Lifting weights in various rep ranges is a vital exercise habit to lose weight and gain muscle. It is important to note that the muscles respond to several reps, and thus, it is crucial to try different rep ranges to target all muscle fibers.
For instance, hamstrings get targeted well with lower reps, however, higher reps are productive for developing pecs. It is recommended that initially, you start with 6 to 8 reps and then move on to 10 to 12 while increasing the weights if possible.
4. Include power training in your workouts
Another exercise habit for slowing down muscle aging is to include different power training and plyometric exercises in your routine. These exercises activate your nervous system and help you engage more muscle fibers throughout your workout.
Power training exercises will also enhance your speed and help you build more muscle mass. Some effective plyometric exercises you can include in your routine are jump squats, medicine ball slams, and box jumps.
5. Add variety to your routine
When it comes to exercise, variety is essential. If you start to feel like your exercise habits have become routine and you are not getting the desired results, the best you can do is mix things up and try something new. To keep your workout routine interesting and effective, it is best to avoid practicing the same exercises daily.
Instead, try performing different exercises throughout the week. For example, do cardio three days a week and then switch to weight training for one or two days. Step out of your comfort zone and go cycling, swimming, or long walks. Try different styles of exercises to help you stay motivated and engaged.
In conclusion
Aside from these exercise habits, it is also important to be mindful of your diet to maintain weight and slow aging.
Healthy and whole foods are the way to go when it comes to aging healthily and losing weight. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming more fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, three ounces of whole-grain bread, pasta, or cereal, and three servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy daily. It would help if you avoided solid fats and also stayed away from junk food, unhealthy fats, and refined sugars. Most importantly, you should keep your salt intake to a minimum, especially if you have blood pressure problems.
