June 22, 2018
In past blogs I have talked about the many possibilities for fitness both in Stillwaters and in the communities of Centralia and Chehalis. Staying active and keeping flexible is so critical to being healthy as we age. Added strength and flexibility in later years means we are less likely to fall and when we do our bodies will be able to deal with it better. We will soon have an expanded Fitness Room here at Stillwaters and are SOOOO excited about the possibilities of this new room. (More on this as the construction advances)
What I haven’t really talked about as often is our fitness related to what we eat. I found an article on AARP.com that lists different ideas to keep the pounds off (or take a few extra ones off) and be healthy. The article titled “5 Ways to Lose Weight after 50” was written by Hallie Levine and published May 9, 2018. HERE is the link to the article. Here’s my summary:
- Make sure to eat plenty of protein as this can help rebuild muscle mass that we lose as we age. She recommends have one-third of your plate being protein. Comparatively, the general population eats about 16 percent protein.
- Do some resistance training at least twice a week to rebuild muscle and raise your metabolism (to lose pounds). This can be as simple as taking soup cans out of the cupboard and using those repetitiously in a weight lifting routine. The author says lifting weights just twice a week can increase muscles by several pounds over 10 weeks.
- Get plenty of sleep. The physiology of this is complicated by the simple explanation is if you are
overweight, lack of sleep causes your body to compensate in a way that can cause weight gain. - Try occasional fasting. The author recommends trying to eat significantly less a couple times a week. This can be done by focusing on vegetables, protein and healthy oils. She is not suggesting going without food but rather reducing calories occasionally to give your body a rest. This one is an interesting one to read more about I think.
- Practice mindful eating. Turn off the TV and enjoy your food one bite at a time. Being more conscious of when you are full and better yet conscious of what you are eating is best.
Another article I found interesting provides a quiz for what to buy at the grocery store for a healthier diet. Written by Gatwiri Muthara, it’s titled “Buy This, Not That” and appeared on the AARP website on June 13th. Click HERE to take the quiz for some fun.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
