Fit 50 year old folk - what is your secret

[Anonymous]

In my 60's and agree with the others--I've been exercising in some form or another since I was about ten years old. Genetically, our family is fairly tall and slender, but you have to keep moving or you can start adding pounds as you age because your metabolism slows. I work out with weights 2-3 times a week and walk at about a 3.3 miles/hour pace (either outdoors or on a treadmill) 3 times a week. During my 30's and 40's, I did aerobics 3 times/week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my 60's and agree with the others--I've been exercising in some form or another since I was about ten years old. Genetically, our family is fairly tall and slender, but you have to keep moving or you can start adding pounds as you age because your metabolism slows. I work out with weights 2-3 times a week and walk at about a 3.3 miles/hour pace (either outdoors or on a treadmill) 3 times a week. During my 30's and 40's, I did aerobics 3 times/week.

Want to add that I also make a lot of homemade vegetable soup that I eat often for supper. Although I do eat some meat, I really prefer lots of fruits, vegetables, and Chobani yogurt. Eat a fairly low fat diet and try to limit carbs while eating more protein. My "'weakness" is sugar--in my coffee and desserts, but I try to limit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My secret?

Basically, I don't eat.

This is a little extreme. But, cutting out refined sugar as much as possible is a good start.

This is my mother's strategy, and why she is a 64 year old size 4. She is basically vegan, but rarely eats any sugar or even oil as well. It's basically bread + fruits and veggies, more because those are the foods she likes. She has never liked fatty food. Oh, and she organic gardens all spring, summer, and fall, and cleans her own big house top to bottom, so that is a lot of exercise and activity.

Does she actually like her life, though?

[Anonymous]

Is any fit 50 year old working full time and raising teenagers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My secret?

Basically, I don't eat.

This is a little extreme. But, cutting out refined sugar as much as possible is a good start.

This is my mother's strategy, and why she is a 64 year old size 4. She is basically vegan, but rarely eats any sugar or even oil as well. It's basically bread + fruits and veggies, more because those are the foods she likes. She has never liked fatty food. Oh, and she organic gardens all spring, summer, and fall, and cleans her own big house top to bottom, so that is a lot of exercise and activity.

Does she actually like her life, though?

Some people in their 50s are addicted to gardening. That same kind of person tends to also like vegetables. Strange but true!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is any fit 50 year old working full time and raising teenagers?

aren't most of them? I don't know anyone in their 50s who is retired or SAHM and most of us have kids.

[Anonymous]

Does she actually like her life, though?


Some people in their 50s are addicted to gardening. That same kind of person tends to also like vegetables. Strange but true!

Garden store employee here. This is true: our strongest customer, the person who keeps coming back, is the affluent 50-70 year-old woman. She tends to know a LOT about soils and performance, and she is rarely overweight (at least noticeably so).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not quite 50 yet, but getting close. The reason I'm in better shape than a lot of younger women is because I've been exercising consistently pretty much my whole life. I was a dancer in my youth and now I exercise harder than I did in my 20s and 30s.

Me too. I'm a bit out of shape now, but it won't take but a month or two for me to get back into shape for this very reason.

Good genes as well - three kids, no stretch marks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not quite 50 yet, but getting close. The reason I'm in better shape than a lot of younger women is because I've been exercising consistently pretty much my whole life. I was a dancer in my youth and now I exercise harder than I did in my 20s and 30s.

Me too. I'm a bit out of shape now, but it won't take but a month or two for me to get back into shape for this very reason.

Good genes as well - three kids, no stretch marks

I'd caution against that kind of complacency--as you get older it gets harder and harder to "come back" from poor form. Also, kudos to the runners here, but I'd also suggest skipping running as a regular form of exercise if you haven't been running your whole life. It's a great way to screw up your knees, ankles, and feet. Get a bike and join a local biking club. An hour or two of riding a day and regular core exercises and you'll live forever...

[Anonymous]

Keep moving your body. Exercise. Eat well. Drink a lot of water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not quite 50 yet, but getting close. The reason I'm in better shape than a lot of younger women is because I've been exercising consistently pretty much my whole life. I was a dancer in my youth and now I exercise harder than I did in my 20s and 30s.

Me too. I'm a bit out of shape now, but it won't take but a month or two for me to get back into shape for this very reason.

Good genes as well - three kids, no stretch marks

I'd caution against that kind of complacency--as you get older it gets harder and harder to "come back" from poor form. Also, kudos to the runners here, but I'd also suggest skipping running as a regular form of exercise if you haven't been running your whole life. It's a great way to screw up your knees, ankles, and feet. Get a bike and join a local biking club. An hour or two of riding a day and regular core exercises and you'll live forever...

Oh yeah, I have an hour or two per DAY to ride. That's why I run - it's fast.

[Anonymous]

OP, I am 49 and I hate to work out, but I do it more consistently now than before. It is because you really start to see old age right there--->

[Anonymous]

47 year old female. 5'5 and 115 pounds. No secret. I eat a fairly healthy diet and I exercise every single day. I run five days a week. I also do a combination of P90X and power yoga. There are days when everything hurts. I suck it up and keep moving because it's important to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shack up with a 25 year old

lots and lots of "cardio," I imagine

[Anonymous]

exercise, exercise, exercise.

if you cannot follow through a plan to exercise, buy yourself a fitness club membership so that it will cause pains if you don't use it.