I don’t run, lift weights, bike, and stay active to impress others. That is not my intention.  I do it because I don’t want the alternative.  I don’t want my body to decline as I age because of inactivity.   For me, healthy longevity is the name of the game.

Our bodies reflect our lifestyle, how we live. Our lifestyle and the environment we live is are part of the picture of our aging process.  Genes also are part of this equation.  Some of these elements we can control and others we can’t, we are born with them.  I look for approaches that will keep me healthier longer in life. I want a long health span vs. a long-life span.

What We Can Control

• Lifting weights helps to fight muscle loss, weak joints and frailty.  Aging does not have to be synonymous with losing strength.  Strength training can help us live longer by building muscles.  Lifting weights can help reduce the risk of chronic disease and can help maintain bone density.  It can also help us to maintain our independence and quality of life.  We need to think of building muscle as a longevity tool.
• Aerobic exercise contributes to longevity.  It helps to minimize heart disease, poor circulation and metabolic decline.  A stronger heart allows the body to function optimally for a longer period.  Aerobic activities can improve the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently and can help lower resting blood pressure. It can also help manage blood sugar levels.

Lift, Aerobics, Recover, Repeat

Combining weightlifting and aerobic activities are the fundamentals to aging strong.  We need muscle strength, and cardio in our lives.  Lift 3-4 days a week. Do moderate intensity cardio a minimum of 150 minutes a week.  Pick the cardio activity that you enjoy.  Examples are dancing, swimming, biking, brisk walking, running, etc. 

We still have time to control our future.  Since we don’t know the length of our life, healthy longevity is the name of the game.