What comes to mind when you think about your later years? Maybe you want to travel, spend summers with your grandchildren or finally get back to the gardening that got sidelined when life became too hectic. Whatever you have planned for your next act, you'll want to be in good enough shape to enjoy it.
Aging researchers used to focus purely on longevity. Now that it's no longer unusual to live into your 80s or even 90s, the emphasis has shifted. “People may live longer but not be in good health,” says Robert Mankowski, assistant professor at the University of Florida Health College of Medicine Institute of Aging. “We're not really interested in extending life span; we're more interested in extending healthspan.”
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If you're currently in your 50s, you might not be terribly concerned about how you'll feel decades from now. That's a mistake, because your body is already changing. At midlife, muscle mass starts declining (people lose, on average, around 5 percent after age 30), as does bone density. Meanwhile, your metabolism slows and it becomes easier to put on weight, especially around your abdomen. The combination of extra pounds and less muscle can make it harder for you to maintain good balance, and your joints might start to feel stiffer, too.
The good news? You can counteract nearly every one of these physiological shifts by taking some relatively simple steps — especially if you get started right now.
1. Get your baseline numbers
If you're overdue for a physical, schedule one ASAP. The yearly checkup plus routine blood work is the best way to get your hands on the must-know numbers — including your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and weight. Keeping tabs on these key stats helps you dodge or monitor type 2 diabetes and heart disease, two extremely common conditions in older adults.
For those who hope to remain as active as long as possible as they age, a few other tests may be in order. Consider getting a scale that measures your body composition, says Mankowski. While these gadgets aren't super precise, they'll provide a rough estimate of your fat and muscle mass that you can use to monitor your progress as you step up your exercise game. (More on that shortly.) For similar reasons, he also advises checking your gait speed by timing yourself (or having a trainer do it) to learn how far you're able to walk in six minutes.
2. Just move more
Whether you're a gym rat or a couch potato, aiming to be a little more active every day is one of the most important steps you can take. Not only does research show a direct line with midlife exercise and longevity, but “exercise in our 50s is crucial and vital for later on in life because of one word in particular — independence,” says Damien Joyner, an ACE-certified personal trainer, active aging specialist, and founder of Incremental Fitness. “Independence means being able to carry out everyday life activities with little to no help. We need to be able to do chores, pick up groceries, lift things and put them somewhere else. As we age, we should not have to avoid stairs, curbs, uneven surfaces, or other natural or man-made physical obstacles we have in our daily lives.”
Any increase from your current activity level is worthwhile, but if you're not currently logging at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, then you should strive to make that your goal. From there, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) — which entails alternating short bouts of intense activity, like running, with slower-paced movement, like walking — is an especially good choice: Research from the Mayo Clinic found that it helps muscles produce more energy as well as promotes the growth of new muscle, especially as you get older.
While following a structured routine can help promote consistently and accountability (especially if you exercise with a trainer or workout buddy), don't discount the benefits of incorporating other forms of movement into your day. Walking, golfing, kayaking and gardening all count.
