Aging. It can turn us into lesser versions of our former selves. And, unfortunately, there’s no escaping it.
But it is possible to delay it and age gracefully?
SOME EFFECTS OF AGING
As we age, our bodies go through numerous changes. One notable change is that our muscles and bones get weaker.
According to a study by researchers Karsten Keller and Martin Engelhardt, the aging process leads to muscle mass and strength loss. Compared to those below the age of 40, those over 40 experienced a greater decline in muscle mass that ranged from 17% to 41%. Weaker muscles can mean less strength, a greater probability of getting injured and, ultimately, less mobility, which means less freedom to do things like travel and be active.
Aging also leads to hormonal changes. Men lose 1% of their testosterone per year, while women experience menopause. Additionally organs start to lose some of their functions, mood can decrease, and chance of diseases increase.
It all kind of sucks, really.
Wouldn’t it be great if we can slow down, and even reverse, the effects of aging?
Turns out, we can!
To find the proverbial fountain of youth, read on…
HOW EXERCISING HELPS WITH LONGEVITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE
When it comes to living a longer, higher quality life, exercise is one of the most important tools available. (While nutrition also plays a massive role, for the purposes of this post we will just focus on how exercise helps with the aging process).
Here are some of the ways exercise can help with longevity:
1. Increases lifespan
Exercise has been shown add more years to your life. According to the Center for Disease Control and prevention, people have a 40% lower risk of dying early when active for 7 hours a week compared to those who are active less than 30 minutes per week. In another study conducted by the Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam found that moderate to high levels of physical activity for people age 50 and up added more years to their life expectancy: 1.3 to 3.7 years in men and 1.5 and 3.5 years in women.
2. Combats diseases
While living longer is important, we also want to enjoy quality of life. Thankfully, fitness helps with this as well. Exercising can boost key bodily systems, such as the immune system. A Harvard Health Publishing article correlates a strong and healthy immune system with the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits such as exercise and sleep. In addition, the study cited above by the Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam found that aside from extending life, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle also prevents cardiovascular disease. Finally, an article by The Mayo Clinic states that exercising improves the way insulin regulates blood sugar (in diabetics), controls the severity and frequency of asthma attacks, and even reduces the pain of arthritis.
3. Improves Mental Health
Exercise positively impacts mental health. An article written by The Journal Of Clinical Psychiatry discusses how aerobic exercises like jogging and dancing are proven to reduce anxiety and depression. It has been proposed that these improvements are caused by blood circulation to areas in the brain that control anger, fear, and anxiety.
Exercise has even been shown to improve memory and reduce stress. Further, the Alzheimer’s Association states that regular physical exercise can lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease due to the increase in blood flow and oxygen to the brain. When it comes to keeping your mind healthy, you can say that exercise is a ‘no brainer’.
4. Prevents Injury
Thus far, we’ve covered how exercise helps with extending life, combating diseases, and improving mental heath. Another benefit of exercise is injury prevention. As mentioned before, muscles shrink in size and strength as we age. Reducing our mobility and functional capacity. To combat these changes, doctors recommend strength training and exercise to keep the muscles active and promote muscle growth in order to slow down the process of muscle atrophy.
5. Helps With Weight Loss
Last but certainly not least, exercise help with weight loss and with maintaining a healthy weight. First, because the calories we burn while working out help create a caloric deficit, which is critical to losing weight. Second, because having more muscle on our body boosts our metabolism (i.e. basal metabolic rate), which makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and fat even when we’re not exercising.
HOW TO TAP INTO THE EXERCISE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
To access some of the many benefits exercise delivers on longevity and quality of life as we age, make exercise an essential part of your weekly routine. Studies recommend getting 2.5 hours of exercise each week at a moderate to hard intensity.
We suggest doing a combination of strength training and cardiovascular exercises. For your strength training, squats may be the single most effective exercise one can do. They strengthen your core, legs, improve balance, and aid in flexibility. And speaking of flexibility, yoga can be used to relax those tight muscles, making them more agile and less likely to get injured, not to mention relieve stress.
For cardio, running, jogging, swimming, cardio machines or even walking are all beneficial. The body adapts quickly to movement, so to get maximum benefit from cardio, seek to increase your intensity. The cardio workouts in Motion Traxx app (designed for the treadmill, elliptical, spin bike, rowing and more) help add motivation to your cardio through a combination of coaching by a personal trainer and high energy workout music.
If you’re struggling to find time to workout be sure to check out our Fitness Hacks For Fitting Fitness In.
Of course we haven’t covered the power of nutrition for longevity in this post, but for powerful anti-aging benefits, we recommend a powerful supplement called Organifi Red Juice.
In closing, none of us can escape father time. The effects of aging will impact all of us. But with a regular exercise routine on your side, aging gracefully and tapping into the fountain of youth is no sweat at all.