Surrey Homes | SH65 | March 2020 | Good Living supplement inside

SH Good Living Supplement
Fit over 50!
Sarah Maxwell explains how it’s time to ramp things up when it comes to exercise
Are you 50+ and think it’s about
time that you slowed down
and took things easier?
I’m going to disappoint a few
of you now because, 50+ is the
time to speed things up!
We lose muscle mass, bone density,
mobility and flexibility naturally as we
age, belly fat becomes an issue as we
start thickening around the middle.
Even if you are naturally slim,
you could have excess visceral fat.
Visceral fat is fat that you can’t see,
the fat wraps around the vital organs,
heart, liver and underused muscle.
An excess of visceral fat
greatly increases the risk of:
• Heart attack and
heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke
• Breast cancer
• Alzheimer’s
The link below will show you how to go
about measuring your level and give you
an indication of your visceral fat levels.
healthline.com/health/waistto-hip-ratio#calculate
Now let me tell you the good news!
Regular exercise, combining
aerobic activity and weight
bearing exercises will go a long
way to reducing your fat levels.
A well balanced diet, reducing
sugar, processed food and upping the
vegetables is the way to go. Reducing
stress levels, regular exercise, relaxation,
a good sleep pattern, meditation and
me-time are all essential ingredients.
Regular exercise will make a huge
difference to your mental health
whether it is a steady walk with friends
or a training session at the gym or
class. You will
build muscle, lose
fat, increase bone
density, mobility and
flexibility – there is
no reason why in
your 50s and beyond
you can’t be as strong
and flexible as you
were in your 30s!
People who take this approach
will look younger, have better
skin, more energy and a much
more positive outlook along with
an increased quality of life.
“We lose muscle
mass, bone
density, mobility
and flexibility
naturally as
we age”
Here is my recipe for being fit
and fabulous at 50 and beyond:
Regular aerobic exercise:
2-3 times a week
This can be walking, dancing, climbing
the stairs (anything that gets your heart
rate up). Try to get outside as often as
possible for around 15 minutes a day
to boost your vitamin D levels and to
make you feel good inside and out.
Strength training/interval training:
2-3 times a week (this doesn’t have to
take long, 10-15 minutes is good)
You don’t need to use weights,
your body weight is just fine.
Stretch and mobilise every day (I do this
before my morning shower every day)
Exercise can be done in stages
throughout the day and is just as
effective. If you don’t have time for a
20-minute walk, do 10 minutes and
some more or something different later
in the day. Dance around your kitchen,
walk around the supermarket instead
of shopping online. It all helps.
You don’t have to be a gym bunny, but
if you want to bounce now and through
old age, the time to think about your
physical and mental health is now!
Sarah is running a free two-day 10-minute fitness course – you can sign
up at sarahmaxwell.teachable.com/p/free10minutefitness
11 surrey-homes.co.uk