Ever looked in the mirror and thought “wow I look older today!”. Well, we’re here to remind you that 1) you’re not crazy, 2) you probably do, and 3) sorry to break it to you but ageing is actually non-linear, so there will in fact be times where it is unfortunately more noticeable!
Let me explain…
Let’s look at it by using a cycling analogy, because, well, we are Fitness experts after all!
Think of it like this, imagine a steady, straight road on which you are riding your bike with sustained, continuous effort (pre age 40). Sure you may hit a random stone along the way, creating the odd wear and tear (lines and wrinkles) but these things appear gradually over time.
Now, fast forward to a point along the journey where the road becomes rough and starts to incline rapidly too (age 44). Naturally, you’ll need to inject more power into riding the bike at this stage in order to not only combat the hill, but to stay upright on the unsmooth surface to tackle it (the ageing of skin, muscle and cardiovascular health decline).
This incline (spike) happens majorly twice in our lifetime, generally around our mid 40s and again in our early 60s. It is a time of dramatic change which also sparks distinct shifts in our ability to metabolise caffeine, alcohol and lipids too!
And as if all of this wasn’t enough, the second spike (age 60) usually comes with a rapid decline in the immune system, as well as on our oxygen carrier activity too. It also appears with a higher risk of developing kidney and cardiovascular disease, AND type 2 diabetes!...
Now, we know what you’re thinking, “stop the world, I wanna jump off”, but wait! What if we told you that exercise does in fact counter the spikes in ageing, which can assist us in growing old in a slightly more graceful fashion?
Fancy a head start?
If we take care of ourselves as we approach these periods in life by eating better (to aid with the drop in lipid metabolism which shows up in your 40s), and doing more strength training (to tackle loss of muscle mass, especially as we hit our 60s), we can prepare ourselves to be more equipped to ride these spikes with a lot more ease.
How?
By including weight-bearing exercises with impact (jogging/walking) and muscle-strengthening exercises (Pilates / weight training), we can keep our bones strong, improve our circulation and boost our immune system too. This in return may give our skin a more-youthful appearance, because the sweat clears our skin of impurities and dirt, and opens up the pores allowing a free flow of air - Instant Magic!
And long term, It also improves our balance, joint mobility and the elasticity of the skin, which can be easily visible in any 40+ old adult! - Get in!
Exercising can help improve our daily life outside of the gym, making everyday tasks easier to complete. For example, have you ever seen an elderly person struggling to open a jar? Well, that won’t be us if we incorporate functional fitness into our regime!
Swimming can also be beneficial for older adults in many ways as it works all the muscle groups at once, which helps build bone strength and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The buoyancy of the water reduces the strain on joints, such as our knees, hips and spine, which helps with arthritic symptoms, AND it also improves our posture - arguably the most visible benefit when it comes to looking younger.
So, by simply adjusting our lifestyles to become more active whilst we’re still healthy, we can ultimately give ourselves an advantage over the spikes in ageing and tackle it stronger, looking younger!
