Is Age Affecting Your Fitness?

Do you ever compare yourself to your past self? The stronger, faster, younger you? I sure do. I mean, in my 20’s I was leading multiple fitness classes a week while fitting in my own workouts on top of that. Past Melissa was fit. It’s hard not to wonder if age is affecting your fitness when you compare yourself to past versions of yourself. 

On the other hand, I also know that I got faster and stronger in my forties than I had ever been. And those darn scientists have found that between the ages of forty and seventy, regular runners only slow down about 1% each year. So if it’s not age, why do we seem to slow down in our fitness as we get older?   

Life Changes

Yes, there are those life changes, like perimenopause, that can throw a wrench into things. It took me a few years to sort out the extra fatigue and effects of changing hormones. But it’s more than that. Life likes to throw us curveballs, and the older we get, the more it seems to happen! This past few years, our family had its share of stresses, trauma, and oh, that darn pandemic. Through it all, yes, I let my fitness slip. So there’s that. See? Even fitness professionals can let things slide sometimes. 

The trick is to not let things slide too far! There’s no reason you can’t keep moving or even improve your fitness once you hit a certain age. Age can even be a benefit! I have more time-freedom now that my girls are older, I know myself and my interests better, and I’ve become a lot better at listening to what my body needs. And my body needs to stay active. 

Creating a fitness habit is one way to ensure you don’t let life’s speedbumps slow you down too much. But there are lots of other things we can do to support our bodies to age healthfully, so we can keep moving for decades to come. 

7 Ways to “Slow Down” Aging 

While you can’t technically change how old you are, you can do a lot to support your body and health to keep you feeling young. And when you feel good and your body has the resources it needs, it’s much easier to keep moving and stay fit. 

1. Eat protein. Did you know that you start to lose your muscle mass as you get older? Feed your muscles with healthy proteins throughout the day (nuts or Greek yogurt make great snacks), and aim for 25 to 30 grams of protein at each meal.
2. Drink water. We all know we need to drink more water, and the reasons why are pretty important! Our body literally cannot function without it; water is required to lubricate our joints, regulate our body temperature, remove waste, and maintain organ function. Some medications can mess with water retention as well, so drink up!
3. Get sleep. Poor sleep makes us less willing to get up and exercise, but too little sleep affects your health, too. Memory, heart problems, blood pressure, and even diabetes have links to inadequate sleep. Now you have a reason to sleep in on weekends! 
4. Get moving. Moving regularly is necessary to keep your body mobile, your balance intact, and to prevent injuries that seem to sneak up on us as we get older. Read more about how to age better with movement, and get tips on how to get going again if you’ve become a bit too sedentary. 
5. Incorporate strength training and Pilates. I’m forty-something years old and have been working in fitness my entire adult life… and I’m never going to give up my strength training and Pilates! These two activities will give you all the support you need to continue to do the things you love for a long time. Pilates is specially designed to train your body to move as it is intended to do; with controlled, aligned movement via strength and flexibility training. Strength training on the other hand, builds up weaker muscle groups and helps maintain muscle mass as you get older. 
6. Nutritious, natural foods. We all know that a bag of Doritos doesn’t count as a vegetable – and it’s okay to treat yourself once in a while! But if you’re eating more packaged food than whole foods, your body is going to deteriorate faster. When you eat whole foods, you can control the fat, sugar, salt, and other additives that your body really doesn’t need. Plus, processing all of that “bad stuff” takes its toll – inside and out. 
7. Reduce stress. Do you know one of the best ways to reduce stress? You got it: exercise. Too much stress messes with your body big time, affecting your sleep, heart, digestion, and more. For bonus de-stressing points, take your workout outside, and get some supportive vitamin D and fresh air to calm your mind and soul. 

It can be hard to stop comparing yourself to your past, but I want to encourage you to try! Be present. Enjoy this time in life and who you are today. Your age will only affect your fitness if you let it, so keep striving to feel the best you can. And I’m here to help if you need a hand.