There’s much to love about growing older. You learn more about yourself, about other people, about the world in general. You come to understand that life, while it has its downsides, is overall a pretty spectacular journey to be on. But while there might be a lot of personal, mental, and spiritual growth as you age, there are some areas that seem to be in decline: your physical side. Our mind can get sharper, but our bodies begin to slow down. Not fair! The good news is that this isn’t just something that we have to accept. If we want to stay active as we age, then we can — but we need to take control of it, and take steps to make sure it happens. Below, we take a look at a few tried and tested tips that’ll have you up, moving, and active, no matter how old you are.

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Get Moving

The most powerful acts are usually the most simple. If you want to be active, then there are few things better you can do that to just get moving. If you live with a mindset that encourages you to take the stairs rather than the elevator, to sometimes walk instead of drive, and all-around be more mobile, then you’ll find that you’re able to keep the big issues — the ones that lead to decreased mobility and activity — at bay.

Review Your Lifestyle

There’s an element of genetics at play when it comes to how much we’re able to move as we age. But really, some people use that as an excuse. In fact, it’s more likely that a person’s lifestyle will influence their level of activity, rather than anything that’s hardwired in their body. So if you want to stay active in your later years, then you need to start reviewing your lifestyle. Drinking too much alcohol, will eventually catch up with you — it has a huge influence on the quality of a person’s later years. Similarly, if your current lifestyle involves sitting down too much, you’ll find it harder to get up and active as you age. Life can be tiring, but make sure you’re not giving in to its demands and spending too much sat down on the couch.

New Hobbies

It seems that most people are naturally active when they’re younger. They effortlessly slip into playing a sport, or hiking, and the like. But there comes a point, usually after their mid-twenties, when these things start to fade away. They put their energy into other things, and their past, more active hobbies take a backseat. Before they know it, they don’t have any sweat-inducing hobbies that they regularly do! It’s never too late to change that, however. If you can’t currently point at any activities that get your heart rate up, look at picking one up. There’s no shortage of awesome options out there! Give them a go, and you never know where it’ll lead you.

Handling Injuries

Of course, it’s not always possible to pick up a new physical activity, especially if you have an injury. There are plenty of people who lead active lifestyles, until they suffered an injury. But it’s important to remember that while these things are frustrating, they’re not things you just have to accept. You can get help to overcome the pain with Precision Sports Physical Therapy, and get back to peak physical condition. One injury can have a seriously detrimental effect on your lifestyle if it’s left untreated. Don’t fall into an inactive lifestyle all because of a bad knee!  

Maintaining the Body

Even if you don’t suffer from one specific injury, the general wear and tear of life can bring your levels of activity down. As such, it’s a good idea to take preventative measures, which will help keep those slight aches and pains at bay, and keep your body in overall tip-top condition. One of the best ways to do this is to practice yoga, which will keep those limbs limber and your body strong. If you’ve never done it, it’s a good idea to join a class, as it’s important that you do things correctly. At the end of the class, you’ll be walking on air, we promise.

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Set Targets

If you’re just relying on your inner motivation to stay active, then there’ll come the point when you slow down. Something else will come up, and you’ll forget all about it. One way to stay on top of your active lifestyle is to set targets — you might say that you’re going to run a half-marathon, or go on a multi-day hike every month, or anything else. Whatever you need, essentially, in order to keep your quest to be active at the forefront of your mind.

Regular Checkups

Your doctor will be a great ally in your quest to stay healthy and active. Make a habit of getting regular check-ups — they’ll be able to tell you the things you need to do more/less of in order to stay at your best. Don’t underestimate how important they are!

Find a Group

You might struggle to always stay active if you’re just trying to do everything by yourself. As such, why not look at finding a group with whom you get active? You’ll be more inclined to get out of the house on those rainy days if you know you have friends waiting for you on the other side of the door.

In the Outdoors

The lure of visiting a dark and grim gym multiple days a week may not be all that appealing, and that’s understandable. Instead, why not get your fill from the great outdoors instead? You’ll be more inclined to keep your body ready for activity once you’ve experienced all the beauty and wonder of nature. You don’t necessarily need to take a trip to a National Park, either — you can also have some outdoor fun in your yard. Get into gardening, and you’ll be using your body just enough to be considered active. Plus, it’s also highly rewarding…

Stay Happy

Life can give us some pretty heavy blows. And when it does, we usually want to do little other than to stay wrapped up indoors, away from the world. But if we make this too much of our lifestyle, then we’re going to fall into a sedentary lifestyle. As such, one of the best ways to stay up and active is to simply make sure you’re feeling happy! Of course, this is usually easier said than done, right? Well, yes, but a lot of research has been done in recent years to determine what it is that makes people happy. Getting exercise, eating well, talking with others, and limiting the things that bring us down (such as alcohol/junk food) will all lead to a healthier state of mind.

In Control

Ultimately, it’s important to remember that your body is under your control, no-one else’s. If you don’t take care of your body, then it’ll fall into a state of disrepair — that’s just a fact! Moving forward, make a conscious effort to take care of your body. It’s usually when we begin living on autopilot that problems materialize.

Conclusion

Don’t fall into the trap of believing that your days as an active person has to come to an end just because you’re getting older. There are people in their eighties and nineties running marathons and climbing up mountains — they show what is possible! Look to them as inspiration, rather than around at other people your age.

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