Aging Tips-Fasting, Sleep, and Exercise

I've noticed since I have turned 50 ( I'm now 52) that I really have to pay attention to my nutrition, my sleep, and my exercise load.  I would like to break down each of these and provide some tips that I have learned over the past 2 years.  

1. Nutrition-I have been doing intermittent fasting for about 4 years but lately I have slowly started to narrow my eating window from 8 hours to 4 hours.  It takes work and discipline to narrow your eating window but I recommend it to those over 50.  Start slow and work your way to 16 hours of fasting and an 8 hour eating window.  Try to maintain that for 1 year.  Then start to narrow the eating window from there as your body adjusts to fasting.  This helps me to think clearer and to focus for longer periods during the day.  It isn't easy and I have bad days but it makes me feel better.  Try to avoid cheat days.  I don't think there is anything wrong with a cheat meal or two but work to eat as clean as possible.  Again, this is not easy.  Try to drink 3 liters of water each day.  Stay hydrated.  Try to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.  Use a quality protein powder if this is difficult for you to do.  I like ON Nutrition Gold Standard Protein Powder.  It is a quality protein powder and it's easy to find.
2. Sleep-I think that it is important for those over 50 to get 8 hours of sleep.  Try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.  Even on the weekends.  Sleep is the best recovery tool that is offered to us and we need to take advantage of it to maximize our recovery.
3. Exercise-I use to run 40-50 miles a week.  I can't do that anymore because I did not take care of my body very well when I was younger.  I still run but only about 20 miles a week and I try to sprint as much a possible.  I recommend getting your heart rate up 3 to 4 times a week.  Do sprints if you can.  Make sure that you do a good 15-20 minute warm up before and 5-10 minute cool down after.  Start out with 4 or 5 and over the course of 6 months work yourself up to 10-12.  Don't do this too often or you will get injured.  No more than 2 times a week.  Use the other 1 or 2 cardio sessions as easy recovery runs or easy run/walks.  I love to lift weights.  I love to lift heavy weights.  In my opinion, everyone over 50 should strength train.  They should try to lift heavy 1 or 2 times a week.  I would focus on heavy deadlifts and heavy squats.  These 2 exercises and compound exercises and you use a lot of muscle groups by doing them.  If you focus on these 2 exercises you don't really need to do much more.  A vertical push/overhead press, vertical pull/pulldown, a horizontal push/chest press, a horizontal pull/row.  You can use bodyweight, bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, free weights it doesn't matter.  

Don't forget to recover from hard workouts.  Try not to do 2 hard workouts on back to back days.  Listen to your body and how it responds to different workouts.  In my next post, I will talk about the role that doing mobility work plays in allowing you to recover from workouts a little faster.  If you are able to incorporate bits and pieces of the 3 items I laid out in this post, you will be on your way to getting into great shape in your 50's.