Whether it’s discovering that first wrinkle, a gray hair popping up at your temple, or realizing that the senior discount at your local movie theater now applies to you, getting older can be an intimidating prospect for anyone. Luckily, just because you’re not a teenager anymore doesn’t mean you have to have to resign yourself to a future full of naps in recliners, elastic-waist pants, and strong opinions about the price of stamps. By staying active and being mindful about your food choices, you can keep looking and feeling youthful, no matter how many candles are on your birthday cake.
1 Start Your Day With Green Tea
While it may be tempting to kick off your day with a big sugary coffee, starting with green tea can keep you healthier and leaner, especially as you age. Not only is green tea loaded with inflammation-fighting catechins, which have been linked to lower rates of breast, liver, and digestive cancers, it’s also a major boon to your weight loss. Research published in the International Journal of Obesity reveals that catechin supplementation was effective at increasing weight loss and improving weight maintenance over time, too.
2 Walk It Out
You might not be in the mood to hit up SoulCycle anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in a good workout well into your later years. Walking is a great way to burn some calories and tone your lower body without wreaking havoc on your joints, and how fast you walk may even predict how long you’ll live. Research published in JAMA reveals that individuals with faster gaits were significantly more likely to be alive and well 10 years after the study concluded than those who walked at a more leisurely pace.
3 Make the Most of Your Mornings
Embracing your inner early bird could make it easier to stay healthy as you age. A study conducted at Northwestern University links exposure to early morning sunlight to lower BMIs, and researchers at the University of Sydney have identified getting up early as one of the six factors proven to increase longevity.
4 Hydrate
Healthy, youthful skin and a flatter belly start with the same easy addition to your diet: more water. As we age, our skin tends to lose some of its natural moisture, which adding more water to your diet may help replenish. Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign found that increasing water consumption by between one and three cups a day reduced people’s caloric intake by as much as 206 calories and lowered their intake of sugar, salt, and cholesterol, too.
5 Make Dark Chocolate Your Dessert of Choice
A life without dessert sounds pretty bleak, but luckily, you don’t have to give up your favorite sweets to slim down. Dark chocolate is a good source of flavanols, antioxidant compounds that have been linked to reductions in blood sugar and body fat by researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Another study conducted at Columbia University Medical Center suggests that cocoa flavanols can help improve brain health and boost memory, keeping you both mentally and physically fit as you get older.
6 Find Some Inner Peace
Getting zen might just be the key to a longer life and a leaner body. A review of research conducted at Ohio State University, Columbus reveals that individuals who practiced mindfulness exercises, like meditation, lost significantly more weight than those who abstained. Meditation can also decrease your stress level, making it easier to fend off cortisol surges and the excess belly fat that often accompanies them.
7 Pick Up Some Weight
While you may not want to see extra weight on the scale, that doesn’t mean you should be weight-avoidant in the gym. Adding weight training to your routine can increase your lean muscle mass, helping you burn more calories even during periods of rest. Even better, research published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society reveals that the implementation of resistance exercises among a group of 75 to 80 year olds in Canada significantly reduced participants’ risk of a having a potentially-deadly fall.
8 Enjoy Some Non-Dairy Calcium
We’ve all heard that milk makes strong bones, but if you’re eager to stay healthy and active as you age, non-dairy calcium may be a better bet. Research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that dairy consumption is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture, which can keep you off your feet, or may even prove fatal. Fortunately, there are plenty of non-dairy calcium sources out there, like fatty fish, beans, and leafy greens, all of which can help you maintain a healthy weight and strong bones, to boot.
9 Opt For Red Fruit
The first step to beating that belly fat creeping up on you? Start seeing red. Red fruits, like grapes, cherries, and red apples, are loaded with antioxidant pigment resveratrol, which has been linked to increased weight loss and reduced belly fat. Research published in Neurology also reveals resveratrol to be an effective means of reducing the progression of dementia, helping you keep your body healthy, from belly to brain.
10 Have Your Thyroid Checked
If you find yourself sluggish, irritable, or are having a hard time losing weight, it might be more than just the natural progression of aging. Many people experience thyroid issues as they age, which can result in more serious health issues if not addressed quickly. Fortunately, many thyroid issues can be treated easily with a combination of diet and medication, the pairing of which can have you feeling like your old self again.
11 Eat More Regularly
It’s no surprise that our metabolisms have a tendency to slow down as we get older, but that doesn’t mean we have to just sit back and watch as the pounds pile on. By eating smaller meals on a more frequent basis, you can kick your metabolism into high-gear, keeping it stoked all day long. Just make sure you’re making your meals at home and not opting for convenience foods, which can add tons of salt, sugar, and preservatives to your diet.
12 Listen to Your Body
They say that with age comes wisdom, but that doesn’t mean we’re always listening to that wise voice in our head telling us what to do. It’s so important for everyone to start listening to their body, especially as they get older, when medical issues can become full-fledged health crises an in instant. Getting on top of what may seem like a minor health issue now can help you prevent the progress of more serious disease that can keep you sidelined and foster the perfect environment for serious weight gain.
13 Stop Stress in Its Tracks
Getting older can be stressful, but you don’t have to let those anxiety-ridden moments translate to decades of poor health or a widening waistline. When we’re stressed out, our bodies release cortisol, a hormone that can trigger the storage of excess body fat, particularly around our midsection. Unfortunately, this particular distribution of fat is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and early death, but it can be prevented. Taking time to enjoy some mood-boosting exercise, indulging in your favorite leisure activities, and doing some deep breathing exercises can all help lower your cortisol levels and have you feeling less stressed in no time.
14 Trade in Those Cocktails For Red Wine
While there’s a wealth of contradictory information about the relative health benefits of a wide variety of alcohols, one thing is for sure: those oversized, sugary cocktails are doing nothing for your body except making it bigger. A single frozen margarita can pack upwards of 600 calories and 80 grams of sugar, meaning if you toss two or three back, you’ve consumed a day’s worth of calories (and way more sugar than you should ever eat) without actually filling up. Switching to red wine means you can enjoy lower blood pressure with every sip and maybe even a slimmer waistline, too; red wine is a good source of belly fat-fighting resveratrol. Just make sure you’re picking a dry wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, or you could be getting a heaping portion of sugar with every pour.
15 Add Healthy Fat to Your Meals
The prescription for a healthier life as you age is simple: eat fat, get fit. Researchers at the University of Vienna found that individuals who added olive oil to their diet had higher serotonin concentrations and were less hungry in general than those who ate an olive oil-free diet. Other studies have also linked the consumption of olive oil to a reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and dementia, making it the perfect addition to virtually any meal plan.
16 Channel Your Inner Yogi
While your chances of joining the NBA after 40 are about as slim as winning the lottery, that doesn’t mean
you can’t commit to a new exercise plan as you get older. Yoga in particular is a great choice for older individuals, thanks to its ability to keep your muscles strong and limber, which can help prevent falls. Doctors at Columbia University Medical Center have even linked practicing yoga to improvements in bone density, even further reducing your risk of a serious injury as you age.
17 Skip the Artificial Sweeteners
Many people turn to artificial sweeteners to help shave calories from their food, but those brightly-colored packets of fake sugar may actually be the reason you’re not losing weight. Research has linked artificial sweeteners to an increased risk of obesity and disturbances in the gut bacteria that can make your more susceptible to disease. Even though they’re not caloric, artificial sweeteners trigger the same parts of the brain as sugar, making you crave the real stuff after you’ve eaten yet another sucralose-soaked snack.
18 Fill Up on Fiber
Quick fixes rarely yield long-lasting results when it comes to weight loss, but adding fiber to your diet might just be the exception. With just a spoonful of flaxseed or some extra veggies in your meal, you can fill up on fewer calories, making weight loss virtually effortless. For those concerned about their cancer risk, fiber can be seriously beneficial, too. Researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology have found a link between chronic constipation and an increased risk of colon cancer, the third most prevalent form of non-skin cancer in the United States, but adding extra fiber to your diet can send that risk plummeting.
19 Don’t Skimp On Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the easiest ways to ensure not just your longevity, but a consistent weight. The Nurses’ Health Study reveals that chronic sleep deprivation increased study subjects’ obesity risk by as much as 15 percent. Sleep deprivation is also related to increases in ghrelin, a hunger hormone that can make sticking to a healthy eating plan more difficult than ever. We guess the old saying is true: you snooze, you lose.
20 Laugh More
A little happiness can go a long way when it comes to your health. Taking life a little less seriously can yield some pretty major benefits when it comes to both weight loss and your overall mood. In fact, researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that laughing can burn up to 40 calories a day and increase heart rate by as much as 20 percent. Over the course of a year, this can lead to a whopping four-pound weight loss. Sounds like laughter really is the best medicine, after all.
1 Start Your Day With Green Tea
While it may be tempting to kick off your day with a big sugary coffee, starting with green tea can keep you healthier and leaner, especially as you age. Not only is green tea loaded with inflammation-fighting catechins, which have been linked to lower rates of breast, liver, and digestive cancers, it’s also a major boon to your weight loss. Research published in the International Journal of Obesity reveals that catechin supplementation was effective at increasing weight loss and improving weight maintenance over time, too.
2 Walk It Out
You might not be in the mood to hit up SoulCycle anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in a good workout well into your later years. Walking is a great way to burn some calories and tone your lower body without wreaking havoc on your joints, and how fast you walk may even predict how long you’ll live. Research published in JAMA reveals that individuals with faster gaits were significantly more likely to be alive and well 10 years after the study concluded than those who walked at a more leisurely pace.
3 Make the Most of Your Mornings
Embracing your inner early bird could make it easier to stay healthy as you age. A study conducted at Northwestern University links exposure to early morning sunlight to lower BMIs, and researchers at the University of Sydney have identified getting up early as one of the six factors proven to increase longevity.
4 Hydrate
Healthy, youthful skin and a flatter belly start with the same easy addition to your diet: more water. As we age, our skin tends to lose some of its natural moisture, which adding more water to your diet may help replenish. Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign found that increasing water consumption by between one and three cups a day reduced people’s caloric intake by as much as 206 calories and lowered their intake of sugar, salt, and cholesterol, too.
5 Make Dark Chocolate Your Dessert of Choice
A life without dessert sounds pretty bleak, but luckily, you don’t have to give up your favorite sweets to slim down. Dark chocolate is a good source of flavanols, antioxidant compounds that have been linked to reductions in blood sugar and body fat by researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Another study conducted at Columbia University Medical Center suggests that cocoa flavanols can help improve brain health and boost memory, keeping you both mentally and physically fit as you get older.
6 Find Some Inner Peace
Getting zen might just be the key to a longer life and a leaner body. A review of research conducted at Ohio State University, Columbus reveals that individuals who practiced mindfulness exercises, like meditation, lost significantly more weight than those who abstained. Meditation can also decrease your stress level, making it easier to fend off cortisol surges and the excess belly fat that often accompanies them.
7 Pick Up Some Weight
While you may not want to see extra weight on the scale, that doesn’t mean you should be weight-avoidant in the gym. Adding weight training to your routine can increase your lean muscle mass, helping you burn more calories even during periods of rest. Even better, research published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society reveals that the implementation of resistance exercises among a group of 75 to 80 year olds in Canada significantly reduced participants’ risk of a having a potentially-deadly fall.
8 Enjoy Some Non-Dairy Calcium
We’ve all heard that milk makes strong bones, but if you’re eager to stay healthy and active as you age, non-dairy calcium may be a better bet. Research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that dairy consumption is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture, which can keep you off your feet, or may even prove fatal. Fortunately, there are plenty of non-dairy calcium sources out there, like fatty fish, beans, and leafy greens, all of which can help you maintain a healthy weight and strong bones, to boot.
9 Opt For Red Fruit
The first step to beating that belly fat creeping up on you? Start seeing red. Red fruits, like grapes, cherries, and red apples, are loaded with antioxidant pigment resveratrol, which has been linked to increased weight loss and reduced belly fat. Research published in Neurology also reveals resveratrol to be an effective means of reducing the progression of dementia, helping you keep your body healthy, from belly to brain.
10 Have Your Thyroid Checked
If you find yourself sluggish, irritable, or are having a hard time losing weight, it might be more than just the natural progression of aging. Many people experience thyroid issues as they age, which can result in more serious health issues if not addressed quickly. Fortunately, many thyroid issues can be treated easily with a combination of diet and medication, the pairing of which can have you feeling like your old self again.
11 Eat More Regularly
It’s no surprise that our metabolisms have a tendency to slow down as we get older, but that doesn’t mean we have to just sit back and watch as the pounds pile on. By eating smaller meals on a more frequent basis, you can kick your metabolism into high-gear, keeping it stoked all day long. Just make sure you’re making your meals at home and not opting for convenience foods, which can add tons of salt, sugar, and preservatives to your diet.
12 Listen to Your Body
They say that with age comes wisdom, but that doesn’t mean we’re always listening to that wise voice in our head telling us what to do. It’s so important for everyone to start listening to their body, especially as they get older, when medical issues can become full-fledged health crises an in instant. Getting on top of what may seem like a minor health issue now can help you prevent the progress of more serious disease that can keep you sidelined and foster the perfect environment for serious weight gain.
13 Stop Stress in Its Tracks
Getting older can be stressful, but you don’t have to let those anxiety-ridden moments translate to decades of poor health or a widening waistline. When we’re stressed out, our bodies release cortisol, a hormone that can trigger the storage of excess body fat, particularly around our midsection. Unfortunately, this particular distribution of fat is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and early death, but it can be prevented. Taking time to enjoy some mood-boosting exercise, indulging in your favorite leisure activities, and doing some deep breathing exercises can all help lower your cortisol levels and have you feeling less stressed in no time.
14 Trade in Those Cocktails For Red Wine
While there’s a wealth of contradictory information about the relative health benefits of a wide variety of alcohols, one thing is for sure: those oversized, sugary cocktails are doing nothing for your body except making it bigger. A single frozen margarita can pack upwards of 600 calories and 80 grams of sugar, meaning if you toss two or three back, you’ve consumed a day’s worth of calories (and way more sugar than you should ever eat) without actually filling up. Switching to red wine means you can enjoy lower blood pressure with every sip and maybe even a slimmer waistline, too; red wine is a good source of belly fat-fighting resveratrol. Just make sure you’re picking a dry wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, or you could be getting a heaping portion of sugar with every pour.
15 Add Healthy Fat to Your Meals
The prescription for a healthier life as you age is simple: eat fat, get fit. Researchers at the University of Vienna found that individuals who added olive oil to their diet had higher serotonin concentrations and were less hungry in general than those who ate an olive oil-free diet. Other studies have also linked the consumption of olive oil to a reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and dementia, making it the perfect addition to virtually any meal plan.
16 Channel Your Inner Yogi
While your chances of joining the NBA after 40 are about as slim as winning the lottery, that doesn’t mean
you can’t commit to a new exercise plan as you get older. Yoga in particular is a great choice for older individuals, thanks to its ability to keep your muscles strong and limber, which can help prevent falls. Doctors at Columbia University Medical Center have even linked practicing yoga to improvements in bone density, even further reducing your risk of a serious injury as you age.
17 Skip the Artificial Sweeteners
Many people turn to artificial sweeteners to help shave calories from their food, but those brightly-colored packets of fake sugar may actually be the reason you’re not losing weight. Research has linked artificial sweeteners to an increased risk of obesity and disturbances in the gut bacteria that can make your more susceptible to disease. Even though they’re not caloric, artificial sweeteners trigger the same parts of the brain as sugar, making you crave the real stuff after you’ve eaten yet another sucralose-soaked snack.
18 Fill Up on Fiber
Quick fixes rarely yield long-lasting results when it comes to weight loss, but adding fiber to your diet might just be the exception. With just a spoonful of flaxseed or some extra veggies in your meal, you can fill up on fewer calories, making weight loss virtually effortless. For those concerned about their cancer risk, fiber can be seriously beneficial, too. Researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology have found a link between chronic constipation and an increased risk of colon cancer, the third most prevalent form of non-skin cancer in the United States, but adding extra fiber to your diet can send that risk plummeting.
19 Don’t Skimp On Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the easiest ways to ensure not just your longevity, but a consistent weight. The Nurses’ Health Study reveals that chronic sleep deprivation increased study subjects’ obesity risk by as much as 15 percent. Sleep deprivation is also related to increases in ghrelin, a hunger hormone that can make sticking to a healthy eating plan more difficult than ever. We guess the old saying is true: you snooze, you lose.
20 Laugh More
A little happiness can go a long way when it comes to your health. Taking life a little less seriously can yield some pretty major benefits when it comes to both weight loss and your overall mood. In fact, researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center found that laughing can burn up to 40 calories a day and increase heart rate by as much as 20 percent. Over the course of a year, this can lead to a whopping four-pound weight loss. Sounds like laughter really is the best medicine, after all.
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