 Photo by Mega Caesaria on Unsplash I Discovered Bulgarian Squats #AtHome For Balance And StrengthWhen you're over 50 you need to pay attention to exercises which improve your (deteriorating) balance. It's time to forget the split training days and to concentrate on the split squats - in particular the Bulgarian Split Squat.
Some say that the Bulgarian Split Squat (BSS) is the King of single-leg exercises. That's a beautiful thing. All the more so during these #StayAtHome times because it's an exercise that you can easily do at home.  Photo by Sebastian Abbruzzese on Unsplash Be kind to yourselfWhat we eat affects how we feel, but, unfortunately, how we feel affects what we eat! If we feel stressed, we make poorer food choices, which sets up a circle of feeling bad.
Right now, the number one rule is to be kind to yourself. If you're making poor food choices, then that's a natural outcome of the circumstances. It's not going to kill you. Rest assured you're not alone. If you'd like to try to break the pattern, I have some suggestions for you.  Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash Just choose 1 or 2 to start thriving againWith our routines having been thrown into chaos, many of us are losing our grasp on our best selves. The cumulative stress of the unknown is slowly pumping up our cortisone level, and we are burning out
Our resilience is drooping. It's time to take a step back, to regroup, and to rebuild our resilience, starting with one of two new habits - and committing to their practice. Having a good store of resilience helps us cope with life, as it happens - not as we wish it would happen. With enough resilience, instead of feeling as if you are drowning, you will start to enjoy the swim - even if the water is choppy. Here are four habits which will help you get back in touch with your best self. Just choose 1 or 2 that you are not currently practising - keep things simple.  Photo by Lance Asper on Unsplash How to boost your brain for a better mood and less stressIn these times it is worth sticking with whatever exercise you can consistently do in the circumstances, as exercising regularly is linked to better eating habits. Conversely, a lack of social contact is linked to poorer eating habits and, over time, poor health outcomes.
A 2019 study published in the International Journal of Obesity, looked at 2,680 young adults who were not exercising regularly or dieting. Scientists found that after exercising for several weeks, formerly sedentary study participants were more likely to choose foods like lean meats, fruits and vegetables, while preferences for fried foods, sodas and other unhealthy options decreased.  Photo by Taisiia Shestopal on Unsplash Improving your heart and vascular health was never so easyI see a lot of people steering clear of foods like oats and dark chocolate -the former because they fear the carbs, and the latter because it isn't packed with sugar.
What if I told you that oats and dark chocolate are two of the more healthy foods that you can eat? I eat them every day, for breakfast. Here's how to combine to two into one tasty and healthy breakfast. Firstly, let's do a quick update on their health benefits.  Photo by Марьян Блан | @marjanblan on Unsplash If you've thought about running, this is a good reason to tryI believe that the most beneficial goal of exercising when we are older is to lower our body age. That's why I named my Medium Publication "Body Age Buster".
I've studied how to do this, and put in into practice over the last 21 years, with great results. Typically, tests of my body age report ages between 15 and 20 years younger than my physical age (72 this year). Despite all my years of reading and practising these ideas, I was completely surprised when I found out recently that exercise can lower the body age of our bone marrow.  Photo by dylan nolte on Unsplash About twice as good, actuallyWhile watching a Japanese TV show about girls working out at a kick-boxing gym my ten-year-old daughter suddenly asked me if (rope) skipping is better for us than running.
It's a good question because we could all do with more skipping, especially as we get older. "Yes", I replied, "because skipping uses more of your muscles and your brain". That must be why they do lots of skipping but not much running, was her response.  The Clifftop Running Trail The wind and sun wash the stress awayAustralia is locked-down now, but we are allowed out to exercise - no more than 2 people together. Fortunately I live just 500m from a cliff-top running trail. Running that every day - 5km - keeps me sane. Here are eight photos which show why. Maybe they'll help you relax a little also.  Down the ramp to Half Moon Bay - and along the beach.  Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash Walking more? Healthy ankles take the stress off your kneesDuring the lockdown, we are allowed (in Australia) to leave our homes for exercise - alone or with one other person. There are many more people walking now than before the lockdown, which is good to see.
As we walk more often and become more ambitious to walk longer distances, it is sensible to pay attention to our foot health. Conversely, imagine if you injured a foot while walking - you would be deprived of the pleasure and relief of being able to get out of the house each day for exercise. Although we know that maintaining the flexibility of our feet reduces the chance of injury, we rarely attend to it.  Photo by Jonathan Brinkhorst on Unsplash How much do testing strategies explain the differences?Switzerland, Sweden and Australia are each taking different approaches to the containment of COVID19.
Switzerland is closer to Australia's approach, but not as restrictive, while Sweden is singing to its own tune with a herd immunity approach. Which country is doing the best at this stage? The results might surprise you. |
ChoicesSince I was diagnosed at 50 with Type 2 diabetes I've been learning how to do bone-building fitness training which lowers my age. You can too. It's your choice. Walter 
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