Getting Fit at 50 A complete guide to making real change for Older Adults – Without Giving Up Alcohol! by Adam Petford, Certified Personal Trainer: 09/23/2024 Welcome to the journey! Welcome to the journey! At 48, I’m fitter, stronger, and still improving every day. I enjoy a drink or two! You might think I’m naturally athletic, but I was the opposite: overweight, last in everything at school, and hated sports.
People I grew up with are shocked when they see me now—and I love it! But I’m no saint! I lived through the 90s, partied hard, and made some poor choices. I’m human, just like you. Here’s what I’ve learned: Getting older doesn’t mean accepting decline. If you want to get fit at 50, here’s what you need to do: Strength train 2-3 times per week Change your relationship with food Move more If you’re ready to commit, that’s all you need.
If not, read on to learn more, or you might miss out on the life you really want! Let’s get started. Getting Fit at 50: Step 1 Strength Train 2-3 Times Per Week Squat, Hinge, Push, Pull Forget working out just to burn calories—it’s a terrible investment. In the 80s and 90s, we thought cardio and fat-free diets were the key.
We were wrong! spending an hour on cardio burns about 400 calories. If you do that 3 times a week, you burn a total of 1200 calories, which averages to about 170 calories per day. That’s equivalent to: 2 slices of bread A handful of nuts 4 Oreos Is that worth your time? Not really. Plus, cardio doesn’t directly build strength or muscle if fact too much of it can really interfere with the process.
As you age your levels of recovery are limited so spend this resource wisely. Your body also gets more efficient at cardio over time, burning fewer calories for the same effort. Why Resistance Training is the key The primary role of resistance training is to build strength, which stops the natural decline we face after 40.