What can I do when I’m young to keep healthy when I’m older?

[burialchoice]

I’m 23 years old and started my fitness journey about 4 years ago as a runner. I was serious about running for about a year, until I got injured and had to lay off for a bit. Since then, I still run (although less mileage and am less hard on myself about it, I’m much better about listening to my body now) and have started consistently weightlifting about 2 years ago. I also walk, stretch, and do running-related physical therapy a few times a week.

My mindset with running has shifted a lot the last few years - at first, I wanted to be training to be faster, stronger, and run longer. But now, I’m content being a middle-pack runner and will occasionally push myself if I have an upcoming race. I’ve decided that I’d rather be an average (but healthy) runner for the next 50 years, than a really good athlete for the next 10 and get burned out/permanently injured.

So, other than keeping up with cardiovascular health, what else can I get in the habit of doing now that will keep me healthy when I’m older? Yoga to maintain flexibility? Weightlifting to avoid muscle loss? How often and to what intensity do these need to be done? My ultimate objective is to still be healthy enough to travel, hike, play with kids/grandkids in retirement! I’m also curious on published papers related to this topic if you have any!

 

[aw7jesus]

@burialchoice As a man who respects the way of healthy lifestyle and beeng responsible for my health i suggest other people firs to take care of they're energy and not to waste it.

For me very important is to visit some place like in the deep nature where the air is more clean. I think this can help you for your target becouse your brain need more clean air to start working on 100%, it's a type of mental exercise. I find hier some important information how really should you act and be more motivated, just open access and there is the information.

Just believe in your abilities.

 

[nenab]

@burialchoice Honestly it's the habitual behavior that will do it. Habitually putting aside the time for exercise and healthy eating, being accustomed to enduring physical challenges and just always prioritizing health and wellness.

 

[dawn16]

@burialchoice I am SO excited to dive into this thread- but wanted to throw a rec out in case it didnt get mentioned- Valter Longo is a professor in the gerontology dept at USC and has written about the topic in The Longevity Diet. I’m pretty sure its just extreme fasting, but IDK. Can’t endorse, i just know his name because I almost worked in that department and always wanted to research the topic myself!!

 

[joerussell3000]

@burialchoice Compression socks.

 

[faithfullyseekinggod]

@burialchoice I’m a gigantic fan of yoga especially if you start young!
It’s not about being a bendy pretzel or getting into crazy shapes (although it is fun to experience the crazy shapes).

It’s really about correcting imbalances in the body and body awareness.

There are so many more added benefits like core stability and strength, and improvements to bone density. Not to mention how the flexibility and range of motion improvements are directly beneficial to any weight lifting routines!

If you get really into yoga and incorporate meditation into your practice it is awesome for helping your mind as well (not a requirement but strongly encouraged). I have personally gotten through a major mental slump/depression because I started committing to a daily meditation for 15 minutes at 8:00AM. It’s 15 minutes of my time before I start work but WOW did it help me really focus on my fitness, living well, and eating what’s best for my body. These things made my mind feel better, which in turn has kept me accountable to myself in a way I couldn’t have been before. For example, before I’d go through periods where I would give up alcohol and I always felt that I was missing out and working super hard to resist temptation. This led to binging when I would allow myself to drink again and long periods where I would drink a glass of wine or two every night which in the long run wasn’t working for me. Now I don’t need it - and if I do have a drink or a night out it’s going to be a conscious controlled choice, not a compulsion like before. This is because I no longer feel that I’m missing out.

Some of the 70 year old yogis who practice with me are super strong and can maintain poses that I struggle with! Not to mention my yoga instructor - she’s in her 50s and can school me on strength, stability and endurance. Sometimes she’ll be like “hold the pose a little longer you can do it!” and it looks so effortless for her but is so difficult for me!

The thing about yoga and most exercise is it’s really beneficial to commit to at least 3 days a week as a complement to your existing exercise regime. But you will see improvements over time if you can commit to a consistent practice. Plus there are so many great resources online at all ability levels. Yoga with Adrienne is great, for example.

For me, I find I really need live classes for accountability so I still practice through my studio on Zoom.

 

[christianityfacts]

@burialchoice I just finished reading a book that has a bunch of practical things you can do for long term health. It's called "How to Eat, Move, and be Healthy" by Paul Chek. It's a pretty interesting read, and if you're interested in long term health and fitness, you might enjoy it.

 

[scronk]

@burialchoice

1. Get good sleep, lots of it. 7-8 hrs. Your body rebuilds itself at night while you sleep.
2. Don't shy away from meat. We are omnivores, but our bodies prefer meat of sustenance.
3. Get as strong as you can before the age of 30. Our bodies hormonal system changes around that time. That's when muscle loss becomes easier. Once over 30 then you can begin to maintain, but if you never had it to begin with it's all the harder to build.

These are just the opinion of a 40 something guy, who forgot his athletic roots at 23. Hind sight is 20/20. Good luck!

 

[troypop28]

@scronk I don't know why this was downvoted its pretty good advice

 

[dawn16]

@troypop28 Because our body does NOT prefer "meat of sustenance." Meat is a higher quality protein and is better absorbed for muscle synthesis, but not by enough of a margin to make it worth making it our primary energy source.

Also, "Getting as strong as you can before 30" is somewhat strange advice. It's true that building muscle is harder when you get older due to hormone changes, but functional fitness does not require "as much strength as you can." It requires basic bodyweight movements and consistent mobility exercises.

The advice should have been: "Eat a diverse diet consisting primarily of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes. Eat meat sparingly, especially red meat. Fish, eggs, and white meat are preferred. Stay at a healthy weight by balancing your caloric intake, and consider intermittent fasting (though it is not necessary, recent studies indicate it may benefit longevity). Drink plenty of water. Get plenty of sleep. Stay active and exercise regularly. Consistency and functional capability are more important than raw strength for longevity, so minimize the risk of injuring yourself."

It's a myth that we are primarily meat eaters. We can and should eat meat, but it should not be our primary source of protein. It's expensive and linked to increased risk of mortality when consumed in excess, thus: Seek balance.

 

[ronit]

@burialchoice There are certain popular goals in the fitness world which require trading in long-term health for short-term success. Ironically, these are the goals that are most visibly associated with fitness. I'm talking about extreme physiques, high-level competetive athleticism and adjacent things. You basically hit the bull's eye when you said you'd "rather be a mid-pack runner most of the time and push yourself occasionally before races", it's the same concept. All things and materials have characteristics time scales on which they recover/adapt/perform, if you get me. For example, muscles adapt and heal fast, tendons not so much, they accumulate wear-and-tear and take a while to adapt to new stimulus. Soreness and bad DOMS sets on fairly quickly after pushing harder for a while, but dissipates relatively fast. On the other hand, systemic burnout accumulates over months and years and takes just as long to recover from. Generally respecting and cooperating with those time scales is my number one tip for longevity in training. Know when to skip a day so you don't have to skip a week or a month down the line.

Secondly, I'd put emphasis on being a well-rounded athlete/trainee. Your main sport may be endurance based, but take your strength training seriously and don't neglect muscle groups just because they don't contribute to your main sport (e.g. take your arm training as seriously as your leg training as a runner). Personally, I think a well-rounded trainee takes care of their mobility, endurance and strength in somewhat of a reasonable balance. This can be summarised as avoid the urge to min-max for the sake of your main sport.

 

[valarielynn]

@burialchoice Be active: physically, cognitively and socially. Try to engage in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity per week. Research shows that this provides substantial health benefits, now and in old age. Try to have meaningful social interactions that meet your needs for human connection. And take walks outside. Walking has positive effects on your physical, but also mental and cognitive health

 

[edmundlloydfletcher]

@burialchoice My 99 yrs old neighbour says never over are and kept moving. She is still gardening and staying strong.

 

[lek]

@burialchoice Something I wish I had accepted earlier was injury is inevitable but prehab and prevention is the key to recovery. You don't have to lift super heavy and deadlifts and spine loaded lifts are very dangerous and not completely necessary. You see people going heavy and hard in Instagram but a lot of it is fake plates and people on PEDs. I hurt myself all thru my 20s trying to convince myself I needed to squat and deadlift my bodyweight+ to achieve my goals. After I saw a physical therapist my mentality changed and my body actually got better with less pain. Listen to your pain not every burn is a good one.

 

[gojira323]

@burialchoice Take advantage of being in your bone formative years. Limit alcohol even when it's excess can seem so normalized.

 

[mayello]

@burialchoice Reiterating most comments: move. Never stop moving. My doctor used to say once you stop moving, you die. (Technically correct on a few levels, I guess).

I’m 31 and a minor regret I have and wish I had started at 23: proper posture and sitting habits. Not being hunched over for 8+ hours a day would’ve largely helped my already angry spine. Trying to undo years of damage is tough and in some ways impossible at this point.

 

[dawn16]

@burialchoice Science shows the gut microbiome of a healthy 20yr old and healthy 80yr old are the same. People that eat mostly processed food kill off half if that biome by starving it. It takes only 3 weeks of nothing but McDonald's for this process to start. Try to keep eating fresher food if you can if you're having a bad week, try to get in some good fibers, salads etc.. even if processed food outweighs it, it helps.

 

[dawn16]

@burialchoice Streach, alot,

Really take care of your feet, and make sure to use the right footwear, for the running surface and time of year. Replace your footwear whenever it gets worn out, don't think you can do another couple of months on it.

On the medical side you might want to talk to a dietitian, you'd be amazed at how different foods and even your hydration levels can affect your susceptibility to injury.

You can also find a good chiropractor to help you with any aches and pains in your neck and back, they're not supposed to be there. A good Podiatrists might be helpful as well. Remember the most important thing is to keep moving, staying with Sargent even when you're injured will hurt you more than anything.

Really, if you're having any discomfort or pain, it's a reason to stop what you're doing and make adjustments. It's not no pain no gain, it's "no pain for gain"

 

[izzy1728]

@burialchoice Build up your back and shoulder muscles! Most women neglect this completely, and they end up with rounded upper back/shoulders by middle age. Over time, this can lead to diminished chest capacity for your lungs and heart, trouble moving naturally, difficulty raising your arms, poor balance and increased risk of spinal injury and compression, especially if you develop osteoporosis.
So, keep your back straight. Row, do pull ups and handstands (assisted is fine), lift weights high over your head, swim powerfully, etc.

 

[alkoneronchikom]

@burialchoice Cross train and you’ll get a good range of activities and lessen the chance of overuse injuries. Prioritize lean protein and veggies. Wear sunscreen. And most important, nurture your relationships and friendships. At 40, it’s hard to make new friends and as you age, you’ll realize relationships are the glue that holds your mental health together.