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Mercifully, as you get older, your tastes change away from sweet, and a little bit more toward bitterness. You will notice that children's food tastes far too sweet (which should perhaps make us think twice about giving it to our kids). This shift in our taste makes it a little easier to move toward healthier food with less processed sugars.
Some of the bitterer, and more interesting, flavors are often found in foods that are really good for you -- root vegetables, beans, brown rice, etc. So, embrace the change and explore some new flavors!View Thread

Portion size is the easiest place to make a win here. One very powerful suggestion is simply to get appetizer-size plates and use those for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you have a small enough plate, you can load it full, and you will still be about right on calories.
Studies have shown over and over again that if you have a big plate, you will tend to put more food on it, and it is awfully tough to walk away from an unfinished meal!View Thread

One easy strategy is to try to get as many different colors of fruit and vegetable on your plate as you can at each meal, as the colors coincide with different chemical makeups within each plant. It is the overall concept of having plants of all types form the bulk of your calorie consumption that leads to long-term health (and then reducing that calorie consumption to sane levels!)View Thread

-- Write an exercise schedule for the month. As you complete each session, note the duration and intensity of your workout. You can also add notes about other details that feel relevant or helpful — how you felt, music you listened to, any muscle pain or stress that you want to keep an eye on, etc.
-- If you are following your heart rate, keep a log of this as well. If you are a gear head, most of the heart rate monitors now plug into your computer, and you can track your numbers online and on your smart phone.
-- It is a great idea to try and get your friends into this as well, so you can share numbers. Bragging rights is a great motivator — no one wants to look like they are dogging it in front of their friends.
One caveat to all this is that for most of us any given routine gets stale after a while, and I will often alternate fairly long stretches of keeping a close track of my workouts, with periods where I am simply out there exercising but not writing anything down. But I always come back to writing things down after an interval off because it gets me right back to being honest with myself!View Thread

As you start your exercise program, take five or 10 minutes to warm up by doing light exercise, letting your muscles loosen, and getting the blood flowing. When you feel yourself get warm and just begin to sweat, try to take the exercise up until you really feel challenged.
Your ultimate goal is to go for at least 30 minutes, and then cool down for a few minutes, but in the early days you may not be able to get this far. You might go along at a nice stiff clip, until you feel yourself fading. Respect that limit. It is all your body is ready for today, so back off on the pace, cool down for five or 10 minutes, and then hit the shower.
If you do this you will be able to come back the next day and exercise again. If you ignore these signals from your body, you risk overdoing it and either losing motivation or overtraining.
One caveat here is that boredom looks an awful lot like fatigue, so try to be sure you are not simply fed up with the tedium of being on a treadmill. Music is a great antidote to this, so bring that to your workout. Watching TV or movies is another great way to make a workout pass easily. I find that a feature-length movie gets me two good workouts.
Any tips you've found that have helped you establish your fitness routine or keep motivated?View Thread

-- 2 should include lighter aerobic workouts for the aerobics days
-- 2 should include heavier aerobic workouts
-- 2 should be slated for strength and balance training
Light Aerobics
This means that you're moving, but lightly enough that you aren't straining. During this routine, you should be able to have a conversation without running out of breath.
-- Go for a walk outside. The time passes so quickly when you're walking outdoors. And it turns your light aerobic days into pure pleasure.
-- Pedal lightly on a stationary bike if long walks make your joints ache. You can even watch some TV or read a book while you do it.
Heavy Aerobics
This routine should be a challenge to you. You should be working hard enough that you can give short answers to any questions you're asked. But, no way could you carry on a steady conversation. Your breathing should be hard enough that you're aware of it.
If you start feeling short of breath, you've crossed over from aerobic exercise into anaerobic exercise. This isn't harmful. And playing with anaerobic exercise is important for achieving higher levels of fitness. But it is certainly not necessary for building a healthier body.
Strength Training
Whether you enjoy it or not, it's a wise investment. Loss of muscle mass is one of the hazards of aging -- and strength training counteracts that loss. It really is key to long-term vitality and independence.
If you've never worked with weights, visit your local gym and have a staff member get you started with circuit training. That means you're using standard gym machines in a certain sequence. And it's sure to get you results.
In addition to circuit training, there's a wide range of choices for strength training activities. And you can work with a personal trainer or you can do it on your own.
A dynamic, class-based form of strength training has become popular in many gyms. Many boot camp programs work the same way -- as do some Pilates and yoga classes.
If you join a higher intensity program — vigorous yoga included -- be careful. The chances of being injured go up. So work at your own pace. Be careful and listen to your body. With time, you should be able to get through these programs just fine.
If you have any low-grade aches and pains -- the kinds that are common in many older Americans -- they may decrease or even disappear after you've been strength training for a while. It's often the cure, rather than the cause, for most of the joint problems you could face as you get older.View Thread

Red meat and dairy products are the main sources of saturated fat. So be sure to limit how much of these foods you eat. Instead, eat more white meats like chicken and fish. But don't be fooled into thinking that's all you need to do. Your body was designed to run on a mixed diet. While you're cutting your portions of meat, fill in the gaps with more healthy fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
You might have a hard time limiting your starch intake. In this case, it might be easier to stay away from starches all together. Try to avoid breads and pastas -- just for a few weeks -- and see how you feel.
I know this isn't very exciting advice. But the basics remain the best.View Thread

Friends and family can be your most powerful resource. Meaningful engagement with your community is also important. It can be an effective substitute for closer social ties if you've let go of those kinds of connections over the years.
Take a hard look at your social connections. Examine whether or not you are as deeply and meaningfully engaged as you really want it to be. If not, take steps today to change that! With all the social media available today, you can find friends you haven't been in touch with for decades. Reach out to the people around you and gain an understanding of your community's needs. This can give you opportunities to be involved and more widely connected with others.
Make this your project for today! Reach out to people you have lost touch with. Start making plans to get together on a regular basis. Take a close look at how you can volunteer and help others. Your altruism could have a wonderful effect on your biology.View Thread

This is a hard message in our culture because, fitness-wise, we have gone so far off the rails. Exercising an hour a day, 6 days a week, takes up 5% of your waking hours. That's a small fraction (if you consider how much time you might spend watching TV), but it's a significant way to change your life.
Do you absolutely have to do 6 days a week? Of course not. But remember, your biology never rests. And in the lifetime struggle between growth and decay, exercise helps keep you younger and healthier. The reality is that the more often you exercise, the greater your benefits. I am a huge fan of 6 days, clearly. Exercising 6 days a week can help to optimize your fitness and energy. But 4 days a week -- with a lot of activity on the other 3 days -- can be just as beneficial. Just be aware that cutting down on your exercise days is taking a step back from the benefits. And by the time you get down to 1 day a week, you're really just hanging on to those benefits by a thread.
The interesting thing is that exercising 6 days a week can actually be easier than you think. Once you get started, it becomes one of the basic routines of your life, like brushing your teeth, taking the kids to school, or showing up for work. You simply show up and do it. It's only a struggle when you spend too much time deciding where to fit it into your schedule.
How many days a week do you exercise? Is it a part of your routine or something you are struggling to do?View Thread
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