Statistics have shown that one-third of men would not go to the doctor despite having major health issues. Women are typically better at getting regular checkups.

However, studies have shown a rising number of women postponing their regular checkups due to their busy schedules.

Unfortunately, ignoring your regular health checks does not keep you healthy. Many times, you can be suffering from a serious condition and not show any symptoms.

Prostate and Breast cancer are both “silent killers” that can progress to a fatal stage before you even know they are there.

This is why early detection through regular testing is essential to save your life.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the top 10 killers of women. In 2009, an estimated 191,000 women will be diagnosed. Of these, an estimated 41,000 will die from their cancer. On the other hand, experts say if breast cancer is caught in stage 1, 97% of all cases are curable.

Performing a monthly self check is one of the best ways to detect breast cancer early. You will be able to notice even small changes in your breast tissue. Next time you see your doctor, ask them to show you how to do a proper self-check.

During your annual women’s health checkup, your doctor should also perform a breast exam. He or she will palpate for any suspicious lumps or bumps. This is a good time to talk about concerns from your self checks.

After age 35, you should get a baseline mammogram from which all future mammograms will be compared to. After age 40, a mammogram should be performed annually. If you are over 50 and are not receiving an annual mammogram it is important that you immediately schedule one.

Prostate Cancer

About 1 in every 35 men will die from prostate cancer. In 2009, an estimated 193,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Of these, about 28,000 cases will be fatal.

Fortunately, more and more men have begun receiving prostate cancer screenings, which are the only form of early detection for this cancer. Because of the rise in early detection, about 90% of these men will survive.

This number has dramatically increased in proportion to the number of men being screened. Furthermore, it has substantially improved 5 and 10 year survival rates.

All men over 50 should have a prostate screening annually. Prostate cancer screening is done in two parts. A digital rectal exam, or DRE, is a physical exam. Your doctor will check your prostate for any hard or lumpy areas.

The second part of prostate cancer screening is a blood test. A prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test is performed. This screens your blood for the specific markers left by this cancer.

Man or woman, it does not matter. If you are over 50, you are at risk for cancer, especially breast or prostate cancer. If you want to stay ahead of these “silent killers”, it is important that you schedule a check up right away.

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If you take a look around at your peers, you will probably notice more people wearing glasses or contacts than wore glasses 10 years ago. Now that you are over 50, you may be needing glasses yourself.

However, do not think that just because you are getting older you cannot maintain your vision. There are plenty of things you can do to ensure your eyesight for years to come.

It is very natural for your eyesight to diminish as you get older. Many people who benefited from 20/20 vision or better in their youth find the need to pull on a pair of glasses to read the morning paper later in life.

Sometimes, this is a genetic decline that cannot be halted. In most cases, and even in many genetic cases, the way you care for your eyes can have the greatest impact on retaining good vision.

The first thing you should do is protect your eyes when you read. This means that you should read in a well lit room, with the light preferably overhead.

Remember well lit does not mean too bright, too bright a light will fatigue your eyes. Computer monitors are often too bright and should be dimmed slightly to protect your eyes.

You should also take an opportunity to relax your eyes throughout the day. Relaxing your eyes helps reduce tension in the optic muscles. This tension can disrupt blood flow and overtime will reduce your vision.

One popular relaxation technique is called palming. Palming is relatively easy to do. You start by rubbing your palms together until they are very warm.

Next, close your eyes and press your palms firmly against your eyelids. Leave your palms there until the cool or for at least one minute. The heat from your palms will relax the muscles and the pressure will gently massage the area to improve blood flow.

Closing your eyes for this length of time will also reduce strain. You can do this as many times as needed throughout the day.

You may have always heard eating carrots improves your eyesight. This is true, but there are other foods that can help you improve your eyesight even more.

In addition to carrots, vegetables that are rich in vitamins A, B, and C are antioxidant rich. This helps the cells in your eyes and surrounding tissue to regenerate more quickly and efficiently.

Foods like fish that are rich in vitamin E are known to help prevent the muscular degeneration that causes poor eyesight. Spinach is rich in iron, along with other vitamins and minerals, and will promote better blood flow.

You need your eyes to be healthy for the rest of your life. Do not assume that because you are now over 50 losing your sight is inevitable. If you take proactive steps now, you will be giving your vision the strength it needs to last.

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Now that you are over 50, you are more prone to serious and life threatening health issues. Unfortunately, if those issues are not treated correctly the consequences can be dire. If you are questioning your medical care, it may be time for a second opinion.

You should not feel as if you cannot trust your doctor or railroaded into a decision. There is a statistic you should always remember. 50% of all doctors graduated in the lower 50% of their class.

Unfortunately, medicine is a broad subject and everyday we learn more. Hours of weekly research is needed to stay up on any one medical topic. Even a doctor that graduated in the upper 50% of his class cannot possibly know everything.

Several recent studies yielded very serious, shocking results. One proved that 30% of most cancer patients receive a completely different recommendation in their second opinion than the first, including in “life threatening or life altering” cases.

In 1999, it is estimated that almost 2% of all patients received the wrong diagnosis. One man was diagnosed with cancer, but really had a severe infection. Another study revealed that treatment differs substantially between geographic regions.

We are our own best patient advocates. This is why second opinions are often a medical necessity. However, you may still feel unsure about a second opinion. These tips will help you decide when to seek a second opinion, and when not to.

• The major medical institutions normally offer these four recommendations. Seek another opinion if surgery is recommended, if you have exhausted treatment options, or if treatment is not available.
• If something risky, costly, or experimental is recommended consult another doctor.
• If you are concerned with lasting side affects, check out other options.
• If your doctor dismisses a minor, but lingering, issue, a second opinion may put you at ease.
• If your doctor cannot sympathize about how seriously even a minor issue impacts your life, they are not treating your total health.
• Do not change doctors simply because of bedside manner. You may need a blunt, tough provider to “shock” you into making good health choices.
• If one treatment contradicts a treatment for another medical issue, make sure your doctors communicate. You need doctors who take a team approach to your care.
• Ask rational and researched questions. If you are not getting sound, logical answers in return, you should consider going somewhere else.
• Your questions should not irritate your doctor, even if you question their advice.
• Your doctor should use laymen’s terms without talking down to you.
• It is okay if your doctor cannot answer your question, but they should be willing to promptly research the answer.
• Do not seek a second opinion simply because you are not hearing the answer you want to hear.

Do not worry about offending your doctor. It is a business like any other and second opinions are very normal in medicine. It is so common that major institutes have departments dedicated to them.

If you discuss a second opinion with your doctor and they seem offended, that should send up a red flag.

When you seek a second opinion, it may be with a more qualified doctor or one with a different philosophy. Trust your gut feeling and you will not regret decisions later.

No matter your which opinion you choose, it is important that you know all the facts and all your options. Now that you are over 50, it is even more important that you get the best medical care. This is your body, if you will not stand up for it- who will?

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If you have noticed that you are a bit wider around the waist than you used to be then you are part of a growing epidemic called abdominal obesity.

Over the last decade, the cases of people over 40 suffering from abdominal obesity have more than doubled. This number continually increases because an estimated 78% of all middle aged men and women lead sedentary lifestyles. This problem is compounded by poor diet.

However, you can look better than ever and get head turning six-pack abs through simple, but proven, fitness and nutritional changes.

Warning Signs

If your midsection is showing more bulge these days, you should know the serious health risks associated with abdominal obesity.

Researchers have learned that a high concentration of abdominal fat is typically a result of a diet containing carbohydrates with a high glycemic index and too many fats. This dangerous equation can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and is even suspected to be the cause of some cancers.

Studies have also shown that people who suffer from abdominal obesity are 25% more likely to suffer from migraines. Countless middle aged men and women are plagued with weight-related back problems that prevent them from performing everyday, basic tasks and they risk losing their independence.

On the other hand, men and women over 40 who have made the fitness, nutritional, and lifestyle changes needed to get a flat tummy are predominantly free of obesity and age related health concerns. These people tend to be healthier which results in fewer doctors’ visits, lower prescription costs, and a longer life span.

You can have the same success, no matter what your age, genetics, gender, or body style. You have the same ability to build muscle as you did in your youth. The exercises that kept you lean and tone at 20 will keep you lean and tone at 50. As you age, you should have even greater motivation to eat right and workout.

Therefore, as long as you do the right exercises, followed by the right nutrition and lifestyle, you should have that six-pack that will make everyone stop and stare.

What Not To Do

There are a lot of so called experts out there that will tell you how to get fantastic abs, for a fee. The truth is that there is no gimmick or fad out there that will get you long-term fitness and a six-pack.

This is because gimmicks and fad products promise you great results without making positive changes to your physical activity and eating habits.

Additionally, pills and other miracle remedies are often dangerous and can cause long term damage to your kidneys, liver, and endocrine system. The point of fitness over 40 is to get your body into a healthy condition that will support and lengthen the rest of your life.

You also have to use caution when exercising because not all exercises were created equal. Some exercises can cause serious injury to your back, which may already be weakened after carrying extra abdominal weight for a decade or more.

In general, an exercise that forces you to arch you back should be avoided. Some of these include hanging leg raises with an arched back, lying flat straight leg lifts, straight leg sit ups and feet-supported sit ups.

The problem with the later two is that when you are in the starting position flat on the floor you are forcing your back into an unnatural position. Always remember to keep your pelvis pitched forward in a very slight hunch.

Also, exercises on machines, such as ab machine crunches, put your back in a compromised, unstable position and you should avoid these as well.

Try to avoid exercises that are inefficient. For example, when you begin your routine simple crunches will probably give your abs a good workout.

However, as you become fit you will need to add more resistance than a simple crunch can provide.

Also, avoid torso twists because these do not adequately build abdomen muscles and they do not burn very many calories.

Finally, many people only focus on the rectus abdominus muscles which are the muscles that can be visibly seen in a six-pack. This is a mistake.

It is important that you give this muscle group an excellent workout, but you must also exercise the other muscles in your abdomen and back to get the full effect. Your back and abdomen muscles help you maintain good posture. Good posture will help your back remain strong for many years and has a fantastic impact on appearance.

When you hold your body in the proper position, it emphasizes muscle tone and a lean abdomen.

The Right Exercises

Now that you know what not to do, it is time to focus on the right movements that will get you a fantastic set of abdominal muscles.

The right movements are the same no matter if you want ripped abs or just a lean, tone appearance. The difference is how much resistance you add to your workout.

Some of the best exercises are ones that use your lower body as the source of resistance. For example, many people have great success with hanging leg raises and hanging knee raises but remember to keep your back in a hunched position.

Other exercises that are the most effective can be done at home or at a gym with simple equipment like dumbbells and an exercise ball.

Ball crunches and ball hip flexions work out both the rectus abdominus group and the supporting abdomen muscles.

Lying leg thrusts, abs scissors, reverse crunches, abs wheels, and alternating crunches can be done almost anywhere.

If you prefer a gym, decline bench leg thrusts, bench crunches, and the cable rope crunch will give you good results.

Also, abs bicycle exercises where you alternate your knees and elbows are fantastic and burn many calories.

You may also be surprised to find many other exercises that do not focus on the abs will give you an amazing abdominal workout. For example, squats, lunges, dead lifts, and multi-joint presses all focus on other muscle groups.

However, these movements require core stability that forces the abs into a flexed or crunched position with great resistance. This is especially so for front squats and renegade dumbbell exercises.

Remember that the most effective workout focuses on muscles groups from different angles. Also, there is no set amount of time that will guarantee results. In addition to you normal workout, you will probably want to include 5 to 10 minutes that are devoted to your abs.

In the beginning, you may have to workout the full 10 minutes and decrease the time as you get toned. Also, do not exercise your abs everyday. Your abs are no different than any other muscle, they need rest in order to repair and build new mass.

Keep in mind that no matter how much you strengthen your abs, you will not have the look you want unless you also address unwanted fat through cardio and good nutrition. You might be surprised to find out that many people are getting the defined abs they want through intense training, but those abs are not visible through layers of unwanted fat.

Adding a cardio workout to your program will help burn calories and eliminate extra fat. Nutritionally, many people have had better results when they include only complex, low-glycemic carbs, reduce fats, increase lean proteins, and stop alcohol consumption.

The best way to get fantastic washboard abs abs is to begin a well-rounded fitness program that includes the right exercise movements, good nutrition, and positive lifestyle changes.

There is no cookie-cutter plan out there that will work for everyone. Your body type and fitness goals are unique. The best workout program is one that is well researched and suited to your needs.

As you design your fitness program, focus on information that encourages natural methods of weight loss and health that support your over 40 fitness goals. The Truth About Six Pack Abs e-book was written by a certified nutrition specialist and personal trainer.

The book emphasizes achieving fantastic abdominal strength at any age through simple exercises and good nutrition. He discusses the causes of abdominal obesity and benefits of free weights versus machines.

Additionally, he details specific exercises that are fantastic components of any abs fitness routine. You can use The Truth About Six Pack Abs as a valuable guide on your journey to an extraordinary physique. Click here to learn more…

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once said, “The key to good fitness is to understand that you must always prepare to be your best.”

This is excellent advice for men and women over 40 who have decided to recapture their youth and wellbeing through fitness.

When the goal is to improve health and strength, preparation can involve many things. Research is essential, as is thorough planning. Motivation is absolutely necessary, so is belief.

Seeking help and advice from others is one of the best things you can do to prepare yourself, but you need resources that are accurate and in your best interest.

This is why the ebook Fit Over 40 is an indispensable guide for those who have decided to change their lives for the better through fitness.

Fit Over 40 is written by Jon Benson and Tom Venuto. You may recognize both of these names. Benson has won international acclaim for his body transformation programs.

You may have also read Venuto’s many articles in leading fitness magazines like Iron Man. An interesting fact about the pair is that they come from totally different fitness backgrounds, but both are outstanding examples of the over 40 athlete.

Venuto has been a life-long health and fitness enthusiast and his methods are the result of his many years of training. On the other hand, Benson spent most of his life either sedentary or unhealthy.

It was his diminishing health and desire to overcome age-related problems that drove him to become the athlete that he is today.

The book begins with Benson sharing his personal journey towards fitness from a young age until present. Like many men and women over 40, he spent most of his life mistreating his body until his mistakes caught up with him.

After many years of trial and error, Benson found the right motivation and goals. He finally became an example of fitness and health.

He shares many of the mistakes he made along the way and will help you prepare to make better choices.

The next section of the book has great information for anyone preparing to design their fitness program.

Most people know that there is no “cookie-cutter” style program that will work for everyone. Therefore, Benson and Venuto have done the research and compiled the unique stories of 52 men and women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s who are in peak physical condition.

Each shares their fitness journey and motivational belief system. Each describes their personal exercise and nutritional plans.

One reason this is such a great collection is that every role model has a different background, yet they all reached the same phenomenal success. Many of the people featured in the book were no healthier or active than you when they began their journey towards fitness over 40.

You can use their stories to prepare yourself for your journey. Also, you can use the components of their exercise and nutritional plans that best suit your needs and build your own tailored program. 

Finally, Venuto shares tips and strategies to get the same success as those role models.

He emphasizes that you must always prepare yourself by believing you can achieve your goals. He notes some age-related training tips and precautions that should be taken to ensure success and prevent injury.

Finally, he details his “Five Pillars” fitness strategy that focuses on weight training, aerobic training, flexibility training, balanced nutrition, and recovery and renewal. This section will help you design a well-rounded program that focuses on all of the physical and mental aspects of fitness.

If you are over 40 and want to begin a program to achieve health and happiness, you may be a little intimidated and not know where to start.

Fit Over 40 is a great tool to help you prepare a fitness plan that will ensure success. It can guide you to make the right choices when you encounter obstacles.

The book will teach you how to find the right motivation to carry you through your most difficult times. Fit Over 40 can help you prepare to become the best you have ever been.

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There is no reason to believe that bodybuilding over 50 should be more difficult or less successful than bodybuilding at 20.

There have been countless studies that prove your body can build the same muscle mass now that you could build two decades ago. You may have to make slight routine modifications and use more caution.

However, there is no reason why you cannot get a sculpted, hardbody in your 50s, 60s, or even 70s. If you motivate and educate yourself, you can be virtually unstoppable on your path to fitness.

This may surprise you, but there are plenty of men and women bodybuilders in their 70s and later who regularly win international competitions against younger athletes.

What may surprise you more is that a large portion of those people entered middle age with failing bodies and little to no exercise. However, they found the cure to aging.

They started weight training to increase muscle mass and bone density. Exercise improved their cardiovascular strength and kept their joints in a youthful condition. The increased activity and blood flow improved their cognitive reasoning.

They also saw positive changes in their self-esteem, personal philosophies, and overall happiness. None of these athletes had an easy journey, but with careful study and planning they became fitness champions.

They faced the same challenges you are about to face and they victoriously climbed the same mountains you are about to climb. You can have that success if you create a well researched fitness plan tailored to your unique body and individual goals.

ESTABLISH YOUR FITNESS GOALS

The intensity and schedule of your plan for weight training over 50 should be based on very personal, fundamental goals.

Whether it is to improve health, guarantee independence later in life, feel better about the person in the mirror, or another pursuit, most successful body builders have built their exercise program by using one core value as their foundation.

After you know what is motivating you, you will have a clearer picture of where you need to go and visualize who you want to be in 5, 10, and 15 years.

Once you know your core value, start making fitness goals that are aligned with it.

Most bodybuilders choose how they would like to sculpt their body before designing the components of their bodybuilding plan.

If your main goal is to simply tone your body, then your workout will not be as intense but will probably focus more on certain problem areas.

People who strive for increased strength and non-bulky muscle still exercise their total body, but do not try to greatly build muscle mass.

However, competitive bodybuilders and those who want a “ripped” physique work out each body part in intense training sessions that can last over two hours a day.

Do not be intimidated by the term competitive bodybuilding, these are people who were once like you and faced the same challenges as you to become fitness champions.

The best men and women competitive bodybuilders over 50 often say that they never intended to become competitive, but the competition helped drive them to achieve excellence.

BODYBUILDING BASICS

If you know how you would like to sculpt your body, then you are ready to design your actual fitness program and intensity level.

Many competitive bodybuilders design their plan on the principle that every workout should increase the intensity of work done compared to your previous workout. However, this can mislead you into thinking that you must intensely train each body part as often as possible.

In general, this is a mistake.

Experts insist that your body needs rest in order to repair and build muscle.

Men and women over 50, especially beginners, might even find their muscles need more than a day’s rest.

Therefore, rest is a very basic component to any bodybuilding plan.

After you train a specific body part, you will need to give it a break before you can expect a more intense performance. 

This idea of deeply training a body part and followed by rest is why most bodybuilders train in cycles with “splits”. A split refers to the segregation of the body into different muscle groups, such as abs and legs.

Throughout a cycle, a bodybuilder will work on one, or no more than two, muscle groups per day. Each day of the cycle they will work on a different group or groups.

No body group is repeated until every body part has been trained and rested at least one day. Common cycles are 3, 4, 5, and 10 day cycles. As you may imagine, the longer cycles provide more rest for each muscle group and shorter cycles train more than one group per day. 

Choosing a cycle plan is a very personal decision. You alone will be able to tell how much rest your body needs and if you can adequately train more than one muscle group in a day.

The best way to start is to study the cycles others use. Compare their fitness goals, body style, and results to your own. Incorporate their cycles, schedule, and actual techniques that best suit you.

Always realize that fitness is a learning process and you will probably have to adjust your routine until you find your perfect fit. 

CARDIO FOLLOW UP

Almost every body builder includes some type of cardio workout to compliment their strength training.

However, the similarities stop there because the cardio component of an over 50 bodybuilding plan is truly unique to every man and woman.

Traditionally, cardio is used to improve cardiovascular health and burn calories. Bodybuilding also strengthens your cardiovascular system, but most competitive bodybuilders still include cardio to keep their heart healthy. 

Cardio also burns calories very quickly, making it important that your cardio routine also match your fitness goals.

Competitive bodybuilders typically do enough cardio to counteract the extra calories they have consumed to prevent fat gain. If you have a slower metabolism, your body probably gains unwanted fat more easily.

Therefore you will have to do cardio longer and more often. If you overeat, for example at holidays, you will have to increase your cardio workout accordingly. 

On the other hand, many competitive bodybuilders have found that their metabolism increases as the bulk up. This is probably because maintenance of muscle mass requires an average of 40 more calories per pound each day than fat.

Therefore, if you are eating right and your metabolism is easily eliminating your extra calories, then gaining unwanted fat is probably not an issue for you.

So, you will want to make sure you do not perform too much cardio as you will begin to use calories your body needs to create muscle mass. This will actually undo your bodybuilding efforts, especially if you are wishing to bulk up.

Once again, cardio is important and you should never neglect that portion of your workout. However, how much cardio you perform will depend on your personal bodybuilding goals and nutrition plan.

FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF YOUR ROLE MODELS

There is no competitive body builder who reached his or her success alone. Nor did they reach that level of fitness following a one-size-fit-all exercise plan.

Their bodies and needs are all unique as are their individual bodybuilding over 50 plans. Most successful bodybuilders will tell you that they designed their plan based on the experiences of their personal role models.

They studied the success stories of others and used that knowledge to design their own program. Most will tell you that they studied hundreds of cases before they began to create their weight training regiment.

If you use this technique, you will greatly increase your chances of success.

Fit Over 40 is a fantastic e-book that includes the personal testimonies of 52 strength trainers, competitive body builders, and weight training instructors. Each testimony details the unique exercise programs these people have used to achieve their extraordinary fitness results.

Also, they discuss their nutrition plans and personal motivations that helped them stay on track. Every account is different, but each resulted in improved health and a lean, sculpted body.

You will probably not use every story to build your fitness plan, but you are bound to find several role models within the book whose body, lifestyle, fitness goals, and exercise regiment will help you shape your plan.

If you let these role models prepare you for your journey, there is no reason you won’t achieve the excellent form of a bodybuilder that rivals any 20 year old. Click here to learn more…

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It is very normal to take your body for granted, most men and women do. In your youth, you probably neglected and mistreated your body and it never failed you.

A couple of decades ago, you could probably work for 12 hours straight, devour a pizza, and spend the evening in front of the TV and know that your body would be in great condition for a game of tennis that weekend. 

However, it was only a matter of time before the mistakes of your past began to take their toll.

You might have noticed a new crick in your back as you carry in the groceries, possibly your jeans seem to creep up a size each year, or perhaps you are concerned with the increasing number of prescriptions accumulating in your medicine cabinet.

If you suspect these are warning signs of more serious problems yet to come, you are right. However, today is a great day to reclaim your health and freedom by beginning an over 50 exercise program.

Exercise Can Save Your Life and Independence

As you age you are increasingly more at risk of losing your health, independence, and even life.

82% of people who die from coronary heart disease are over 50, the average age for men being 64 and for women 70.

Obesity rates are the highest they have ever been and 60% of all obese senior citizens will suffer a critical or fatal illness related to their weight, including uncontrolled diabetes.

Recently, studies have shown that the number of Alzheimer’s and other age related dementia cases have swelled to all time highs.

However, it is not only your body and mind that suffer from poor health. Right now you enjoy the ability to complete basic tasks like grocery shopping and laundry, but every year, you lose 2- 5% of your muscle strength and 2- 3% of your bone density.

After age 70, this decline accelerates. As this deterioration progresses, you will not be able to complete these fundamental tasks and you will lose your independence.

There is a much better health and happiness outlook for the men and women who exercise over 50. These people have a proven ability to actually increase bone density and muscle mass.

Exercise can help you raise your High-Density Lipoproteins, known as “good cholesterol”, and lower your Low-Density Lipoproteins, known as “bad cholesterol”, and your blood pressure.

In addition to improving your cholesterol, it strengthens your heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system. A 30 minute workout each day can cut the risk of heart disease by 40% in women and over 55% in men.

Also, it takes 40 more calories per pound each day to support muscle mass versus fat.

The natural muscle growth that occurs with a good exercise regiment greatly reduces your risks of obesity related problems. Additionally, this muscle growth will give you the strength to function independently well into your 70s or later.

Components of a Good Exercise Program 

Considering that 78%- 90% of retirees and senior citizens lead overly sedentary lifestyles, any exercise over 50 is a great achievement.

However, if you want to ensure your continued health and happiness, then you need to develop a well-rounded exercise program that includes some portion of cardio, strength training, and flexibility workouts.

Everyone has different exercise needs depending on their current health, body style, and fitness goals. Therefore, there is no one exercise plan that will work for you.

However, here are some examples of exercise components that have worked for others.

Cardio is a proven way to fight heart disease and obesity and is a vital exercise for women over 50 and men over 45.

It is also believed that the increased blood flow helps to improve cognitive abilities. The amount and intensity needed for your cardio workout is unique to your body, but most people have had greatest success when they maintain their target heart rate for 30 to 90 minutes.

Your target heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from 220 and taking 50-70% of that number. If you are just beginning to exercise, your target heart rate will be on the lower end of that range than later when you are more fit.

In today’s tough economy, many people have left pricey gyms and are getting their cardio at home by jogging, swimming, and cycling. The more adventurous get their cardio through rock climbing, rowing, and kick boxing.

Many people who’ve had significant fitness success recommend finding a cardio workout that is fun and will motivate you to keep exercising.

Strength training builds muscle mass, reduces fat, and gives you strength to perform your everyday tasks longer.

Many people devote 90 minutes or more to their strength training routine.

Your body is broken into muscle groups, such as abs, biceps, and back.

The American Heart Association recommends that you perform a minimum of 8 to 10 exercises per muscle group.

Strength training experts typically focus on only one or two muscle groups each day and make sure their entire body has been exercised before beginning a new cycle. The more popular, but intense cycles are 3 and 4 day cycles.

However, 5 and 10 day cycles give you more time to focus on a single body part each day.

Strength training can be done at home or at the gym. At the gym, you will have access to a wide range of weights and press, curl, and rowing machines.

However, many fitness buffs argue that the good old fashioned dumbbells, barbells, and bench presses that you can do at home are just as effective. How you work out and your cycle times will depend on your fitness goals.

Flexibility exercises are often overlooked, but fitness enthusiasts know that they help prevent joint and muscle pain and increase agility to prevent injury from an accidental fall.

Pilates is growing in popularity as a flexibility exercise, but yoga and tai chi are also very effective workouts.

If you are looking for something more fun, you might be surprised to know that some of the world’s best over 50 body builders recommend dancing.

How to Build Your Exercise Program

As you read earlier in this article, every person’s fitness needs vary on their body, lifestyle, and goals.

This is why you will have less success if you follow only one cookie-cutter exercise plan, versus if you incorporate components of several plans to suit your unique needs.

The best way to do this is to study what worked for others. Learn about the methods they used and decide if those methods support your needs and objectives.

The more cases you study, the more you will be able to personally tailor your workout plan to you.

This is why the e-book Fit Over 40 is such a valuable guide. The book is a collection of stories from 52 men and women who have become excellent fitness role models.

In the book, you will read about each person’s unique exercise plan and nutrition. You will also get to learn a little bit about their backgrounds, their personal journey towards becoming healthy, and how they stay motivated.

You can use the unique experiences in these books to prepare for your own journey towards fitness. Within each story you will learn the different cardio, strength training, and flexibility techniques that helped each person succeed.

Study each method and use that information to create your personal exercise program. If you begin a well-researched exercise program tailored to your specific needs, you will be taking the most important steps to ensuring your health and happiness for years to come. Click here to learn more…

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As you spend time with others your age, you may have noticed that you all have something very important in common. You are not as young as you used to be.

However, you may have noticed that some men and women over 50 are more youthful than others.

Perhaps some of your friends are suffering from high cholesterol, heart attacks, arthritis, obesity, neurological disorders, and a general lack of energy.

Meanwhile, a few of your peers may still seem full of vigor and as healthy as they were in their 30s. Chances are they have learned a valuable lesson that is your key to staying youthful.

Nothing can stop the natural progression of time, but you can control how your body ages by focusing on fitness over 50.

When a sedentary person ages, they put themselves at high risk for age-related illnesses, loss of independence, and early death.

Most people begin to lose muscle mass after their 30s and sedentary people lose about 2% of their muscle strength every year after age 50. This muscle loss has many dangerous affects such as weight gain, lethargy, and unusual strain on the heart.

In fact, men over the age of 45 and women over 55 who get little or no exercise have a 70% higher risk of death from heart attack than those who exercise at least 3 times a week.

The loss of muscle is compounded by the 3% bone loss that occurs annually after age 50, especially for women. Weak muscles, weak bones, and extra weight can be a lethal combination.

For example, a study of elderly people showed that 90% of all sedentary people will suffer an accidental fall. 42% of those falls will result in a hip fracture or other serious injury that requires full-time care and takes away the patient’s independence.

On the other hand, people who practice over 50 fitness are still capable of improving their muscle mass, bone density, mental processes, and overall health.

A study by the University of Wisconsin examined sedentary people, aged 56 to 87, who began a light aerobics routine and were observed over a 6 year period.

Their results were compared to a control group that remained sedentary. The newly active group had a bone density increase of over 2% and a 23% increase in muscle strength. The active group reduced their risk of heart attack by 46%.

The study on accidental falls, above, also followed an active group that performed light Tai Chi three times weekly. Of this group, only 30% suffered a fall of which only 2% resulted in an injury.

In yet another study, it was demonstrated that the increased flow of blood to the brain and natural nerve stimulation improved cognitive abilities. As a result, doctors theorized that exercise may reduce the chances of Alzheimer’s by 38%.

It’s Never Too Late for Fitness

These amazing statistics should not be ignored. If you want to increase your chances of living into your 80s, 90s, or later, then you need to focus on fitness.

If you want to spend your later years independent, free to live life to the fullest, then now is the time for prevention. It is never too late to start.

If you make fitness a priority in your life, you will regain the stamina, strength, agility, health, and overall happiness you had in your younger days.

While any increase in activity is an excellent step, total fitness over fifty requires a plan that includes different types of exercise, good nutrition, and positive lifestyle changes.

First, let’s discuss an exercise plan.

A good exercise plan includes cardio, weight training, and flexibility training. The proportions of each that you will need to become fit depends on your body and personal fitness goals.

Cardio workouts increase your blood flow, which strengthens your cardiovascular system and burns calories.

Many people have had great success doing cardio workouts such as jogging, spinning, aerobics, and rock climbing.

If you are new to cardio, you may want to begin with a brisk walk and work your way up to a jog. If you have joint issues, cycling, swimming, and canoeing are all lower-impact cardio workouts.

Your weight training program greatly depends on your fitness goals. In general, weight training greatly builds muscle and taxes your bones to make them denser.

If you want to get the sculpted physique of a bodybuilder, your program will have to be more intense than if simply want to improve muscle tone and strength.

Weight training is typically done by focusing on one muscle group at a time or no more than two muscle groups on any day. Each day you focus on a new body part or parts until you have completed a cycle that includes a day of rest.

The more successful body builders typically stick to basic movements such as curls, the benchpress, and barbells. However, there have been those who have had just as much success using weight machines like the leg press and rowing machine.

Finally, flexibility exercises put focus on stretching and balance. Some of the more classic flexibility exercises are yoga and tai chi.

However, belly and ballroom dancing are also excellent for flexibility. These movements keep your muscles prepared for more intense exercises and they help improve joint stiffness.

It is also believed that these exercises promote mental health because of their relaxing, centered nature.

Nutrition & Lifestyle

Exercise is a powerful way to make your body healthier. However, your total fitness plan should include good nutrition and positive lifestyle changes.

Just as everyone’s exercise needs vary, so do nutritional needs. Your recommended calorie intake, along with protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber needs, will vary according to your individual body, fitness goals, and level of activity.

Also, many people have had success by changing their eating habits from 3 large meals daily to 5 or 6 smaller meals throughout the day.

Lifestyle changes may seem an unusual component of a total fitness plan, but they are as essential as exercise and nutrition.

Your focus on fitness will be more successful if you eliminate, or at least reduce, your consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, or other substances that injure your body.

Also, many people recommend reducing areas of stress that cause a lack of motivation, poor nutrition, and generally promote poor health.

Many of the men and women over 50 who have won awards for their healthy bodies insist that a positive mental outlook is the most essential part of a winning fitness plan.

Building Your Fitness Plan

Every person is different, so there is no cookie-cutter fitness over 50 plan out there that will work for you.

Rather than beginning with trial and error, you should research what has worked for other men and women over 50. Study as many cases as possible.

Make sure you pay attention to methods that worked for them, as well as methods that did not. Use that knowledge to build a unique exercise plan that will help you achieve your goals.

Fit Over 40 is a fantastic e-book that will help you develop your personal fitness plan. This e-book is a compilation of 52 true and amazing fitness stories of men and women between the age groups of 40 and 80.

Each person in the book shares their personal exercise plan, nutritional habits, and the lifestyle changes they made on their journey towards health. These people come from many different backgrounds with different motivations but they all reached the same goal.

You can reach that goal too if you use their experiences to create your path to a healthier, more youthful you. Click here to learn more…

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