Anyone who maintains a regular fitness routine will be aware of the masses of benefits to health and wellbeing that it can bring.

In addition, a diet which contains all the right vitamins, minerals and nutrients, as well as the best mix of protein and carbohydrates, will help you get the most from that exercise, increase energy levels, aid weight loss and maintain overall health.

At Kalettes, for example, we love the high iron content of our tasty vegetables, which helps increase energy levels, as well as the natural fibre, multitude of vitamins and minerals for overall health and levels of folate which is excellent for brain development.

As we get older, exercise can become more laborious and painful as parts of the body function less well and we become more susceptible to serious illness and disease. However, physical activity can help slow that decline.

Being active should never be given up altogether, on the contrary, regular exercise and a good diet can help prolong the lifespan and ward off serious health problems, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and strokes.

And it’s for this reason that exercise is as vital for the over 55s as it is for people of all ages, from childhood, right through to late retirement.

Keep active always

In addition to encouraging optimum physical health, regular exercise and the right nutrition can help with certain mental health issues, contribute to good brain function and enable a greater feeling of overall well-being. And who wouldn’t want to go into their golden years feeling the best they can?

Many people believe that a body used to regular exercise and healthy food should carry on in that way throughout the lifetime, as a sudden change in lifestyle can have quite the detrimental effect.

So, as your body ages, instead of stopping being active and healthy, it’s better to find ways to adapt your daily routine to suit your physical and mental ability, instead of becoming sedentary for long periods of time.

Exercise for the over 55s

Take this as an example… If you’ve played competitive tennis for most of your life, then there’s absolutely no reason to stop, unless you really feel you have to or a health professional advises it.

Play with people of a similar ability, listen to your body and only this way will you know when it’s time to hang up your racquets. Age should not be a factor.

However, if you like the thought of something more sedate, then there are many activities that are a lot less fast paced, which can still help you to maintain a good standard of health and fitness.

Medical professionals recommend that everyone should aim for two and a half hours of physical activity per week. Try the following:

  • Swimming
  • Walking
  • Jogging
  • Yoga
  • Pilates
  • Ballroom dancing
  • Cycling
  • Water Aerobics

These can all be as challenging, or relaxing as you like. And remember, having a healthy diet need never be boring. Get experimenting with all the amazing healthy recipes there are around online these days and have some fun!