I recently read an article in Real Simple Magazine about the 7 habits of people who age well. I thought they made some excellent points. Want to know the 7 habits?
Maintain a positive attitude. I think this one is important no matter what your age is – if you’re negative all the time, you’re not going to feel well and people won’t want to be around you! When things get bad for me, my mantra is always “it could be worse!”- Watch what you eat. Could NOT agree more – see my post a few weeks ago about my weight gain!
- Watch how much you eat. In a world of super-sized food choices, be smart about what you consume. This article will give you some great info about serving sizes and portioning.
- Exercise regularly. Even if it’s just a nightly walk, MOVE! Yes you might have sore muscles in the beginning of any exercise regime, but it doesn’t take long before the benefits outweigh (pun intended) the soreness. I kickbox twice a week and walk 2-3 miles 2 or 3 times a week. I hate it when I miss the gym now! Exercise not only helps with the weight that seems to come with aging – it also helps stave off dementia, diabetes and a whole host of other conditions that can come in old age.
- Stay social. It’s important to have a network of friends and relatives to rely on. They’ll help you keep the issues in your own life in perspective!
- Protect your skin from the sun. I’m so fair skinned, I live for shade and sun screen in the summer or I burst into flame! But the incidence of skin cancer is on the rise – so make sure you’re taking care of your skin too.
- Get plenty of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep a night. And their studies have shown a correlation between lack of sleep and heart disease, obesity, diabetes and memory loss. So take a nap and try not to be such a night owl.
I’m already in the habit of most of these points – sleep is always my challenge…. But I think I’m aging well so far and I want that to continue. How about you?
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