How To Get & Stay Healthy As You Get Older

Complete guide and checklist for your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Introduction

If you’re looking to optimize your fitness and self-care, you’re in the right place.

The fact is, health & wellness is not a “set it and forget it” scenario.  What your body and mind want – and need – changes at every stage of your life.  

Taking advantage of your strengths through the decades is smart and so is giving a little extra to the areas that need it.

Fundamentals (At Every Age)

Here are some great wellness tips that work for everyone, no matter your age or gender.

These tips will help you create  a foundation of health and wellness that you can build on.

• Eat a healthy, balanced, whole-foods based diet, avoiding processed and sugary foods.
• Watch your alcohol intake, limiting your intake to 1 or fewer drinks per day.
• Avoid illegal drugs and misusing prescription drugs.
• Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Find an activity or two that you really enjoy, to help cement the habit for life.
• Get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
• Wear sunscreen.
• Wear sunglasses
• Have safe sex and use birth control if pregnancy isn’t in your plans.
• Reach and maintain a healthy weight.
• Don’t start smoking, or get help to quit.
• Wear your seatbelt.
• Don’t text and drive.
• Go to the doctor for a yearly checkup. TIP: Keep a list of things you want to discuss in your phone’s “Notes” app so you can add to it as questions/concerns occur to you.
• Make regular visits to the dentist and eye doctor.

Staying healthy in your 20s – The Launchpad Decade

This is where adulthood starts and is a very exciting time, filled with energy, potential, and opportunity.  This is a decade to explore and experiment.

Your energy is high and so is your metabolism and while that’s fun and positive, there can also be a lot of stress.

Moving out on your own…kicking off a career…paying bills…building relationships…it can feel like a LOT.

This is why stress management tops the self-care list for your 20s. 

Your 20s Self-Care Checklist

• Learn to destress – Experiment with meditation, massage, yoga or other modalities to help manage stress before it strikes.
• Find your fitness – Establish a fitness routine with weight-bearing workout/exercises like CrossFit. This is a major stress-buster.
• If you’re worried about the cost of joining a gym like CrossFit, remember this: it’s an investment in your long term wellness and will likely save you big money in healthcare costs in the future.
• Eat healthy and nutritious foods – Learn the fundamentals of good nutrition and put them to use.  This is a good time to learn how to create a few healthy recipes that you love.   
• Make healthy choices for your lifestyle – If you take supplements, know what’s in them.  Remember, whole foods are preferable to food supplements and replacements.

We have an amazing Nutrition Coaching For Beginners program that can be done in person or online at your own pace.  

Staying healthy in your 30s – Hitting Your Stride

When you’re in your 30s, you’re coming into your own.  Your energy is still high and you’ve learned a lot about what you want from life. You’ve also likely made steps toward achieving your long-term goals.

But you might also notice your old routines no longer fit your life.

For example, you may have more responsibilities (home, career, relationships, family) vying for your time and attention.

You may also notice that your metabolism has started to slow down a bit.

The good news is you can get ahead of these new challenges with a few simple actions. 

Your 30s Self-Care Checklist

• Update your nutrition – Adjust your calorie and macronutrient intake to match your metabolism.  Add ore fruits and veggies.  Get rid of the processed/empty calorie foods in your kitchen.  Focus on nutrient-dense foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Upgrade your workouts – Make time for workouts most days of the week.  Include weight training to build muscle and improve bone health, cardio workouts for your heart health, and flexibility work to keep your muscles balanced and limber.  
• >>In CrossFit you will do all 3 of these every single day<<
• Fine tune your sleep – Added responsibilities can make sleep a challenge.  Create a nighttime routine to help you wind down.  Remember: Your body works hard while you sleep.  Among other things, your brain repairs itself, recovering from the day before and building new pathways to help with memory, focus, and performance.  
• Optimize your time – Come up with simple meal planning/prep routines just like we teach in our Nutrition Coaching For Beginners Program which will save you tons of time learning on your own.
• Manage your stress – Finding a third place (hobby place) to get away from everything else like work, home, and other responsibilities so you can clear your head and get some much needed time to yourself.

Staying healthy in your 40s – Focus on function

In your forties, the momentum you built earlier really starts to pay off in your career, relationships, and other activities.

It’s time to hone in on the things that make your body feel best.  During this decade this can sometimes feel like a moving target.

For example:

• Your metabolism may have slowed down even more
• You may need more recovery between workouts (especially high intensity like CrossFit)
• You may not be as flexible as you used to be – and might have more aches and pains
• You may have less “you time” as you juggle the demands of caring for family members and your career
• You might start to notice hormonal fluctuations that interfere with your sleep, mood, and that might cause food cravings 

Your 40s Self-Care Checklist

Pay even more attention to your nutrition.

• Eat a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods like fruits & veggies and lean proteins to get the micronutrients your body needs which is exactly what we teach in our Nutrition Coaching For Beginners Program which will save you tons of time learning on your own.
• Cut back on foods that don’t agree with you, which you might find happening more frequently now.  Think about adding probiotics to help improve your digestion.
• Adjust your calorie intake to match your slower metabolism but also enough to support your exercise level.
• Slow down your eating.  This helps your body’s digestive system and can also help curb overeating.
• Eat foods that fight inflammation (like the Zone Diet) which is linked to avoiding many chronic diseases. Consider including healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, which also support brain health.

Sculpt a strong & resilient body

• Make strength and resistance training a priority.  This helps slow age-related muscle loss, preserve bone density, and it can help your body regulate blood sugar levels.
• Keep your muscles and joints limber through mobility and flexibility workouts. Yoga and online platforms/apps like ROMWOD are options that can also help reduce stress.
• Try adding 1 to 2 high-intensity workouts like CrossFit each week.  These workouts bring with them a few bonus benefits:
  • They help promote the release of muscle-building hormones plus they burn more calories.
  • Explosive exercises (like plyometrics and kettlebell swings) can also improve muscle elasticity, which reduces as you get older.
  • Work with a coach or experience trainer to help safely push your limits to improve your fitness.

Carve out “you time” – This is a time of life when you can feel pulled in many different directions.  Try to make time every week for hobbies, fun pastimes, or other self-care activities that you enjoy.

Staying healthy in your 50s – Stronger & Wiser

This decade is filled with transitions, with changes in your mindset, hormones, energy level, and so much more!

The good news is, you’re armed with experience and wisdom to make any changes necessary so that you head into the best years of your life feeling strong.

Here’s even more good news: you might have more resources to pursue items on your bucket list, like an adventure vacation, training for a half-marathon, or other event.

The focus during this decade is to double-down on your wellness as a springboard into future decades.

Experiment and try new activities.  This will keep your routine fresh and fun, which is good for your body, mindset, and your brain. 

Your 50s Self-Care Checklist

Embrace your inner athlete

• Your workouts are more important than ever, even as you might notice a few more aches and pains.  This is just one reason why working with a coach is a solid investment in your long-term wellness.
• Get some exercise most days of the week.  Mix up your workouts to challenge your muscles and your brain in new ways.  Among other things, exercise can help with blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, sleep, and reducing stress.  
• Include 1-2 high intensity workouts a week.  High intensity workouts like CrossFit, boost the release of growth hormone, which helps your body repair and recover.  They also trigger the release of a neurotransmitter (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) that’s responsible for producing new brain cells and improving cognitive function.
• Do at least 2 strength-training workout a week to help keep your bones strong and maintain muscle mass.  Include regular cardio workouts for heart health.
• Mobility/flexibility workouts such as yoga will keep you feeling loose and limber.
• All of these combined can help with balance, which you might notice becomes more of a challenge as you advance through this decade.

Nutrition: Quality matters

• Your metabolism may have slowed yet again, so it’s important to adjust your calorie intake to match it.  
• Focus on fiber and nutrient-rich foods such as colorful fruits and vegetables and eat enough protein (30%-40% of your daily calories) to help you maintain your muscle mass. Learn how to create your own meal plans with the right amount of carb, fat, and protein in our Nutrition Coaching For Beginners Program.
• You might notice your digestive system is a little more sensitive than it used to be – avoid foods that bother you, and mention it to your doctor on your next visit.

Work on healthy sleep & lifestyle

• If you find your sleep is disrupted, keep a journal track the things that interfere with it.  Two top offenders are: screen time and eating too close to bedtime.
• Make regular visits to the dentist and eye doctor.
• Challenge your brain by reading, writing, learning a new language, playing music, or doing puzzles (the more variety, the better).

Staying healthy in your 60s – Embracing new opportunities

This might be the decade you start a second or third career, or pursue a hobby that lights your heart on fire.

Being active is more important than ever now – it’s good for your muscles, your heart, and your mind! It’s equally important to listen to your body’s cues.

You might notice more aches and pains or longer recovery times after a busy day or a hard workout. Sleep might also become more of a challenge. Watching for patterns in your everyday symptoms can help you find natural solutions.

Your 60s Self-Care Checklist

Active living is where it’s at

• Try to get some exercise most days of the week, including a wide variety of workouts including weight/resistance training, cardio workouts, and mixing flexibility/balance/mobility work.  Mixing things up is good for your adaptability, plus it can help you build/maintain muscle, assist with blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol control, and so much more.
• You can still benefit from high-intensity workouts like CrossFit but limit them to 2-3 days a week so you have plenty of time to recover.
• A qualified coach can help you put together a complete plan that works with your interests, goals, fitness level, and schedule.

Eat according to your goals

• Get on a regular meal schedule and focus on high-quality, nutrient-rich foods that prevent or help with health challenges.  Talk to your healthcare provider about:
  • Digestive Issues – Learn more about fiber, digestive enzymes, or probiotic supplements.
  • Inflammation & Pain – Again, learning more about removing foods that cause flare-ups is important.  Nutrition programs like the Zone Diet are specifically designed to be anti-inflammatory.  

Build a support network

• Life’s transitions keep on coming during this decade.  Having a strong base of support can help you navigate losses, pending retirement, and empty nest syndrome.
• Think about joining a social club, group exercise class, running group, or volunteering.  You can even consider adopting a pet, which is linked with a variety of health benefits.
• Your healthcare providers including your doctor, eye doctor, and dentist are all part of that network.  Make sure to visit them regularly.

Staying healthy in your 70s and beyond – Active, Balanced & Centered

Feeling healthy, fit, and strong during these decades means focusing on everyday routines that add value to your life.

Cultivating a strong social network, staying active, nourishing your body on a regular schedule, trying new hobbies, and regularly challenging your brain – all are important to feeling your best.

It’s about embracing the opportunities that come your way and enjoying all that they bring. 

Your 70s & Beyond Self-Care Checklist

Incorporate smart, strong workouts

• Keep up with your weight training and cardio workouts in a way that feels good for your joints.  Regular workouts are important to maintain muscle mass, which helps keep you strong, active, and vital.  They also help guard hearth health, improve blood pressure and insulin sensitivity, keeping your bones strong, and more!
• Fact: Some days working out might actually mean finding a way to work around aches and pains. If this is an issue for you, consider finding a qualified coach to guide you through the process.
• Include functional strength and balance exercises in your routine to help you power through your activities of daily life and also prevent falls.

Eat foods that help you function

• Get on a regular eating schedule and eat a variety of nutrient-rich whole foods, especially if you notice your appetite is declining.  If this is the case, put a note on your list to mention to your doctor or look into finding a nutrition coach that will help you with your needs.
• Ask about taking multi-vitamin & mineral supplements, as well as digestive enzymes if you’re noticing gastrointestinal issues with some foods.

Take care of the body, mind, and spirit

• Find ways to include social activities in your daily routine.  Volunteer, take classes, and/or find a walking or travel group. Research shows that when our relationships and sense of meaning decline, so does our health.
• Keep challenging your brain in fun, new ways. Write your memoir, memorize dance steps (a proven brain-booster!), read difficult – but rewarding – books, or become a wizard at chess.

Recap

1. One word sums up the key to feeling healthy & fit at every age…..LIFESTYLE.
2. It’s the little choices you make every day that help you feel fit, vibrant, and strong, or leave you feeling tired, blah, and bloated.
3. If you are ready to take the next step in your fitness journey, we’re here to help! 

Email [email protected] or call 443-422-2779