How I stay in shape over 50 – inflammation

So the older you get the more aches and pains you have. That seems to be the general consensus of course there are exceptions. One of the trainers at my gym has a saying “Motion is Lotion” in context what she means is the more you move the better your body creates natural lubricants to keep you limber and you get less pain. Now a lot of the pain that comes as you age is from inflammation, I am no expert in this but I have a general understanding.

Inflammation happens when your immune system things something this wrong and sends resources to the problem area. There are many reasons for inflammation but the more injuries you sustain in an area the more likely you are to get it. Now injury doesn’t mean a high profile break or a wound it can very well be a pain in your shoulder you have had for years. It might not have been something serious, just a pull. Now 15-25 years later it hurts all the time.

Inflammation can also come via arthritis and auto immune disorders like lupus. I am not a doctor so if you have inflammation (consistent pain in your joints) go to a doctor and get a diagnosis. The sooner you do this the sooner you can begin to fight back the right way. The issue then becomes “How do I fight back exactly?”. Again I am not a doctor and I am not a nutrtionalist so your fight might be different then mine.

Does time really heal all wounds?

There are lots of studies on Zinc, Turmeric Vitamin D (as examples) that show a small to moderate impact on inflammation. Many of those studies are done on average people, not people who train or workout regularly but the concepts should still apply. If you increase your zinc and vitamin d supplementation (as an example) you should see some improvement in your inflammation issues. Like most health problems many solutions are found in dietary choices.

Let’s face it, if you aren’t eating well you are likely not feeling well. Over 50 you really need to start focusing on your consumption. This is the decade where small issues of health manifest into larger issues that change long term outcomes. Really look deep into what you eat daily, weekly, monthly and find “clean up” spots in your diet. Maybe it’s time to start drinking coffee black instead of with all that cream and sugar.

Inflammation is hard to deal with, I have it in my shoulder and my lower back. I actively engage it via heating pads, massage, better diet, stretching and target motion movements (trunk twists and shoulder stretches). I used to take fish oil every day, now I take it 3 times a week and eat fish 2-3 times a week. The older you get the more Inflammation is likely to be a factor for you. Your fitness journey ideally continues on well into your 80’s. Your 50’s are a pivotal decade, the more work you do now on diet the less inflammation you will have long term.

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Squats

How I stay in shape over 50 – Reality

So I dedicate a portion of my blog to my fitness journey. This started with my post here on how I lost weight during covid etc. I have maintained that weight loss and am now in the midst of obtaining higher fitness levels. To be less semantic, I am attempting to move into a space where I can actually be athletic. Meaning running races, playing in a basketball league etc.

The reality of being over 50 is injuries have accumulated over the years. If you are over 50 you know what I mean. If you aren’t, say you are 28, that wrist injury you had a few months ago (or something else) maybe you get another one in 5 years, well those start to accumulate into a propensity to be injury susceptible for that specific region. Lower backs, Knees, elbows, shoulders it happens.

This is the reality of staying in shape over 50, you have to tailor your training to accommodate the accumulated effects of your injuries. I have two myself, my left anterior deltoid (top shoulder) and my right ring finger (I have broken it twice, sprained it a dozen times). So for me this effects upper body work specifically bench press. I can no longer go as heavy as I used to and so I find myself altering my upper body work a lot.

As you age and you enter your 5th decade you will come face to face with these realities as well based on your history. It goes without saying stretching, hydration and proper recovery are paramount along with good nutrition. At some point you may experience (like I have) long term damage to one area, prohibiting your progress. So what do you do?

Shoulder injuries suck

For me on my chest days I have changes the methodology on how I train. In prior posts I put forth the concept of bigger loads, lower reps = higher metabolic outcomes and that is factually true. The heavier you lift the more of your endocrine system you engage. Now I am working on volume training. So I will get on the bench and put on 2 45 pound plates, + the bar = 135 pounds. I will do 50 reps as fast as I can. Now I can’t do 50 in a row but the speed in which you do it is important because you are creating a DIFFERENT anabolic effect through the cardio application.

I am still getting as sore and I am not losing mass. I am not gaining muscle either WHICH IS POSSIBLE for men over 50, yes you can still gain muscle. The point of all of this is dealing with reality, over 50. I don’t know where you are in your health journey, I hope it’s a good spot. Be mindful of what hurts, be mindful of when it hurts and be mindful of how long it hurts. Its highly likely as you age you are going to have issues in that area and you have to be prepared to alter your approach to continue positive outcomes.

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