We are getting older and older. Therefore, it is desirable to look healthy and young longer. Whereas a person aged 70 used to be considered old, most 70-year-olds today are still in the midst of life. Our tips for this:
Adjust your diet to your age.
The basal metabolic rate decreases with age. Therefore, energy intake should be reduced to stay fit.
Because the older you get, the less energy your body needs. While an active man consumes about 3,100 kilocalories between the ages of 25 and 50, this reduces to about 2,800 kilocalories after his mid-50s. Even with an active lifestyle and plenty of exercise, energy needs reduce with age. Therefore, the diet should be adapted to age, equivalent energy intake with reduced needs leads to obesity or diabetes.
Make sure you have an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals.
However, it would be a fallacy to think that this means you have to eat less. Even if we have to eat fewer kilocalories, the body’s need for vitamins and minerals remains the same. So the goal should not necessarily be to eat less, but rather to eat more consciously. Instead of greasy food, it is better to count on nutrient-rich products. These include the usual suspects, cereal products, as well as potatoes, fruits and vegetables. This gives the body the required amount of phytochemicals and vitamins
In addition, the sense of taste and smell often diminishes in older people, which is why seniors sometimes eat foods that would have been too sweet for them in the past. If this leads to frequent invitations to coffee breaks, be careful not to eat cake or other desserts every time. Especially in summer, fruit can be a refreshing, tasty and above all healthier alternative.
Avoid being overweight and exercise regularly.
Last but not least, make sure you get enough exercise and avoid being overweight. Too large waist circumference is the most common risk factor for many serious diseases that occur more frequently in old age. These include things like diabetes, heart attacks and strokes. It also lowers testosterone levels, which can lead to decreased potency and libido, as well as making it much more difficult to build muscle. A waist circumference of 80-90 cm is considered ideal for men, and for women it should not exceed 80 cm.
Self-test: Calculate your biological age.
