Youth is king. Turn on any television, open any magazine, scroll through any social media feed. You’ll likely discover the same thing, no matter where you look. Youthful appearances sell things. Marketing is based upon the appearance of youth, as well as the pursuit of youth. Many things in our society are geared toward staying young. Foods, makeup, supplements, tips, tricks & theories… it’s all about that youth.
If you wish to survive in the social world these days, or advance in the boardroom at your greatest potential level, then you will want to look as young as possible as well. You do this by taking care of yourself, and by making your body stay active, recover well, and consume the right resources for growth and repair. The cells of your body stay alive and function well. Alternatively, those people who don’t train or take care of their body enjoy different fates. Cell death leads to illness and health struggles throughout their lives.
The trends aren’t good. Ours is a generation of inactivity, thanks to advances in technology. You don’t run up the block to see your buddy, then take a walk. These days, you check in using your smart phone then spend hours each day sitting while you thumb scroll through a virtual world of those many miles away. The body doesn’t receive the oxygen levels it saw in generations past because we’re not moving – we’re sitting. Let’s look at some other factors which can influence the aging process.
Rest
Many people today fall asleep to the glow of a smart phone. Their sleep is rough and arrives in brief spurts. They stir to the sounds of notification blings and stay up entirely too late each evening. If you want to maximize the capability of your body, you should be sleeping 7.5 hours of sleep each night. Put down the phone 15 minutes before you plan on going to sleep, and your rest will be much better!
Hydration
Over 90% of the US Population starts each day with a caffeine product of some kind. This is fine, if proper hydration is achieved. For most people, however, this daily start is just step one in their daily ritual of becoming dehydrated and staying dehydrated. Over time, this leads to degraded organ function, muscle cramps, sluggishness, and a lack of overall body production. Drink 1 to 1.5 gallons of water each day for proper hydration.
Supplementation
A wealth of supplement exist which can help you to reach your health, fitness, vitality and youth goals much faster. Enjoy a daily multivitamin for general health. Vitamin C and E work wonders on recovery and immune system function. Take vitamin B for energy.
Nutrition
Choose foods which are dense in the macro-nutrients needed for hard training (carbs), vital recovery/growth from training (protein), and overall body and brain function (fats). The best carbohydrate sources include beans, rice, pasta, grains, fruits & vegetables. Ideal protein sources include beef, chicken, veal, whey, turkey, fish and eggs. Fats should be obtained from egg yolks, almonds and fish oil.
Training
This is one area which doesn’t receive much coverage. Barbell training is without a doubt THE most overlooked aspect of preventative medicine that people should be using to help them live longer and feel better. The reasons are numerous. Weight training counters all of the evils of aging and cell destruction. Bone density is enhanced. Glycemic control improves for diabetics. Balance adaptations improve. Core balance and strength becomes greater. All other functions of life become easier. Injuries decrease. Joints, tendons and ligaments become strengthened. Energy levels skyrocket. hGH and testosterone levels gradually rise. The wealth of positive side effects seen from even moderate weight training among inactive people is astounding. If you’re not lifting, you’re falling apart – there is no other way around it!
Nobody is saying you have to be Mr. Universe in order to see the many benefits of weight training. If you’re new to the iron game, or well into your 50s, 60s, or beyond, you can start with a very moderate weight on your movements. Just move that weight. Force the muscle fibers of your body to come to life. Start with some simple compound movements with very light weight. Use deadlifts, squats, and bench press. Add more isolation supplement movements such as presses, curls and pressdowns. Over time, your body will adapt and you’ll be able to include more sets of more movements, and grow bigger and stronger each week as a result.
Record your training & workouts in a journal so that you can revisit your efforts down the road as the numbers become fuzzy. Analyze your training and the results you are seeing to determine which workout system is providing the best results. When results begin to wane, it is time to change up your weight training system. Place your training days in another order, or switch up free weights with machines for a few week. Keep the muscles of the body continually guessing, and they will continually grow to meet the ever-changing demands you are placing upon it. Mix it up!
Father Time is undefeated. At some point, your cells will break down, no matter how well you eat and no matter how much you train. Time waits for no man, and it will not wait for you. However, by taking care of yourself, and utilizing a great combination of supplements, rest, nutrition, and training, you can maximize your potential for youth, vitality and high levels of energy. Are you up for the challenge?
