Why You Want to Exercise Body and Mind After 50

Aging is part of life and should be welcomed, not shied away from. Many people fear the aging process because they worry that as they retire, they will start to become frail and lose interest in daily tasks. This doesn't have to be the case. There are many ways you can keep yourself in great condition, both mentally and physically. Don't approach your golden years by placing limits on yourself. Remain in control and confront age head first with an energetic smile and healthy exercise.

Consider the tips below for tackling age 50 and beyond.

Relaxation
Don't think for a moment that staying fit means running and doing pushups all the time. Being mentally fit means taking time to relax. Sure, endurance and strength training are good for your muscles, but relaxing is good for the soul. It helps keep you focused and present. According to Livestrong, relaxing has benefits other than putting your mind at ease and lessening your stress. The organization noted lung capacity begins to decrease as you age past 40. This process is due to overall shrinkage and constriction of your body. If you don't open those lungs up and take time to breathe deeply, you could be restricting your intake. Keep your breathing strong and your lungs healthy by setting aside time every day to take deep breaths and relax.

Walking
Whether walking in the morning or in the afternoon, or maybe after your dinner before you get in bed, this form of exercise is advantageous. You want your blood to be pumping lively through you. According to the Cleveland Clinic, just 15 minutes a day of walking will get the job done. It will keep your muscle tone up and make sure your bones stay strong in your legs and hips. Walking is also good for your balance. Though you may not realize it, walking is beneficial for your entire body because it requires all parts to work together.

Flexibility
It is easy to just relax all the time in that great retirement chair, but you will be doing your joints and bones no good. Once you reduce your range of motion within your joints, it becomes harder to make them work. Sure, this doesn't happen right away, but continuous time spent sitting will slowly disable your motion.

Try some yoga. It doesn't have to be a difficult yoga position, or even one in which you sweat. Something simple for 10 or 15 minutes a day will do wonders for your body, and for your mind. Yoga combines deep breathing with body movement. This allows your body to keep its range of motion with ease and help your mind keep its concentration. Yoga also helps you be in control of your body, as you come to understand it better with inward focus. Again, this is not something that will happen overnight, but you will certainly notice the effects down the road when you are bouncing out of bed with excitement at how great your body feels and how in tune your thoughts are.

Hobbies
Pick up some hobbies, as they keep your brain engaged. A hobby can be just about anything you want, whether it is painting in your home, building model airplanes or reading books. It keeps your brain turned on. Reading is a wonderful hobby because it requires the brain to think. By constantly feeding your mind new ideas and possibilities your brain stays young. Whether you are into comedy, fantasy or history, read what you want to read simply for enjoyment. You will find your brain sharper.

There are all sorts of ways to keep yourself active and engaged as you age into your later years. Exercise doesn't have to be physical or difficult. Find activities that are right for you. Don't go into those years with fear. Be in control of your life and feel young and mindful.