Paul McCartney wrote the Beatles' hit "When I'm Sixty-Four" in 1966, when he himself was just sixteen years old. In 2011, the aging rocker will turn sixty-nine; hopefully by now he's gotten his answer.
When the Baby Boomers sung that song in their teens to their girlfriends and boyfriends, the question "Will you still love me when I'm sixty-four?" seemed to be theoretical in nature. This year, however, the oldest of the Boomers will be celebrating their sixty-fifth birthday - a shocker for the generation that once insisted they would "trust no one over thirty."
Boomers entering their fifties and sixties certainly have a lot to think about as they head towards retirement, but one thing they shouldn't neglect is staying fit. Medical advances almost guarantee that the average Boomer will live longer than his or her parents, but quantity of life means little without quality of life. Quality of life depends upon keeping that aging and oft-abused body fit and trim. Otherwise, Boomers, expect the prescription drugs and surgeries to start pouring in on you. Here are some suggestions for Baby Boomers to improve and maintain their physical and mental health.
How to Lose Weight Fast If You're a Boomer
If you're overweight, your first task in your golden years' health regimen should be to lose weight fast. By your fifties and sixties, however, years of accumulated injuries and the early stages of arthritis might make you grimace when you think about high-intensity cardio workouts. Sound familiar? If so, here are some suggestions for fat-burning workouts that are still easy on the joints.
Cycling - Cycling is often recommended by doctors as a knee-friendly alternative to running. Stationary bikes, in particular, can burn up calories without putting undue pressure on the knees. If you belong to a gym, try out a spin class. These group exercise classes usually last about an hour and provide an excellent way to lose weight fast.
Swimming - Another cardio workout often recommended to people with joint issues is swimming. Swimming works out nearly every part of the body without minimal stress on the joints.
Yoga - Be warned: Not all types of yoga will help you lose weight. What yoga will do for you, though, is help you heal your joints and increase your flexibility so that high-intensity workouts become feasible for you again.
Elliptical machine - The elliptical machine, which looks like a stair step machine that moves in a circular fashion, is not as low-impact on the knees as swimming or cycling, but it is low-impact compared to running. Try out the elliptical machine at your gym to see if it works for you.
Eating Tips for Baby Boomers
When it comes to physical health, exercise is only one half of the equation. The other half of the equation, of course, is food. Fortunately, we know a lot more now about the best way to eat than we did in the 1940s and 50s. Unfortunately, however, the food landscape is fraught with much more danger today than it was when Boomers were growing up. Agribusiness didn't exist yet in the 1950s, and fast food was still in its infancy.
Because the Boomers grew up alongside the food industry, it's understandable that they picked up a lot of bad eating habits. Baby Boomers don't need to become health nuts, but there are a few simple ways Boomers can improve their eating habits:
Stop with the fast food - For people who regularly eat fast food, switching to eating healthy leftovers from their own kitchen is one of the biggest steps they can take towards healthier eating habits.
Switch to water - Drinking filtered water instead of soda or coffee is another way Boomers can cut back on calories and improve health.
Avoid the middle of the grocery store - One easy way to make sure you're buying foods that are good for you is to resolve to shop only on the perimeter of your grocery store. The perimeter of the grocery store is normally where the produce and meat departments are; the middle of the grocery store is stocked with rows and rows of processed foods. If you want to know how to lose weight fast, you would do well to start by eliminating as many foods as you can that emerge from boxes, plastic bags, cans, and jars.
The suggestions above provide a good place to start for Baby Boomers who want to enter their golden years with a healthy body and mind. A few minor lifestyle changes can make a big difference when it comes to your longevity and quality of life. Sixty-four might have once seemed like a long way away, but now that it's just around the corner, don't you think you owe it to yourself to make sure you feel as good at sixty-four as you did at thirty-four?
