They’re pretty straightforward, but a great reminder, nevertheless.
For both men and women, the extra weight starts to creep up as our hormones change with the aging process, usually around the mid-40s.
Cut sugar and processed foods
Add resistance training
Eat a low-fat vegan diet – This study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that a 16-week randomized clinical trial using a a low-fat plant-based dietary intervention reduced body weight by reducing energy intake and increasing postprandial metabolism, which was associated with reductions in hepatocellular and intramyocellular fat and increased insulin sensitivity. Meaning : A low-fat plant-based diet is an effective tool for reducing body weight and increasing insulin sensitivity and postprandial metabolism. Check out the study here
Add in so much goodness that the less-great stuff gets squashed out! Have FUN consciously curating the aspects of your lifestyle that will bring positivity and allow you to up-level your health, relationships, mindset, productivity – everything!
Don’t do the good stuff in moderation – make the good stuff the MAX – knowing that perfection is a lie!
Some examples:
90% healthy whole foods to fuel your beautiful body / 10% treats
Healthy movement most days (doesn’t have to be a “workout” – just get moving!)
90% prioritizing restful sleep / 10% late night fun
Positive, high vibe content consumption: podcasts, books, music, movies
Conscious social media consumption – avoid the comparison trap!
Quality dialed-in (aka not distracted) time with friends and family
Personal development, journaling, gratitude practice, meditation – whichever ones work for you!
Do you journal? This is one that I resisted for a long time. Once I started seeing benefits for myself, I started implementing it with some of my patients to rave reviews. If you’re a skeptic like I was, worry that the effort isn’t worth the time, or just need a little nudge to get started, here are some of the myriad benefits:
Improved memory: Journaling can boost memory and comprehension, as well as working memory capacity, which may reflect improved cognitive processing. Source
Clarifies goals and courses of action to achieve them: “Journaling about your goals helps you clarify what you want and encourages you to consider the why and how, not just the what.” Source
I’m at the top of my game – I don’t need to worry about cognitive decline yet. And what does my leg strength have to do with my thinking?? Whether you’re a surgeon, attorney, CEO, or golf-game-perfecting retiree, we all want to perform at our best.
The time to reduce your risk of cognitive decline is before that decline starts. Age related factors like hormonal changes in both men and women – as well as the aging process itself -can contribute to ever-so-subtle cognitive changes (decreased processing speed /increased reaction time, decreased focused and sustained attention, mild memory lapses (misplaced items, “why did I walk into this room”). And we’re not just talking about getting dementia or Alzheimer’s. How about up- leveling performance at work and improving your golf or tennis game? Studies show “the age at which cognitive decline begins is relevant to the optimum time to implement interventions designed to prevent or reverse age-related declines. “ “What does appear clear is that several different types of results converge on the conclusion that age-related cognitive decline begins relatively early in adulthood, and certainly before age 60 in healthy educated adults.” Source
YIKES – WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT? A lot! The Goal Fit Method membership offers tons of research-backed content, and easily implemented lifestyle strategies aimed at maintaining physical and cognitive vitality as we grow older. Growing older is a gift, but I’m not settling for the decline in function I see so many suffer. And you don’t have to either. Here’s an example – LEG STRENGTH!
Wait, I thought we were talking about cognitive decline??
“Studies support that interventions targeted to improve leg power in the long term may help reach a universal goal of healthy cognitive ageing”- noting “a striking protective relationship was found between muscle fitness (leg power) and both 10-year cognitive change and subsequent total grey matter.” Source
“Groundbreaking research shows that neurological health depends as much on signals sent by the body’s large, leg muscles to the brain as it does on directives from the brain to the muscles. Using the legs, particularly in weight-bearing exercise, sends signals to the brain that are vital for the production of healthy neural cells, essential for the brain and nervous system. Cutting back on exercise makes it difficult for the body to produce new nerve cells — some of the very building blocks that allow us to handle stress and adapt to challenge in our lives.” Source
My favorite leg-strength exercises you can do at home include: squats, all the lunges, deadlifts, leg lifts, walking and hiking.
Join our community and grow stronger and more vibrant – make every day count to live a life that is truly good to the last drop!
We put together a quick and yummy graze board for football-watching today. I love these -they’re so easy to throw together – just grab your favorite fruits & veg or whatever’s in the fridge. Today’s included my daughter’s homemade hummus that goes with everything, grapes and apples for a little something sweet, and a delicious new cheez-ball made from cashews.
