There’s no doubt that movement is good for the body and mind. But as you get older, exercise can seem more out of reach than it did in your twenties. There’s one (not-so) secret that these five books let you in on — exercise can help you live longer.
Even if you start a new routine in your fifties, having an active lifestyle can make all the difference as you age. From improving balance and cognitive function, to countering inflammation and disease, to understanding the science behind it all, these books will prepare you to live the second half of your life in better physical and mental shape than you could have imagined!
Thriving Beyond Fifty by Will Harlow
Life expectancy may be extended these days, but what’s the point of living longer if the quality of your life isn’t maximized? Once you reach your fifties, you expect your doctor to present you with a laundry list of painful problems to look out for in the coming years. What if those problems aren’t a symptom of aging, but something that can be remedied?
By targeting specific parts of the body, overall health and mental wellbeing, physiotherapist Will Harlow will help you maintain your health, fight off those pesky problems and stay active and independent. From mobility exercises, to health secrets, to real cures for problems you’re told to “just deal with”, to common myths in media and society, this book helps you ward off the worst of aging and reminds you that fifty is only the beginning of the rest of your life!
Strong To Save by David Emerson Frost
Are you a GenX, who strives to look great, feel great and keep an active lifestyle? This practical, science-backed fitness book will help you make this second chapter of your life the best yet. If you’re looking to prolong your life, improve the quality of your golden years, and perform great by day and by night, Strong to Save is a great resource.
David Emerson Frost is a champion competitor, rowing coach, and master fitness trainer who is prepared to guide you past obstacles, take advantage of nature and technology and fully commit to “GenXercise”. With detailed and functional exercises throughout, Strong to Save helps GenXers build new habits that work for them, beat the “normal” aging process, reduce inflammation, fight disease, and ensure vitality in the second half of life.
Check out this review of David Emerson Frost’s Kaboomer and this interview with the author.
Good Energy by Casey Means MD and Calley Means
Think of all the issues and conditions people associate with aging — heart disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia, erectile dysfunction, depression, insomnia, and more. Now imagine that these life-shortening issues all have the same cause and that they are entirely preventable and reversible. Our metabolic function, or how our cells create and use energy, is the key to making that dream a reality. To optimize metabolism, create “good energy” and have essential fuel to keep our physical and mental health in shape, you’ll want to read this book.
Combining cutting-edge research, anecdotes and data from the author’s own health technology company, Good Energy offers a realistic, step by step plan to monitoring your body, determining your risk for disease, choosing the right diet, and even navigating our tricky medical system. Armed with the knowledge of how your body works, and tools to take the next steps, you’ll be prepared to live a long and healthy life.
Keep it Moving by Twyla Tharp
One question that Twyla Tharp, one of the world’s greatest choreographers, gets asked over and over is, “How do you keep at it?” with the implied phrase “at your age?” Intended to encourage those who wish to maintain their prime for a very long time, Keep It Moving shows that to have an intentional, meaningful life means confronting dwindling motivation and physical capabilities, countering them with stamina, and attacking unforeseen obstacles.
Tharp works out each morning at daybreak, and you can too — each chapter is accompanied by a small exercise that will help anyone develop a more hopeful and energetic approach to the everyday. From the details of how she stays motivated to the stages of her evolving fitness routine, Tharp models how fulfillment depends not on fortune, but on attitude. After all, staying fit and active isn’t just about physical strength, but mental determination and emotional fortitude.
Healthy at 100 by John Robbins
With a global look at some of the healthiest and longest-living people, author John Robbins reveals the secrets to an extended and fulfilling life. Combining traditions of four vastly different cultures with modern scientific findings, Healthy at 100 points to multiple factors for achieving wellness in old age.
Diet and exercise are vital parts of life — but so are high-quality personal relationships. By blending these elements together into a daily exercise routine and encouraging readers to build strong, healthy and loving connections with the people in their lives, this book guides readers to a better life. After all, life isn’t just about one thing — it’s a mix of all the greatest joys that come from staying active, sharing time with loved ones, and taking care of yourself, body and spirit alike.
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