To Thrive at 75
If you’re interested in longevity (and eventually you will be) thriving at 75 is a good goal to keep in mind. Something shocking, and a bit mysterious, happens at 75 years of age. In general, people’s activity, muscle mass, and strength drop off like a cliff–if you were to chart it on a graph. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why this happens. Which comes first–a drop in activity, or a drop in muscle mass and strength? Is it physical? Is it mental? Is it some evolutionary timestamp, where we have procreated (if we were going to) and now the species has no real use for us?
Do the reasons even matter?
If you want to turn the tables on the fate Nature has in store for us–you’ve got to get busy right now. There are some solid strategies to employ, and habits to create and maintain to ensure that you thrive at 75.
The Coffee Talkers Guide: Thrive at 75!
You’ve got to keep as much muscle as possible. Part of the natural aging process is a continuous loss of lean muscle mass–but you can fight the process. You want to build muscle now–and keep it as you hit the big 75 mark. That means resistance training at least three times per week. Squat, deadlift, upper body push, upper body pull. The basics. But, don’t go nuts and overreach. Your goal is to be consistent and not get injured. One week of bed rest due to an injury later in life could mean the loss of 2.5 kg or over 5 pounds of lean muscle mass–and it’s tough to regain later in life. Also, be conscious of your protein intake–most people don’t get enough protein as they age–and can’t really get too much. You need that protein to keep that precious lean muscle mass. An additional no-brainer supplement is creatine. It’s completely safe, helps to maintain lean muscle mass, and has been shown to even help alleviate depression–so why not?
Get in the habit of training at home. Chances are, you won’t want to go to the gym when you’re 75 years old–and you don’t need to. Get in the habit of training at home. Just a couple of kettlebells or hand weights are enough for the resistance training you need to do. Not having to get out the door and to the gym removes one less hurdle to getting your training done.
Move throughout the day. Yes! Microworkouts! We think microworkouts are an even better idea as you get older. Splitting your training into four or more mini-workouts throughout the day keeps your joints moving, fights inflammation, keeps your muscles primed for movement, and even alleviates depression or negative thoughts. Link the workouts to an existing habit like eating. Do a microworkout to punch your meal ticket throughout the day.
Do these things now. Start these habits now, no matter how old you are. You want these things to be second nature–so when 75 comes–it’s just a number.
We can’t live forever (yet!) but we can extend our healthspan. We have the power to fight the odds and not be on the downside of a curve that leads us weak and sedentary in later life–burdening our loved ones. So let’s get busy now.
Until next time
Scott and Lennart