My top tips for looking and feeling young

I did giggle the other day when someone on social media responded to a photo of me by saying how unfair it was that we were the same age but that he looked like he could be my father and I looked the same age as his daughter!  Well, I don’t think fairness comes into it to be honest.

How young you look is down to lifestyle

I’ve put many years, decades even, into researching health and wellness, exercising and eating well. It’s only “fair’ that I reap the benefits, don’t you think? So, what exactly have I done and what is my ethos when it comes to health?

Here are my top tips:

1. EAT HEALTHY FATS

To be fair, in the beginning, I also bought into the low-fat craze. We were fed this misinformation for many decades and it probably did more to undermine people’s health than anything else. In fact, there are many organisations and doctors who still recommend a low fat diet.

But let’s be clear, there are certain fats that are very bad for us. These are trans-fats and vegetable oils. The best thing to do to avoid them is to cut out all processed foods. These foods will inflame your body and age it very quickly.

Healthy fats, on the other hand, are vital to well being. And contrary to popular belief, will NOT make you fat. In fact, they will help you to burn fat and stay slim.

Healthy fats include:

Olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, avocados and avocado oil, nuts.

2. THINK YOUNG

When it comes to ageing, there’s a mind set. Some people, and my personal view is that men are more prone to this, think that at a certain age they are old and act accordingly. They live in the past, always reminiscing and talking about times gone by. What about the present? Remember that you are making memories right now in this moment. I’m a great believer in embracing each moment in time. I don’t dwell on the past and like to keep moving forward and finding new challenges.

3. STAY ON TOP OF YOUR WEIGHT

It’s true that it becomes harder to stay slim as we get older. The menopause has a huge impact on a woman’s body and that is a fact. However, keeping fit and healthy doesn’t mean being model thin or having the 24 inch waist you had in your twenties. It does mean taking measures to make sure you don’t lose control of your body. For the sake of your health and longevity, as much as how you look. It’s easy to gain weight in middle age and this will, without doubt, make you look older.

This means you need to be mindful of what you eat and you need to exercise. As we age, we lose muscle. This slows down our metabolism which makes us prone to weight gain. Doing weight training is, therefore, imperative in order to maintain muscle mass and keep our metabolism ticking along properly.

4. KEEP HYDRATED

Hydration is very important for multiple reasons. Being dehydrated will have a negative impact on your skin making you look older. Upping your hydration will quickly replenish your skin cells.

It’s also important to hydrate properly by drinking good amounts when thirsty rather than taking little sips through the day. You need to make sure you are getting enough electrolytes and minerals as well. I’ve actually done a video about this very subject that I’ll be posting in a few weeks on the Ageless Youtube channel. (sign up here)

Water will also help you to burn fat and will suppress hunger. We will often mistake thirst for hunger and end up eating rather than having the big glass of water that is actually needed.

5. KEEP MOVING

It’s important to stretch so as not to stiffen up, to get your heart rate up to an appropriate level regularly and to maintain your muscle mass through some form of weight training.

Becoming inactive and leading a sedentary life will age you quickly. You will be much more likely to gain weight, suffer from low mood and it’ll become increasingly difficult to maintain good health.

I don’t believe it’s necessary to do long work outs. Thirty minutes a day will suffice as long as you do it every day or at least every other day. It’s never too late to start.

These are all things that I try and do on a regular basis. I’m not perfect by any means and will have days when I do none of this and also days when I eat loads of junk. BUT the important thing is that I do the above things most days and the days where it all goes pear shaped are the exception rather than the rule.

I don’t give myself a hard time when I don’t manage it, as I think our inner critic can be very harsh and that’s not good for us either. So just do the best you can and give yourself a big high five when you get it right.