Articles, Stories, and Tips on Health and Fitness for Life After 50

Articles, Stories, and Tips on Health and Fitness for Life After 50


Navigating the Health Information Maze

By Kevin English | November 29, 2023

In the age of information, we are constantly inundated with advice about health and fitness. It seems like every day there’s a new diet trend, a revolutionary exercise routine, or a must-have supplement. This relentless stream of advice can leave many of us feeling lost and unsure of where to start. But what if I…

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Navigating the Health Information Maze

In the age of information, we are constantly inundated with advice about health and fitness. It seems like every day there’s a new diet trend, a revolutionary exercise routine, or a must-have supplement. This relentless stream of advice can leave many of us feeling lost and unsure of where to start. But what if I…

Should You Use a Lifting Belt?

Hey over 50 friends! Coach Kevin here with some tips on whether you should use a lifting belt for exercises like deadlifts and squats.  As a fitness coach, I’m often asked if wearing a belt is necessary or safe for these compound lifts. The short answer is that it depends on your experience level and…

Do These 5 Things Before Starting Your Next Diet

We’ve all been there. You start a new diet with motivation and optimism only to fall off the wagon in a few weeks. The weight inevitably creeps back on – often with a few bonus pounds to boot. It’s easy to get discouraged and feel like you’ll never reach your weight loss goals.  But what…

The Key to Over 50 Health and Optimal Body Composition

As we hit the golden years of 50 and beyond, the concept of “aging gracefully” often takes the spotlight. For many, this is synonymous with looking good and feeling great. It’s not just about vanity. Embracing the second half of life with vigor and enthusiasm demands a strong, functional body. This is where strength training,…

Conquering Gym Intimidation

Embarking on a fitness journey later in life can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, especially if it means setting foot in a gym for the first time—or the first time in a while. Here’s a list of top tips for men and women over 50 who are looking to lose weight and get back in…

Bulletproof Your Back

A strong back is an injury resistant back. Another way of saying this is a weak back is an injury-prone back.  Many of us over 50 start to experience aches and pains, and our backs are prime candidates for feeling tweaked, sore, or downright painful. Taking the time to strengthen your back now will pay…

Your Prime is NOW!

Have you ever looked back at old photographs and thought, “Those were the days!”?  It’s not uncommon. We often reminisce about our youthful energy, our zest for life, and perhaps, the physique we once took for granted. But what if I told you that your prime is not behind you, but rather just beginning? Welcome…

Exercise Is Not Punishment!

As we journey through this path of wellness together, I want to share a unique perspective that might just change the way you think about fitness. You’ve likely heard the old adage, “You are what you eat.” While nutrition plays a vital role in our health, there’s more to the story. The way we perceive…

The Power of Protein: Sculpting a Lean and Strong Body After 50

As we pass the half-century mark, our bodies begin to evolve in ways that can sometimes feel more challenging than the years before. Metabolism slows, muscle mass begins to decline, and the zeal for a youthful, vibrant body becomes a little more elusive. But fear not! With the right nutrition and fitness strategies, we can…

Your Diet Exit Strategy for Healthy Aging and Long-Term Weight Management

The world of weight loss is riddled with many quick-fix diet plans promising instant results. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that more than 90% of individuals regain the lost weight within a year, often with a few extra pounds added. This disappointing outcome leads to the realization that we don’t need another diet – what…

Embracing the Minimum Effective Dose in Over 50 Fitness

When it comes to exercise and fitness, particularly for those over 50, there’s a prevailing myth that more is always better. However, this is far from the truth. Indeed, in the realm of fitness and health, the principle of the ‘Minimum Effective Dose’ (MED) often holds the key to long-lasting and sustainable results. The Principle…

Healthy Aging for Busy Bees: A Roadmap for Those Short on Time

We’ve all been there – juggling work, family, and personal commitments, and feeling like there’s just not enough time for self-care. However, prioritizing health and wellness is paramount, especially as we age. But how can you squeeze a fitness routine into a packed schedule? It might be easier than you think. The Importance of Healthy…

Strength Training for Women: Unveiling the Secret to Vital Aging

For many years, women have shied away from strength training for fear of becoming too bulky. However, this myth couldn’t be further from the truth. Strength training offers a plethora of benefits for women, particularly those who are aging and keen on maintaining their health and vitality. Why Strength Training Matters for Women When it…

Strength Training: Your Secret Weapon for Healthy Aging

We’ve all heard the saying “age is just a number.” While it’s a popular phrase, it doesn’t mean we should dismiss the changes that naturally occur in our bodies as we age. However, there’s a potent antidote that can help us combat these changes: strength training. Unpacking the Benefits of Strength Training Strength training, also…

Investment Strategies for Your Health

I want you to imagine two scenarios. Scenario 1: You’re working a nine to five job and you’ve made the decision that you want to increase your wealth. You’re tired of being broke all the time. So you decide to start picking up some overtime.  And you make some money, and your lifestyle improves. You…

Your Fitness Journey Isn’t A Race

All right folks, brace yourselves. What I’m about to say might ruffle some feathers, but hey, isn’t that why you’re here? You want the cold, hard truth. No sugar-coating, no phony promises, just the real deal about this wild, wonderful journey to health and fitness. So, here it is: Your fitness journey isn’t a race. …

The Secret Ingredient to Long-term Health and Fitness

It’s a familiar scenario: you’ve committed to a new diet and fitness plan, only to find yourself tempted by a slice of pizza, a glass of wine, or the comforting embrace of your cozy bed in the wee hours of the morning. Why get up and sweat it out when you could snooze for a…

The Path to Self Empowerment

There’s an invincible force within each of us, lying dormant, awaiting the spark to ignite it into full-blown existence. This is the force of self-empowerment, a profound realization that we have control over our decisions and actions, and ultimately, the trajectory of our lives.  In the realm of health and fitness, this empowerment comes alive…

You Are Sexy

Let’s talk about something that may not get addressed enough – sexiness. And no, we’re not talking about those steamy scenes from Hollywood movies or airbrushed magazine covers. We’re talking about a deeper, more powerful sexiness – the kind that emanates from confidence, self-love, and acceptance. Regardless of your age or the number on the scale,…

Rediscovering Your Health Through Gratitude: The Golden Key to Aging Gracefully

Gratitude, at its most basic level, is the simple act of acknowledging and appreciating the good in life. But its power extends far beyond mere recognition. In the labyrinth of life, gratitude is the golden thread guiding you towards health, happiness, and fulfillment. This thread becomes even more important as we age, particularly for those…

What I’m Selling (and What You’re Buying)

I’ve been in sales most of my adult life. I spent twenty plus years as a technology salesman, selling networking, datacenter, cyber security, and cloud solutions to companies. I’ve learned to pitch my offerings in the best light possible, to describe how wonderful life would be for the company once they chose our company to…
An Old Man Doing Cardio

Which is Better for Fat Loss – Cardio or Strength Training?

What’s better for burning fat – cardio or strength training?  Everybody knows that cardio is the best way to lose weight and burn fat, right?  Not so fast.  Like many things in the exercise and nutrition universe, the answer is nuanced.  But the prevailing notion of reduce calories and increase cardiovascular activity has been around…
Diet Misconceptions

How To Feel Full While Dieting

Let’s face it, losing weight is hard. No one likes the feeling of constantly being hungry or being denied foods they truly love. But the fact remains, to lose weight we need to be in a calorie deficit – that is we need to eat fewer calories than we expend. But as anyone who has…

Reclaim Functional Movements

Your body is an amazing machine! It was designed to move in many different ways. Your body should be capable of walking, running, jumping, hinging, squatting, pushing, pulling, lunging, climbing, picking things up and putting them into overhead spaces, bending, twisting, balancing, swimming, and even pirouetting! You should be capable of short intense bursts of…
A Woman Trying to Avoid Sweet Food

Emotional Eating Tips

Normally this would be the perfect time of year to do a post about holiday eating tips… but these aren’t exactly normal times.  Due to the pandemic, many of us won’t be gathering with friends and relatives for drinks, dinners, cookie exchange parties, and general merriment.  Instead, I thought I’d share a few tips on…
Testosterone

How to Naturally Increase Testosterone Levels for Men Over 50

I more than doubled my testosterone levels naturally in my forties, utilizing lifestyle changes. But before we get into that, let me tell you a bit of my story. Through most of my thirties and into my early forties I was active, primarily with endurance training and events. During that time I completed six marathons,…
Quarantine 15

How to Lose the Dreaded Quarantine 15

Here we are in August 2020, and COVID-19 with its restrictions doesn’t appear to be leaving us any time soon. We’ve all had to adapt to some sort of new normal. Depending on where you live that could mean wearing a mask in public places, maintaining six feet of distance from others, and limited access…
Locally Grown Vegetables

Organic Versus Local

As a conscientious shopper, I try to purchase the best quality food possible. One way of doing this is to shop organic. For a food to be labelled organic, the producer must abide by a stringent set of government standards. In the United States the USDA qualifies produce as organic if no synthetic pesticides, chemical…

The “Secret” to Healthy Sustainable Weight Loss

There is an absurd amount of information swirling around the mystical science of weight loss. In the United States the weight loss market (online weight loss programs, consulting services, etc.) is valued at $72B, while the worldwide market comes in at a whopping $190B. In addition, the global weight loss supplement industry was estimated at…
Genetically Modified Organisms

Eating GMOs

A while back I was talking with a friend who works for one of the top four mega agri-business firms, and the topic of GMOs came up. Now this guy isn’t a scientist (he’s an architect), but he’s really bright and in general I respect his opinions. He gave me a primer on the origins…
A Man Pressing His Belly Fat

The Dangers of Skinny Fat

Somewhere in my forties I went from just plain skinny to being skinny fat. Up until that point in my life my workouts had been primarily long slow endurance cardio, and I had a crappy diet consisting primarily of carbs. And I drank… a lot. First a definition: skinny fat is the condition of being…

My Fitness Journey

I’ve always been active. I was raised on a cattle farm in south-western Pennsylvania, so early on had the blessing of being raised on grass-fed beef, our own chickens, vegetables fresh from the garden, milk and butter from the neighbor’s dairy cow, and even fruit form our own orchard. I was also active during this…
A Woman Sunbathing

Here Comes the Sun

Spring is in the air! For many of us the weather is starting to warm up, and we’re getting outside and into the beautiful warm sunshine. This is also the time of year when we start thinking about sun protection. You almost certainly have heard it said that our skin is our largest organ (it’s…

Milo and Progressive Overload

Milo of Croton was born in ancient Greece during the sixth century BC and was the most revered wrestler of his time. He was a five-time Olympic champion, and his feats of strength were legendary. But how did Milo get so strong, and what can we learn from this ancient strong man?  The story goes…

Fountain of Youth

According to the National Institute of Health men and women over 40 lose on average 3% of muscle strength every year.  Sarcopenia is a clinical term for age related muscle loss, and the main causes are multi-factorial, with the major contributors being a decrease in activity, poor nutrition, increased inflammation, and hormonal changes. In many…
Liver

Eat Your Liver!

Chopped liver anyone? For many of us 50 years and older, liver (and other organ meats) may have been a mealtime staple during our childhoods. If not for us, then certainly for our parents and grandparents. Several factors are involved with the decline in livers popularity, not the least of which is the demonization of…
Oatmeal

Upgrade Your Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of my breakfast staples and is a great meal for endurance athletes or anyone looking to carb up before an intense workout. It’s nutritious and delicious… but skip the prepackaged instant crap! Today I’m sharing my favorite way to make oatmeal. It’s quick and easy and has one extra step – you’ll…

A Love Letter to CrossFit (and my Daughter)

I’ll admit it, I’m in love with CrossFit. I first heard of CrossFit approximately ten years ago, when my brother approached me about joining. At the time we were doing primarily endurance training, marathons and triathlons. The way he pitched it to me (he wasn’t a member, he’d just heard about it somewhere) sounded crazy,…