Soy Good or Bad

We've heard a lot about soy being a super food because in cultures where it is a staple in the diet, there is less disease and better health. We tend to go overboard when we hear something like this. When you look at soy more closely, it is good, but in it's natural form that it is most beneficial.

Be wary of processed foods that contain soy. Many of the beneficial properties of soy are lossed in the processing of the food. Soy in it's best form is in things like miso, tempeh, tofu, and soybeans.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #10

When you start an exercise program, know that it will likely help you with weight loss, but don't obsess over the weight. Weight loss may be very slow and if that is the primary reason you are exercising, you are setting yourself up for failure. When the weight loss is slow or nonexistent, you sill stop exercising.

Here's the bottom line, there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. If you walk for 30 minutes and burn 200 calories, it will take you about 18 days to burn off that 1 pound of fat. This is why people get discouraged and stop exercising.

Think about the health benefits not in terms of weight, but in terms of decreasing your risk for Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

In addition, exercise helps you sleep better and fell healthier and stong.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #9

Keep in mind your health. If you have old injuries, be aware of those so that you don't reinjure yourself or cause another injury. If you blew out your knees playing football as a teenager, then running may not be your best exercise.

Look for activities that you like that your body can tolerate. If you really want to get back on the tennis court, do it with people in your age group and about the same level of fitness. Play less often and cross-train with something that is easier for your body to manage.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #8

Getting social support for your exercise is important. Not all of us need this, but if you do, then ask for it. Even if your family doesn't exercise with you, let them know that you need their support and encouragement. You can also find companions who are exercising and do it together. You can encourage one another.

Some of us do relish our alone time to listen to our favorite music of a book or the sound of our own breath while we exercise. That is OK too. Whatever works for you.

Know that there are local groups for walking, cycling, running, swimming and just about any other type of exercise you can think of. Join one of these groups.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #7

One of the things that happens as we age is that we think we have to go at a slow pace. While that is true to start, you don't need to stay there. If you're in good health and built a strong base of fitness, begin to alternate bursts of intense workout with rest periods. You can do 1 minute hard and take 4 minutes of rest. This is a great way to breakup the monotony of your exercise routine as well.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #6

Keep in mind that you can accomplish whatever you want in the exercise arena. Even if you are over 40, doesn't mean that you can't be a champion. Many age-group champions never laced up a pair of shoes until after their 40th birthday.

If you have been exercising for years or all of your life, don't assume that your exercise performance will suddenly fall off as you age. Studies have shown that there is very little decrease in performance with age. I know severe people here in Colorado who have skied into their 80s. The performance edge does start to decrease at about age 80, but you can continue to keep your body strong. You just may have to hang up your skis, but there are other things you can do.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #5

Exercise needs to be a priority in your life. We are all very good at finding excuses about why we can't exercise. Here's an exercise for you, what are the 3 top reasons that you don't exercise?

Now write these down on a 3 X 5 card. One on each card. Now write strategies for overcoming these reasons for not exercising. Laminate the cards and carry them with you so that you can refer to them.

Next put exercise in your schedule. Just like you schedule a business meeting, schedule your exercise into your day. You would not skip a business meeting because you didn't feel like it, so don't skip your exercise time either. Use some tough love on yourself. You wouldn't go check into a hotel because you didn't feel like going home to your family each night. Get over it.