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LenDentonThrive Letter #15
The 7 Elements of Fitness
In this edition of the newsletter, we’re talking about fitness. More specifically, what fitness looks like for Over-50 Guys wanting to live their best life.
But first, here’s a quick preview of what’s in the LenDentonThrive Letter #15:
The Big Idea - This week, we’ll look beyond one-dimensional definitions of fitness, and what that means for Over-50 Guys.
Tip of the Week - A quick tip or strategy to help you improve your health, fitness, and life.
News You Can Use - I’ll share some useful items from my research stack for you to check out later.
I’m glad that you’re here! We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
1. The Big Idea - 7 Elements of Fitness
How do you define fitness? And, more specifically, how should we define fitness for Over-50 Guys?
I asked myself those questions, then dove deep into the interwebs and social platforms to find some answers. The results were…interesting.
The majority of the articles I found focused on muscles. They all basically said that the more muscles you have, the more fit you are.
The Muscle Scale
There’s no doubt that muscles are an important part of fitness. And, I have the utmost respect for my muscular “Gym Bros.” The amount of effort and dedication it takes to build such a physique is impressive.
However, the meaning of fitness changes as men age. What made sense in our 20s, 30s, and 40s begins to change as we age past 50. While strength remains an important element of our overall fitness throughout our life, other factors begin to increase in importance. This means that we need to expand our fitness focus beyond strength and muscle building in order to ensure that we remain functionally strong and capable as we grow older.
So next, let’s look at some of the other factors that we need to bring into our fitness focus once we pass the age 50 mark.
7 Essential Fitness Elements
Figure 1 - 7 Elements of Fitness
I’ve compiled this list from the best research that I can find. The overall goal of this list is to empower Over-50 Guys to live long, healthy, and active lives. This multi-dimensional vision of fitness goes well beyond the common definition that’s based on muscles and strength alone.
Now, let’s look at each of the 7 elements in more depth.
Strength - and associated muscle mass are important contributors to overall fitness, especially as men age. One of the key predictors of lifespan is strength, often measured in grip strength and the ability to carry heavy loads. Maintaining muscle mass is also important as large muscles in the body are the key producers of stem cells throughout our lives. Activities to build strength include weight training and rucking.
Stamina - is the measure of our aerobic fitness and our ability to sustain intense activity such as heavy lifting or rapid movements for an extended period of time. Stamina is often measured by elevated heart rate and VO2 Max. Activities to build stamina include walking, running, swimming and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Agility - is the ability to move quickly and easily. Agility typically declines as we age, so it is a key area of emphasis in overall fitness. Activities to build agility include: sports, dancing and activities that require coordinated movements.
Balance - is the ability to remain upright through a full range of motion without falling or stumbling. Balance typically declines as we age so it is another key area of emphasis in overall fitness. Activities that build balance include: balance-specific exercises, calesthentics, dance, and frequent movement.
Flexibility - is our ability to move our joints through their full range of motion. Flexibility decreases with age, so its an important area of emphasis in our overall fitness. Flexibility is improved through targeted stretching exercises for each joint.
Body Weight - our body weight is a fundamental element of overall fitness. Excess body weight places additional stress on bones and joints. It can also be a source of inflammation leading to illness, including diabetes and cancer. Activities that promote a healthy body weight are an effective diet (75-80%) and exercise (20-25%) to create a calorie deficit.
Metabolism (Metabolic Fitness) - is the measure of our internal anatomical fitness, and shows how effectively our key internal processes are operating. These include our blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood glucose (A1C). These are typically measured via medical tests administered by health care professionals. Activities that promote healthy metabolic fitness include: a good diet, regular exercise, regular checkups and effective partnering with your doctor.
For Over-50 Guys, being fit means so much more than having muscles. Over time, a well-balanced approach to fitness that addresses all of these 7 elements will help Over-50 Guys to build healthy, sustainable ThriveLives.
Want to Go Deeper?
Do you want to dive deeper into ThriveAge and what it can do in your life? If that sounds like a smart move for you, then consider subscribing to the LenDentonThrive Letter. It’s totally free!
As a bonus, new subscribers will receive a free .pdf version of Chapter 1 of my upcoming new book, The ThriveAge Way (The Over-50 Way To Lose Weight, Get Fit & Stay Fit For Life).
ThriveAge is the roadmap to your custom-built ThriveLife!
2. Tip of the Week: The 4PM Method
Are you looking for the best exercise to help you achieve your own ThriveLife? I often tell guys that the best exercise for you is the ones that you’ll enjoy and actually do!
Another way to decide your exercise routine is to use my 4PM Method, which is an acronym for:
Personal - an exercise that you can enjoy and that works well for how you like to workout (alone, in a group, etc.)
Practical - fits into your lifestyle without too much trouble
Portable - goes with you when you’re on the move (lifestyle, again)
Permanent - something you can do for the rest of your life
Measurable - an activity that is trackable. (If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it!)
My primary 4PM exercise is fast walking. I really enjoy it, its easy on my joints. It fits my lifestyle and goes with me when I travel. It’s something I’m looking forward to doing to age 100! And finally, it’s easily measured with my Fitbit tracker.
Simple and effective. Try 4PM for yourself!
3. News You Can Use
Here is some “news you can use” from my recent research and writing:
This is a recent tweet from Chris Boettcher on 10 things we do everyday to damage our health. It’s a good list that I found helpful. Check it out:
Follow me on the socials for daily tips and strategies for living your ThriveLife:
I’m Writing A Book!
I’m a busy Over-50 Guy who has spent the past ten years building a practice of personal health and fitness that relies on real food and smart exercise instead of crazy diets and killer workouts. This process, called ThriveAge, helped me to lose 70 pounds and keep it off for going on ten years. Now, I want to share what I have learned with other Over-50 Guys. So, I wrote the book!
In The ThriveAge Way (The Over-50 Way To Lose Weight, Get Fit & Stay Fit For Life), I share everything I’ve learned about the principles and practices necessary to create and sustain a healthy lifestyle. I call it my ThriveLife.
New subscribers to the LenDentonThrive Letter will receive Chapter 1 of my new book for free. To get your free copy of Chapter 1, just subscribe to the LenDentonThrive Letter.
Thanks for your time and attention. Have a great weekend. See you next Saturday!
Thrive & Prosper,
Len
Hey, Before You Go…
First, are you a subscriber to the LenDentonThrive Letter? Please share this with someone you know who might benefit from it. I’d appreciate that! And, I bet the guy you forward it to will too!
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Thanks for visiting!
See you next Saturday!
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