Aging is a normal part of the life. However, nobody would like to look older than they should be. This is why a proper balanced diet and regular exercise is important. Here are some mistakes that you might be making in planning your meals and exercising.
1. Lack of strength training
Strength training is a great way to ensure muscle gain. It can help to tone your muscle and prevent sagging of skin.
It also reduces levels of myostatin, a protein that causes loss of muscle. Myostatin levels increase as you get older.
2. Exercising too much
When you exercise without giving yourself a break, you’ll be tired most of the time and suffer sleepless nights. Your muscles will always be sore, you’ll lose weight unnecessarily and your heart rate will be high.
The most significant effect of exercising too much is chronic inflammation in your muscles, which is a sign of aging.
3. Avoiding fats
A balanced diet usually consists of fats, proteins and the carbohydrates. Cutting out any of these food groups is very bad because each one has specific functions they perform in the body.
Fats get a bad rap because they are believed to cause obesity and other weight related issues. While this is true, it only happens with overeating and poor portion control.
Fats are needed for health of your skin, hair and the nails. They are also used to store fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K which help to prevent aging in different ways.
4. Having too much acidic foods in your diet
Foods like tomatoes and the citrus fruits that have a high acid content can cause a depletion of alkaline nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. These nutrients are required for strong bones, teeth and muscles.
Taking foods that contain too much acid can also increase risk of developing liver problems and cardiovascular diseases.
5. Using the treadmill or spinning bike too often
Cardio exercises are a great way to relieve stress. However, doing it too much can actually cause you to age quickly. These exercises increase production of free radicals which promote cell damage.
They also cause release of cortisol, a stress hormone that can lead to breakouts. A much better stress-relieving option would be yoga, which can help to reduce inflammation too.
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