Having a positive attitude is good for you and even increases the likelihood of living longer. It might be because upbeat people are also likelier to be active more than Debbie Downers – that the brain-body connection is real, indeed. But one group of researchers reported “older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging… lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging.” Another found that a positive outlook boosts heart health, even among people with a family history of heart disease. And people with a positive outlook live longer, have fewer hear ..read more

Do you want to live to be 100? More people are reaching that mark nowadays than ever before, and the trend will skyrocket in the coming decades. The topic of longevity is having a moment, darn near approaching a cultural obsession. What can we do to live NOT JUST LONGER but also BETTER. What role does exercise play in all of this? Here’s just one example. Toni Stahl, at left in this photo, lived an amazing life. As a young Navy wife, she was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. She survived cancer. She farmed, enjoyed waterskiing, and worked into her 90s part-time at a hospital. She also work ..read more

In the world of older woman taking control of their health, Vera is a myth-busting superstar. She works out several times a week with weights, machines, and cardio to stay strong and flexible in retirement. She’s remarkable for doing what should be less remarkable in our society: Exercising regularly to improve her health and quality of life. Vera started working out a few years ago when she noticed her golf drives weren’t going as far as they used to go. And she’d get tired doing household chores. Visiting her grown daughters for walks in Chicago and New York caused her back to hurt. Vera, a ..read more

Stress is a killer, but we’re not helpless against it. Regular physical exercise is one of the top defenses we have, no matter what age we are. In our 20s and 30s, stress might be mostly related to finding a job or partner or raising kids. But after 50 or so, we still have those concerns, plus maybe physical challenges, social isolation, changes in our bodies and brains, and the way we’re perceived by others. Older people are more likely to live alone, and alcohol abuse skyrocketed during the pandemic lockdown, partly because so many were struggling with the stress in isolation. Every April ..read more

Up to 80% of adults in Western countries have back pain at some point in their lives. It’s chronic for some and can be debilitating. It can be hard to figure out why it’s happening or how to feel better. And everybody wants a magic pill. But we know there’s a better way: movement. A fitness program that combines strength, flexibility, aerobic fitness is beneficial, the National Institutes of Health says. “Increasing core muscular strength can assist in supporting the lumbar spine. Improving the flexibility of the muscle-tendons and ligaments in the back increases the range of motion and assist ..read more

Hey, have you heard about the new miracle fat-loss product? It’s a special tea. Or a lollipop. Or a rubber vest you zip tight around your abdomen. Or… or… or… We’ve all seen countless “too good to be true” products guaranteeing help with losing weight “melting” fat and “boosting” metabolism. It’s easy to chuckle at most of these. They might seem harmless to more than your wallet, although that’s not necessarily true of all of them. Health scams cost consumers countless millions. And older people are often the target of phone and email rip-offs; those might not be related to health and nutriti ..read more

  At 62, Jeff Lasater is dedicated to staying in shape. He lifts weights three times a week and runs three times a week. “I don’t want to live to be 80 if I’m not healthy,” says Jeff, who was introduced to fitness by his daughter and son-in-law. “They were worried about me having all that idle time at night. And I feel good. I enjoy it.” Jeff knows that every workout is an investment in his health – the best investment we can make.  Polls show that we value our health more than anything. People over 50 say they want to maintain their independence and enjoy the life they want to live ..read more

How do you want to be seen now and as you continue to mature? If you’re like most people, you want to continue aging as your own fabulous self, not as some stereotype society imposes on “older” people. That’s the lesson from Instagram star Lyn Slater, a 70-year-old fashionista out with her first book, “How to Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly from the Accidental Icon.” Regardless of whether you’re also “fashion forward” or prefer jeans or athleisure, this approach is spectacular to continue maturing in a healthy, positive way – enjoying what you want for as long as possible. Slater presents “a ..read more

March is Women’s History Month in the U.S., a great time to remember that fitness, as we know it, didn’t always exist. For earlier generations, gyms weren’t common, very few people lifted weights, and hardly anyone exercised for health or fun. Women, especially, were discouraged from exercising. It wasn’t just men like Jack LaLanne and Arnold Schwarzenegger who brought fitness to the masses. Whether you’re male or female, here are five women often overlooked in the development of today’s fitness industry. Bonnie Prudden. The fitness pioneer, rock climber and mountaineer compared American chi ..read more

Near the end of his 27-year career as a sheriff’s deputy, Mike knew he was dangerously overweight. The job’s stress, long hours, and a pair of work-related injuries had slowly packed 218 pounds onto his 5’9” frame. But it took “tough love” from a friend and fellow officer to get him to do anything about it. “Hey, I’ve got to talk to you,” Steve, above right with Mike, told him. “I’m saying this because I care about you. My gym is starting a six-week course, and I want you to come workout with me. You’re fat.” Mike, 51, didn’t like hearing it. But the next morning, when he looked in the mirror ..read more