Have you ever met someone who looks 10 years younger than their actual age, and has the energy and stamina to match their appearance? On the other hand, you’ve probably also met people who look and act much older than their ages. Yes, the secret is partly genetic, but it’s a large part lifestyle as well. In order to boost your anti-aging efforts, it’s important to understand how the aging process works.
1. Your metabolism slows down.
2. Your endocrine system declines, so that your body is producing less of the hormones that make you look and feel young.
3. Your bones become weaker and more brittle.
4. Memory and problem-solving abilities decline.
Clearly, your anti-aging strategy should focus on boosting metabolism, stimulating your endocrine system, fortifying your body to maintain bone density, and boosting your brain power. But there are also certain activities to avoid – or at least not depend upon – if you want to maintain an effective anti-aging regimen.
1. Avoid intense cardio.  Obviously, cardio burns calories and helps you lose weight. But the price is free radicals released into your system as your body burns fat. These free radicals damage the cells in your body and promote faster aging. And if your bones have become weaker and more brittle, you risk injury as well.
2. Avoid cutting all fat out of your diet. You’ve probably heard that there are “good” fats and “bad” fats. Good fats also contain the beneficial type of cholesterol, which actually keeps the bad type of cholesterol at bay. It also helps your body to produce those youthful hormones, and is a vital component to maintaining healthy, glowing skin. So avoiding good fats will actually make you age faster!
3. Avoid yoga as your only form of exercise. Yoga is great for developing flexibility, and many people find it calming. However, don’t depend on it exclusively to provide the exercise you need. Yoga isn’t enough to build the lean muscle tissue you need, it won’t help you burn enough fat, and it won’t boost your endocrine system either. But certainly keep practicing yoga for its other benefits, if you enjoy it.
So what are you supposed to do? Metabolic training, a form of high-intensity exercise which involves your entire body, are best for your anti-aging strategy. These exercises help you increase your metabolism, burn fat, build lean muscle tissue, and stimulate your endocrine system. Circuit training is an example of metabolic training.
Talk to a personal trainer about metabolic training, and as always, consult with your weight loss physician before beginning a new exercise routine. It’s important to remember that even though exercise is important, 80-90 percent of weight loss still depends upon dietary changes.