Obi’s Guide to Good Fitness at Any Age
Editor’s Note: Obi Obadike was recognized by Dr. Oz’s sharecare.com as one of the Top Ten Most Influential Fitness Experts on the web and will be a co-host of a new health show called ‘Lifestyle Magazine’ that will be launching on national TV this fall. He will be contributing content to What’s Up, USANA? on health, nutrition, and weight loss over the next several months. Read his previous posts.
By Obi Obadike
Age is just a number. And fitness doesn’t care how old you are or what level you train. All that matters is that you do it. Though it may be a bit more difficult to exercise as you age, it is still important to move your body.
The fact is, it’s even more essential to exercise the older you get. By age 25, your Resting Metabolic Rate drops about 3-5%. And the only way to combat that decline is to consistently eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. So make fitness a priority, and beat that wane in your metabolism.
But how do you make fitness a part of your daily routine? I recommend viewing fitness the same as hygiene. You would never go a day without brushing your teeth or taking a shower, so don’t go a day without exercise, either. It’s all about prioritizing your life.
Also, consider mental exercises to get yourself into a fitness habit. If you don’t believe you can attain the body you want, you won’t. Believe in yourself and stay motivated daily in order to execute the proper exercise program. Here are some ideas:
Visualize yourself:
- Going to the gym
- Exercising
- Eating healthy foods
- Being like someone you look up to physically
I would also recommend creating a vision board — a collage of pictures, images, and quotes — of people who motivate you. Refer to it often as a reminder of what you want to achieve.
Fat Loss Workout
Here is a fantastic 3-day-a-week fat loss workout you can do at any age to help you get in great shape. Plus, it takes just 15-20 minutes!
Monday
Exercise | Time | Description |
Jump Squats | 30 seconds | Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, do a regular squat, engage core and jump up. Repeat. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Planks | 30 seconds | Start in a pushup position, lower both forearms to ground so both elbows and palms are flat. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Push-Ups | 20 seconds | Assume a face-down position. Position hands palms-down on floor, shoulder-width apart. Balls of feet should touch ground. Raise and lower yourself using your arms. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Burpees | 30 seconds | Begin in standing position with feet shoulder-width apart. Lower body into squatting position, placing hands on floor in front of you. Kick your feet back into a push-up position. Keep hands firmly on ground to support body. Lower chest and do a push-up. Kick feet back to original position. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Jump Shots | 30 seconds | Jump as if shooting a basketball, but without one. |
Wednesday
Exercise | Time | Description |
Jumping Jacks | 30 seconds | Jump into a position with the legs spread wide and the hands touching overhead, sometimes in a clap, and then return to a position with the feet together and the arms at the sides. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Dips | 30 seconds | Position hands shoulder-width apart on secured bench or stable chair. Slide back side off front of bench with legs extended in front. Bend elbows and lower body toward floor then straighten arms again (do not lock out elbows). |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Mountain Climbers | 30 seconds | Start in a push-up position. Keeping legs stretched out behind you, bend one knee toward your chest, return your foot to the starting position. Alternate one leg then the other as if climbing a mountain. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Vertical Jumps | 30 seconds | Jump straight into the air, but not too high. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
High Knees | 30 seconds | Run in place with knees as high as possible, pumping arms throughout. Drive as if sprinting. |
Friday
Exercise | Time | Description |
Wall Sits | 30 seconds | With back against wall, sit like you would in a chair and hold. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Leg Lifts | 30 seconds | Lay with back flat on ground with arms flat beside body. Lift legs 6-12 inches off ground and hold. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Jump Over Towel | 30 seconds | Jump over a towel like a pogo stick back and forth. |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Quick Feet | 30 seconds | Run in place as fast as possible (similar to high knees but knees drive low with this exercise). |
Rest | 30 seconds | |
Push-Ups | 20 seconds | Assume a face-down position. Position hands palms-down on floor, shoulder-width apart. Balls of feet should touch ground. Raise and lower yourself using your arms. |
Be sure to catch more of Obi as new articles and videos are posted each month on What’s Up USANA? You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
As an added bonus, follow @USANAinc for a special live twitter chat with Obi tomorrow (Sept. 10) from 12-1 PST! He will be answering all of your questions – just use the hashtag #AskObi!
September is Self-Improvement Month. Keep watching for more posts from fitness, health, and nutrition experts on What’s Up USANA? to make improvements to your life and well-being.
Obi Obadike, B.A, B.S, M.S., CFT, SFN, is a former top Division I collegiate sprinter at Cal State Fullerton. He is still considered one of the fastest men in the history of the school. After suffering hamstring injuries for half of his collegiate career, he moved onto sports modeling. In just a short time, Obi established himself as one of the top male fitness models, personalities and experts in the world. He has landed more than 50 fitness magazine covers and written more than 100 fitness articles globally. His social networking influence is the biggest of any fitness professional, fitness expert or fitness personality on TV with more than 1.5 million Twitter followers.
*The mentioned athlete is either a distributor or dedicated user who has received compensation for his partnership and/or complimentary USANA products.
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