How To Slow Down/Reverse Aging: Anti-Aging Workout Tips

 We all want to hold onto the fountain of youth for as long as possible. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get our hands the holy grail, assuming we drink out of the right cup and don’t wither away into bones.
Unfortunately, (as far as I know) that cup doesn’t exist. No matter what we do, the wrinkles and aged hair are eventually coming! That doesn’t mean you have to feel your age. I can promise you there are 50-year old’s in much better shape than some of the 30-year old’s I’ve seen. They probably look younger too! There’s an obvious reason for this.
Yes, genetics do play a big role here. For those of you who weren’t blessed with the look young forever genes, here are some fitness tips you can follow to slow down the aging process and feel younger.
The first tip I am going to suggest, EXERCISE!      
Let me be a little clearer, there are SPECIFIC types of exercise that will benefit you more for feeling and looking youthful.

1. Apply HIIT to your workout schedule

While strength training and cardio do benefit your overall health, they are not the most effective form of exercise when trying to maintain that youthful LOOK. The number one workout style for slowing down and potentially reversing the aging process is going to be HIIT (high-intensity interval training).
One 12-week study was conducted to compare high-intensity interval cycling, strength training with weights, and a combined strength training and cycling program. While the strength training program yielded the best results for building lean muscle tissue, HIIT alone provided the largest benefit at the cellular level. The younger participants had a 49% boost in mitochondrial capacity, and the older folks yielded even better results with an increase of 69%. (source)
I’ve made this suggestion before, use BOTH strength training and HIIT so you get the muscle building and anti-aging benefits. 

2. Incorporate Strength Training

No surprise here!
Strength training is more beneficial for FEELING younger.
What do I mean by that?
As we get older, our bodies begin to “deteriorate”. We lose as much as 3-5% of muscle every decade starting from the age of 30. (source)
We also tend to gain at least that amount in weight back in body fat.
So, I as I get older, I just become fatter and weaker?
Well, only if you don’t do anything about it.
The best way to combat this is with strength training. As I have discussed in my previous articles, strength training does wonders for burning body fat (1), not to mention it is the key component for building muscle.
I know when we hear the word FAT, we probably think the best way to burn it off is with cardio.
Think again!
One particular study showed that fat loss was 35% higher in the strength training group vs the cardio group. (source)
Ignoring the fact that strength training destroys body-fat, I feel the most important benefits are what it does for the rest of the body.

• Increases bone density
• Reverses physical frailty
• Decreases physical discomfort (elderly with arthritis)
• Revitalizes muscle cells

Hope I’ve sold you on strength training.
So, what’s the next step?

3. Include cardio into your workout regimen.

Wait a minute, didn’t you say that cardio was less effective than strength training?
Yes, but only when comparing bodyfat burning potential.
Cardio has countless health benefits.
One reason we NEED cardio in our fitness program is that our aerobic capacity decreases 5 -10 percent every decade after the age of 25. (source) Aerobic (endurance) exercise programs reduce the decline in cardiovascular performance and improve physical function, hence why it is so important. (source).
Now, HIIT can be considered cardio, but you simply cannot be doing HIIT 3-4 days a week (which is how often you should be doing cardio if you are above the age of 40). The end result, you will be EXHAUSTED! Not to mention you highly increase your chances of getting injured. HIIT should only be incorporated 1-2 times a week, especially for the elderly.
I hate to say it, but 1-2 times a week just simply isn’t enough.
What you should do is incorporate a light-moderate paced exercise (walking can be one of these) and combine it with your HIIT and strength training program.
The next big question is HOW?!
Let’s start out with some examples of a few exercises to put into your HIIT workout.

The Workouts

As I said before, you can include 1-2 HIIT workouts AT MOST a week. Followed by a couple of strength training days along with cardio.
Some of the most popular ways of doing this are as follows:

Another great example would be to have your week split like this.

This last part was actually taken straight from our HealthyFITNESS Fat Loss Challenge. 
Figuring out how to exercise on your own can be quite challenging, even when you are on the right track. This is why it is CRUCIAL you have an excellent fitness and diet plan in place.
If you enjoyed this article and are ready to start losing weight and slow down your aging, our HealthyFITNESS Fat Loss Challenge is a great place to start!
People lose an average of 10-28 pounds in just 28 days! If you are ready to change your life around, this is your BEST OPTION.
We teach you how to tackle eating healthy and exercising correctly so that it sticks with you before and long after you finish the challenge.