Middle-aged spread - 2

Although middle age is becoming harder to define these days as we live longer, it is usually considered that our bodies start losing the youthful ability to remain in shape without too much bother around 35 onward. If you're lucky, you might make it to your 40s before you have to start being a little more concerted in your efforts. But everyone needs to pay attention to the potential for middle-age spread.

Steps

1. 1
   Eat correctly from your youth. Always maintain a healthy, nutritious and optimal energy diet. By optimal energy, this means that you should avoid eating "empty calories" and should get the most nutrition and energy benefits from any food that you consume. The occasional pastry and beer is fine but not daily.
2. 2
   Exercise for life. Exercise is not something you do in your 20s and then get bored with. Work may become more strenuous or dull as you age but that is no excuse for letting yourself get mired in self-pity and using food and drink as anesthesia instead of maintaining a good exercise routine. Find the exercise that works for you too. It might take a while but keep trying different things until you find the one that "fits" and keeps you "fit".
3. 3
   Use your clothes as an indicator. Like the litmus test that shows a color change in the presence of new growth, you should use your clothes to assess new growth. Even a little tightness is a warning sign to cut back on food and drink and to up the exercise routine. Use this early warning sign to stop a lot of pain later.
4. 4
   Eat raw foods a lot more. Consume raw vegetables, seeds and fruit for snacks. Especially the vegetables and seeds. These will keep you regular, provide nutrition and fill you up quickly. If you can't be bothered cutting them, buy them already cut from the grocery store. There is no excuse.
5. 5
   Avoid fattening food. White bread, burger buns, burgers, fries, pastries, candies, sodas etc. are not food. They are treats. And treats can only be treats when eaten rarely. Rather than viewing this as "deprivation", view avoidance of such foods as the biggest treat of all - how much more memorable become birthdays when you can have cake and soda without a worry? The memory is great too! And no more afternoon slumps at work when you consume celery sticks with hummus in place of a cinnamon scroll and soda.
6. 6
   Drink water. Water in place of sodas will ensure you remain healthy. Sodas contain much hidden sugar that increases middle-age spread. Avoid the trap and drink water. Spritz it up with a little freshly squeezed citrus of choice and some ice cubes. It tastes wonderful.
7. 7
   Help your friends and colleagues lose middle-age spread too. It is much easier to justify stacking on the pounds when those around you look similar and everyone is mired in the self-conviction that "this is just what happens when you get older". Instead, set a challenge to all lose weight and keep fit together. That way, the norm that compels you will be average weight, not overweight.
8. 8
   Banish the belief that older people get fatter and stay that way. This is nonsense. Older people justify being more sedentary and high caloried in their diets merely because they are "aging". Stop it now! You wouldn't be feeling so tired if you fueled your body with something a lot more healthy every day and you got out there and exercised. Go on! Cut this belief in half now and increase your chances at longevity.