As you know, we at HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com are all into getting you healthy and fit. That goes also for your overall well-being.  There is no reason as you grow a little older each year that you need to act like your getting older.  Below are some tips on how you can keep a positive outlook on those golden years and for those not yet pushing 40, you also can benefit from these tips as it never hurts to gain a little fore-knowledge on what is just around the corner, remember it’s going to happen to all of us.  Read on, read on….

Think it’s too late to “reinvent” yourself? Think again. According to Carolyn Worthington, editor-in-chief of Healthy Aging® Magazine, “it’s never too late to find a new career, a new sport, passion, or hobby.”

Worthington is the creator of September is Healthy Aging® Month, an annual health observance designed to focus national attention on the positive aspects of growing older. Now in its second decade, Worthington says September is Healthy Aging® Month provides inspiration and practical ideas for adults, ages 40 - 50-plus, to improve their physical, mental, social, and financial well-being.

This is a great opportunity for everyone that is starting to think about how things are going to be as they age. “Use September as the motivation to take stock of where you’ve been, what you really would like to do. Who says you have to do something related to what you studied in school? Who says, you can’t become an entrepreneur, start your own home business later in life, test your physical prowess, or do something wildly different from anything you’ve done before? Only that person you see in the mirror can hold you back!

10 Tips for Reinventing Yourself during “September Is Healthy Aging® Month”:

Do not act your age or at least what you think your current age should act like. What was your best year so far? 28? 30? Now? Picture yourself at that age and be it. Some people may say this is denial, but we say it’s positive thinking and goes a long way toward feeling better about yourself. (Tip:  Don’t keep looking in the mirror, Just FEEL IT!)

Be positive in your conversations and your actions every day, especially at work or talking about family issues. When you catch yourself complaining, check yourself right there and change the conversation to something positive. (Tip: Stop watching the police reports on the local news.)

Have negative friends who complain all of the time and constantly talk about how awful everything is? Drop them. As cruel as that may sound, distance yourself from people who do not have a positive outlook on life. They will only depress you and stop you from moving forward. Surround yourself with energetic, happy, positive people of all ages and you will be happier too. (Tip: Smile often. It’s contagious and wards off naysayers. Not only that, but it takes less effort to put on a smile than to have a frown on your face all day long!)

Walk like a vibrant, healthy person. Come on. You can probably do it. Analyze your gait. Do you walk slowly because you have just become lazy or, perhaps, have a fear of falling? (Tip: Make a conscious effort to take big strides, walk with your heel first, and wear comfortable shoes.)

Stand up straight! You can knock off the appearance of a few extra years with this trick your mother kept trying to tell you. Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you holding your stomach in, have your shoulders back, chin up? Check out how much better your neck looks! Fix your stance and practice it every day, all day until it is natural. You will look great and feel better. (Tip: Your waistline will look trimmer if you follow this advice.)  Why not start tracking just how much your walking now?  Try the new Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rate & Activity Tracker from HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com   and give yourself the motivation you need to keep taking those steps not only today but every day.

How’s your smile? Research shows people who smile more often are happier. Your teeth are just as important to your good health as the rest of your body. Not only is it the first thing people notice, but good oral health is a gateway to your overall well-being. (Tip: Go to the dentist regularly and look into teeth whitening. Nothing says old more than yellowing teeth!)

Lonely? Stop brooding and complaining about having no friends or family. Do something about it now. Right this minute. Pick up the phone, landline, or cell and make a call to do one or more of the following: Volunteer your time, Take a class, Invite someone to meet you for lunch, brunch, dinner, or coffee. (Tip: Volunteer at the local public school to stay in touch with younger people and to keep current on trends, take a computer class or a tutorial session at your cell phone store to keep up with technology, choose a new person every week for your dining out.)

Start walking not only for your health but to see the neighbors. Have a dog? You’ll be amazed how the dog can be a conversation starter. (Tip: If you don’t have time for a dog, go to your local animal shelter and volunteer. You will be thrilled by the puppy love!) If you do have a dog, and they are great companions and you need to care about their health and the exercise they are getting just like you do yourself so why not get them their own pedometer.  That’s right we have a pedometer for dogs too, its called the Fitbark from Fitbit (https://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/products/fitbark?variant=26511036806) This way, your keeping track not only of your own goals but with the data from your dog’s activity tracker you have an ongoing chart that you can give to your vet on it’s next appointment. How great is that?

Make this month the time to set up your annual physical and other health screenings. Go to the appointments and then, hopefully, you can stop worrying about ailments for a while. 

Take a Course: Improve your mind, research keeps telling us that to keep ourselves mentally sharp as well as keeping our bodies fit, we should challenge our minds as well.  Most local high schools promote evening classes for adults on a multitude of subjects. Everything to learning basic CSS to basic dog grooming tips and How to protect yourself.  Take advantage of these great classes and they are also a great way to get out and meet new people and develop a new circle of friends.

The above are just a few tips on how you can shake off that getting older feeling and embrace the world around you.  Keep active, go for a run or just a walk but the more you embrace a healthier, younger you the better you will feel for years to come!