FABULOUS AT 40, FIT AT 50 AND SEXY AT 60 - AGE DOES NOT DEFINE YOUR HEALTH

It’s quite natural to feel a twinge of jealously when you see celebrities like Cher and Jennifer Lopez looking gorgeous and glamourous at red carpet events.

After all, Cher is 76 and J-Lo 53 – how do they look so good when many of us at the same age are either struggling with the horrors of menopause or ailments we put down to our increasing age?

The secret is it’s much more than the way they look. It’s their confidence, vibrance and calm sense of knowing about good health that gives them that extra glow.

And the great news is you can do the same – you can absolutely be healthy at any age – and, like Cher and J-Lo, enjoy the glow and confidence which comes with it.

Accepting sore joints, an aching back, fatigue and extra kilos as inevitable in your forties, fifties and sixties is the first mistake.

Some ailments are common but they’re not normal. We place limitations on ourselves because of our age – which, after all, is just a number - missing a lot of opportunities in life.

Sure, there are plenty of physical changes that start to develop in those middle years but they can be minimised with extra diligence.

I’m proud to say that I haven’t gained any weight since I first began working in the health and fitness industry 30 years ago.

I don’t spend countless hours in the gym, or starve and deprive myself. But I do make sure I exercise, do strength conditioning and have a healthy diet.

Should you walk an average of 8000 steps a day? Yes, at any age. Should you do strength training three times a week? Yes, for bone density and muscle tissue – and it can be as simple as doing a body weight workout at home, going to the gym or playing a game of tennis. The trick to exercise is being consistent – you’re not training for a marathon, just keeping your body healthy!

You also need to be diligent about including a good source of protein with every meal, more in fact than what you ate when you were younger. Protein helps repair cells in our body which in turn facilitates muscle repair and improves our skin. (That helps give you that enviable celebrity glow!)

I’m not saying these years aren’t without challenges such as arthritis, menopause, high cholesterol, and blood pressure that often start to emerge in the 40s and continue through the ensuing decades.

But the answer is to not blame age for everything. Maybe you’re drinking too much alcohol, not being as active as you should be and choosing to let your diet slide. You need to be honest with yourself.

Take some of that hard earned wisdom that we love about getting older and use it maintain your best, vibrant self. You can do it!