Why staying strong matters more than getting ripped after 50
Decades ago, I came across an article in a fitness magazine that featured the weight-training workout actress Linda Hamilton used to get in shape for her role in The Terminator. At the time, Hamilton’s ripped physique got just as much attention as her co-star, Arnold Schwarzenegger. And I — like many women — wanted those biceps. It was a workout I stuck to religiously for a time, though I can’t say I was fit enough to fight a cyborg assassin.
Though I still wouldn’t mind those biceps, it’s less about being ripped and more about staying strong as I get older. Something changes when you hit 50. Maybe you have a health scare. Maybe you find out a friend or colleague — someone who’s your age — has passed away. Diet and exercise are no longer simply a pursuit of those washboard abs; they become tools to help us with health, vitality and longevity.
Balancing it all: family, work, and the new meaning of wellness
Becoming more aware of our mortality isn’t the only change. As the sandwich generation, Gen Xers might be raising kids or supporting them through college. I left home at 17; nowadays, a lot of twenty somethings still sleep in their childhood bedroom, thanks to higher rent and a higher cost of living. At the same time, many Gen Xers are also taking care of aging parents — maybe your own, maybe a partner’s parents, maybe both.
This is happening at a time when many Gen Xers are facing ageism in the workforce, worrying about being replaced by AI and struggling to save for retirement. So it’s no wonder health and wellness take on new meaning; it’s a way to keep us centered amid the chaos (if only we could find time for it). But, as Gen Xers, we’re pragmatic and often skeptical; we don’t like rigid, prescriptive regimens for, well, most things.
In our three-part series, we explore some of the ways Gen X is redefining health and wellbeing through curiosity, culture, creativity, lifestyle and science.
Follow the full series to discover how adults 50 and older are turning movement, mindfulness, and modern science into the new pillars of wellness.
More Reviews about Wellness
Benefits of protein. How to ensure you get enough in your diet.
Discover how adults 50+ are redefining calm through creativity, mindfulness, and balance.
Discover how adults 50+ are using data, recovery, and rest to redefine wellness and longevity.
The surprising science of calm after 50 and the small habits that help you live well.