Milestone birthdays tend to sneak up on us with increasing persistence but thankfully, while we might be getting older in years, we’re by no means getting older in spirit. There are plenty of things we can do to make sure our outward appearance matches how we feel on the inside.
Keep Active
Make time in your schedule for exercise. Regular exercise will have you looking and feeling noticeably younger. In the digital age we live in, there’s a wealth of fitness advice available but at its core it’s simple: move more, train strength and incorporate flexibility.
As with all new skills, fitness activities included, start easy and slowly increase the intensity/difficulty. Find a form of cardio you enjoy; it might be running while listening to music, swimming or undertaking a few ascents on the bike. Technique is important regarding strength sessions so making use of a personal trainer to check your form is advised.
A New, Modern Pair of Glasses
While we might be able to lose the love handles in a matter of weeks, one thing that isn’t likely to improve without the help of a surgeon is our eyesight. It’s easy to become blasé with our current set of spectacles—we can go for years without even considering replacing them, and the puzzling thing is, it’s probably the easiest way to update your look.
Spex4Less stock an exhaustive range of designer frames to suit any face shape and style. With brands like Tom Ford, Ray Ban and Hugo Boss, your look will be sharp and on-point in no time.
Eat Healthy
A suitable diet is as important a factor as training, arguably more so. There’s an adage that a six-pack is made in the kitchen which goes to say that it doesn’t matter how much effort we’re putting in at the gym, if we’re not eating right, we’re not going to see the results that we want.
There are online resources to help you calculate your macros—broadly what percentage of your diet should be made of each constituent food group and how much we should be eating to maintain weight or lose weight. But remember we’re all unique so don’t take these guides as gospel. Usually it will involve increasing our protein intake and decreasing our carbohydrates, especially simple carbs like sugars.
You’ll also get a lot more bang for your buck by cutting down on drinking. By all means, enjoy that single malt but reducing the quantities of drinks like beers and ales will drastically cut your calories and sugars consumed.
Haircare
A regular visit (no less than once every six weeks) to your barber/stylist will keep you looking tidy. The right cut can take years off you and refine your look. Rather than opting for “the usual”, have a conversation with them about what style they think might suit you. On your visit, also ask for advice on the right products to use for your type of hair.
Facial hair doesn’t get a pass either. There’s a fine line between hirsute gentleman and bedraggled drifter so keep it trimmed and neat. And don’t neglect the nostrils and ears for whiskers.
Sleep
The research showing just how important sleep is continues to pile up. Society praises us for being perpetually busy and working long hours, but the truth is we could all do with improving our sleep hygiene. That is to say a stable sleep schedule and a good routine at the end of the day. If we’re looking to maximise our progress at the gym, internalise a new skill we’re learning or simply look our best, there’s no alternative to a good night’s rest.
While there’s nothing that can be done to hinder the progress of Old Father Time, we can endeavour to look our best as he plods on. The most important thing is to feel good. If you can conquer that, the rest will fall into place.