Book Review: Food and Fitness after 50 by Christine Rosenbloom and Bob Murray (Eat Right Press 2018)
Our bodies change as we age. That is undeniable. But what is equally true is, at any age, our bodies respond to good nutrition and the right kinds of exercise. “Food and Fitness after 50” by Christine Rosenbloom and Bob Murray (Eat Right Press, 2018), will motivate you to adopt this slogan, “It’s never too late to eat right and exercise the smart way.”
Chris and Bob are healthy aging experts with impressive careers as researchers, teachers, and consultants. In Food and Fitness after 50, they aim to arm the reader with practical, science-based advice on how to manage food choices and fitness strategies during our “second 50 years.” With a well-organized format and a clear, conversational tone, Chris and Bob deliver a highly readable guide to nutrition and fitness for older adults, with a solid base in current scientific evidence.
Divided into three sections, “Eat Well,” “Move Well,” and “Be Well,” the book describes practical approaches to adjusting our diets, our physical activity levels, and our lifestyles to promote healthy aging. Each section provides a solid foundation on how our bodies change as we age, and how our diet, exercise, hydration, sleep, and other key parts of life benefit from adjustment.
I like a lot about this book. One of my favorite aspects is the emphasis on the value of current scientific research in the areas of nutrition, exercise, and aging. Science offers plenty to guide us, and Chris and Bob present the applicable science in a clear, accessible way. They also caution us against fad diets and other quick fixes, mainly because no scientific evidence backs up the hype. Each chapter includes a section about “Confronting Myths” that commonly come up in discussions of diet, exercise, and aging.
In each chapter, Chris and Bob also share their approaches to the nutrition and fitness topics covered, adding an important element of their humanity. Both authors describe serious medical conditions they have faced (joint replacement, heart surgery, cancer) and how physical activity and healthy eating were important factors in their recoveries.
As the book argues persuasively, the evidence is overwhelming that diet and regular physical activity deliver many health benefits as we age. Like reducing risks of cardiovascular disease, many cancers, diabetes, other chronic diseases. Like improving brain function, mood, sleep, and well-being. At the same time, change can be hard.
Recognizing this, the authors advise on starting with small changes, finding a few things to focus on to be healthier and more fit. “It doesn’t take much to get on the path to better health.” Food and Fitness after 50, “offers strategies, tips, and ideas to help you on your journey.”
For those ready to enjoy the challenges and rich rewards of the journey to healthy aging, Food and Fitness after 50 is a wonderful guide.
To purchase Food and Fitness after 50 from Amazon, click here.
Interested in more? Check out Chris Rosenbloom’s article Food and Fitness after 50: The Benefits of Tai Chi
Chris Cinnamon, JD, MS
Head Instructor
ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist
chris@chicagotaichi.org
