Heart-Healthy Tips for Men Over 50

By Ted Sherman,

At 25, as a second baseman and Navy athletic instructor, I weighed 145 pounds; by age 50, I'd ballooned up to 195 pounds. Not bad on a six-foot-three frame, but I'm five-eight. My family doctor told me I was headed for some big-time cardiovascular and other medical problems. After screenings, the doctor launched me on a heart-healthy diet and exercise regimen. Here are some key things I did to get heart-healthy:

No Smoking
Although I was never a smoker, quitting smoking can be one of the biggest things a man over 50 can do for his heart health and overall health.

Heart-Healthy Exercise Schedule It had been almost 20 years since I'd done any regular physical exercise. My daily life was mostly eight hours sitting in an office and four of TV, with even less activity on weekends. My doctor told me to get into the routines gradually, not to overdo any exercise to the point of exhaustion or uncomfortably rapid heartbeat.

I started with a daily 30-minute early morning hike. At first, it was more of a stroll. After several weeks, I quickened my stride. Later, I jogged 20 and walked 20 paces. Additionally, I recaptured some early swimming skills at health club four nights a week. At first, all I could do were four 50-yard laps. Then, after several months, I was completing eight and gradually extended to 20 laps. I joined the health club's aerobic exercise class on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. To supplement my walk, jog and swim routines, I did push ups, flexing and stretching exercises.

Heart-Healthy Diet Plan In addition to regular exercise, I had to drastically change my eating habits if I wanted to knock off the extra 50 pounds that were endangering my heart. First, my doctor had me list an honest account of a typical day's food intake.

It should have been no surprise, but the estimate was 3,000 calories. The normal amount for my age and height to maintain weight is 2,000. To lose, I had to cut back to 1,500 daily. As with the exercise, I eased into my diet gradually.

The diet part was easy to understand, because he gave me precise lists of what to eat and how much. I cut out salt, red meat, high fat foods and concentrated on grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Say Goodbye to Junk Foods and Alcohol First to go were junk foods, desserts, cake, bread, butter and fatty meats. My new diet consisted of seafood, poultry, lean meat, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and other fiber foods. Instead of sugar-loaded sodas, I drank fruit juices and lots of water. The toughest change in my routine was to cut out all beer and other alcoholic drinks until my weight was normal again. Additionally, instead of three heavy meals a day of 1,000 calories each, my doctor changed it to four light meals of no more than 400 calories each. In that way, I was less likely to feel the need for snacking.

Check Progress Regularly With Your Doctor Along with the exercise and diet, I was monitored every two weeks at my doctor's office. I had my blood pressure checked, was weighed and heartbeat measured. Within a month, I was pleasantly surprised to learn I had lost ten pounds. At that rate, I thought I'd take off the other 40 in four more months. However, because of occasional cheating on the diet, it took me a year to get from 195 to 145.

That was more than 15 years ago. I still weigh in at 145 pounds, and with regular diet and exercise, feel better than I have for many years. 

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