How To Be a “Superager,” And Maintain the Brain of a 25 Year Old

I’m a late in life mom – and want to stick around to dance at my son’s wedding.

I want to be what’s called a “Superager.”

A “Superager” is defined as someone who is over 65 – yet has a brain with “cognitive skills” shown to be as good as 25-year-olds.

With this in mind, I’ve been researching everything I can to live longer and younger.

I even wrote a longevity book with all my secrets – called LIFE IS LONG – which was a bestseller.

I’m gonna sneak you two helpful “Superager Tips” now!

Superager Tip 1

Lisa Feldman Barrett, Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University in Boston, reports that “Superagers” share something interesting in common.

They keep moving forward – when things get tough.

They’re both mentally tough and/or physically tough.

Basically, “Superagers” use “unpleasant feelings” as a “signal to keep going, rather than as a warning to stop and rest.” 

• During tough emotional times – Superagers keep going, going, going – staying hopeful, motivated, productive.
• During tough work outs – Superagers push through the physical pain – to maintain their physical endurance and strength.

This brings me to …

Superager Tip 2

Recently there was a research study which reported that the better your muscular strength, the better your brain health.

“When taking multiple factors into account – such as age, gender, bodyweight and education –  our study confirms that people who are stronger do indeed tend to have better functioning brains,” said the researcher Dr Joseph Firth, who’s from NICM Health Research Institute.

“We can see there is a clear connection between muscular strength and brain health,” Dr. Firth reports.

In other words, if you want to keep your mind and body in tip top shape, it’s not enough to do aerobic exercise, you should weight train too.

I’m not surprised that muscle strength improves the brain. It makes sense, for BOTH logical physical reasons and psychological reasons.

The logical physical reasons muscle strength improves brain power…

• Weight training lowers insulin resistance, lowers inflammation, and directly stimulates the flow of blood throughout the body which also helps the brain.

• Weight training raises your heart rate, which helps to build new blood vessels and mitochondria – plus burns fat – all terrific for both brain and body. 

• Basically, the brain and body are in constant communication – so it makes sense that a stronger body would lead to a stronger brain.

The psychological reasons muscle strength improves brain power…

• Weight training helps to lower anxiety/stress and improve sleep. Many people with memory or thinking challenges are folks who don’t get enough sleep or are suffering from an overload of stress. So it makes sense that weight training would help the brain.
• It makes sense that feeling strong physically might have a ripple affect to help someone feel more strong emotionally and mentally. When you’re active and out there and lifting heavy weights you feel like you’re more in charge of your life – you feel tough and strong. This physical toughness creates a sense of mental toughness – and this confidence can create a self fulfilling prophecy of actually being more mentally tough. 

Your Superager Assignment:

If you want to be a Superager, be sure to work out regularly – not only aerobically – but also include strength building. 

I work out in the morning in my home – while my son is sleeping – using these awesome adjustable free weights.

And I bought this sturdy stowable work out bench as well.

If you’re going through an emotional challenge right now, recognize that each step you take forward, not only helps you to get through your tough time.  Each step forward also adds more time to your life!

Take a moment to bask in your inner power – and how it’s further super powering your life force!

Plus – if you don’t want to put in the effort of lifting weights, here’s an extra motivational tool. Simply remind yourself that if you want to be a  “Superager” then it helps if you face “unpleasant feelings” head on – and keep moving forward.

Every time you move through unpleasant feelings, you send positive signals throughout your body which say: “I’m strong. I’m tough. I’m willing to keep going, rather than stop and rest!”

These positive signals will further enhance your ability to live longer, healthier, younger. 

Live longer and younger

Grab my fun-to-read longevity book Life Is Long. 

Inside Life Is Long you’ll learn a wide range of science based tools to slow down the aging process and protect against age related diseases and dementia!!