Im a geriatrics doctor the 4 common mistakes that will make you age worse

You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone — and when it comes to aging, that old saying can hit hard enough to break a hip.As an internist with a geriatrics focus at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, I see it firsthand.My older patients often arrive dealing with debilitating conditions and diseases that might have been prevented, delayed or better managed with the right habits earlier in life.There’s no fountain of youth hiding in a sleek Pilates studio or at the bottom of a $20 smoothie.

No single superfood, exercise or supplement that can guarantee a long, healthy life.But some habits can stack the odds in your favor, while others can leave you paying the price later.These are four common mistakes I see all the time that can sabotage your chances at healthy aging.Sorry Pilates princes and princesses: The reformer can’t do it all.

Muscle is one of the body’s most valuable currencies as we age.We naturally lose muscle over time, and that decline can chip away at strength, mobility and independence.The best way to fight back is progressive resistance training, the process of repeatedly challenging muscles with enough weight or resistance to force them to adapt and get stronger.And yes, that means actually picking up some weights.Pilates certainly has plenty going for it.

It can build core and stabilizer strength, improve posture and mobility, and help people move more efficiently.But if preserving muscle and bone density is the goal, traditional resistance training should be the primary part of your routine.Progressive overload — gradually increasing the resistance overtime — provides the mechanical stimulus needed to build muscle.

Weight bearing resistance exercise also puts stress on bones, signaling the body to maintain bone tissue.Don’t pack away that reformer just yet.The goal isn’t to pick a side, but rather make sure strength training actually gets a seat at the head of the table.The body uses protein to build and repair muscle,...