6. A Healthy lifestyle diet for midlifers

As someone over 60, I want to create a midlife-style diet that can give me the best chance of living the longest possible active life. This mainly means eating the right foods and doing the right activities that can reduce the risk of getting the illnesses that stop you from being active or the preventable diseases that can cause early death – heart disease, cancer, hypertension, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, sciatica, memory decline, declining muscle mass, prostate issues, and fatigue.

I created this from numerous articles by nutritionists, medical doctors and wellbeing experts through 2023.

To live a healthy active midlife your diet needs to be rich in fibre, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and good fats. Whilst your lifestyle needs to be full of general mobility, some exercise, friends and family and doing things you enjoy.

The main thing at this age is to be able to enjoy life (which in its own right can add years to longevity) so this is a basis from which you should occasionally ‘break the rules’.

Healthy lifestyle diet

Small frequent snacking and smaller meals are best for maintaining energy. Buy organic whenever you can afford it (the products are generally far, far healthier).

Breakfast

Greek yoghurt / porridge

Seeds and unsalted nuts/almonds/walnuts/pumpkins/flaxseed/chai seeds/cashews/brazil nuts/sunflower seeds/pine nuts etc.

Berries – blueberry, strawberry etc.

Organic eggs

Granary bread

Eat 3 fruit a day

Apple, orange (5g of fibre), watermelon, peach etc.

During sport/snacking

Banana

Healthy energy bar

Nut butter (almond, cashew etc.)

Hummus

Dark chocolate

Tahini

Local honey

Bicarbonate of soda

Ryvita

A third of a pint of milk during the day

Fibre - Oats, barley, rye, shitake mushrooms, oatcake

Dinner

Follow a Mediterranean diet generally.

Extra virgin olive oil

Mixed spices

Plant-based diet as much as possible.

Meat x 2 a week – grilled steak, chicken breast

Fish x 2 a week – sardines, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, tuna, herring

Brown rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat

Eat 3 veg a day

Spinach, cauliflower, sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, green vegetables, broccoli, pak choi, red peppers, courgettes, green beans, onions

Legumes

Beans, lentils, peas, cannellini, chickpeas, butter beans etc

Drink

Green tea

Black tea

Matcha tea

1 cup of coffee

Red wine – in moderation

(Have 3-4 nights off per week as will affect sleep)

Move naturally.

Walk or cycle whenever you can / not car.

Do physical chores, gardening etc

Exercise

Do 4 x 30 min exercise a week. (run, speed walk, gym, swim, cycle etc.)

Stretching, yoga or Pilates - daily

Some weight-bearing exercise (to keep up muscle mass)

Take supplements.

Vit D – in winter

Vit B12 – morning for energy

Magnesium – last thing at night

A probiotic – every 4 days

Make time to do things you enjoy every day

With family and friends

Eat with someone.

Read books / watch films – listen to music – take in culture.

Get outside / walk a dog.

Help others in some way (from volunteering to helping across the road)

Sleep

Get as much sleep as you need.

Find out how much 7.5hrs / 8hrs etc - and then set your alarm for that length of time, whatever time you go to bed.

No!

Fizzy drinks

Butter (use olive oil)

Ultra-processed food

Packaged sweets (homemade cake instead)

Smoking or vaping