Fifty for 50!

Written By Aaron Levine

Today is my 50th birthday, and I’m celebrating it with friends on a golf trip at Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.  For this milestone, I’ve come up with a list of my 50 fitness favorites at 50.  The list reflects my fitness today and the various fitness methods, mantras, apparel, tech, and more that I incorporate in my life.  Here’s the list.  The first 49 are in no particular order, but I saved #1 for the end.  Feel free to send me an email or message my social media to let me know your favorites that I might be missing or to tell me which ones of mine you like, don’t like, or want to hear more about:

Workouts (9)

Working out has been the foundation for all the changes I made over the past 10 years.  When I started, I had two personal training sessions a week and my main form of cardio simply came from going for walks.  Today, I incorporate at least five or six of these workouts every week and usually do all of them at least a few times a month . . .

  • Boxing

  • Golf

  • Hydrow

  • Jumping Rope

  • Peloton

  • Rock climbing

  • Running

  • Strength Training

  • Swimming

A few of my many favorite workouts

Tech (5)

Over the past 10 years, fitness technology has skyrocketed.  It’s hard to believe that even the Apple Watch wasn’t a thing when I started my journey.  Now, there are so many tech options than can be part of a fitness lifestyles.  These are the ones I love to use regularly . . .

Recovery (8)

As I wrote about several weeks ago, in order to workout hard, I need to recover hard.  Incorporating the various methods and tools below into my routine keeps me feeling fresh nearly every day . . .

Hydration (2)

This is often overlooked but is important in so many ways.  The benefits of hydration are far reaching, and they include both mental and physical aspects.  Staying hydrated is key to performance, and electrolytes not only support hydration, but also support muscle, heart, and nerve health . . .

Eating Habits(2)

I have yet to write about my eating lifestyle, but I promise it is coming soon.  There’s no doubt that healthy eating affects so many aspects of life and fitness. Here is a preview of where my eating habits are today . . .

  • Intermittent fasting - My method is 18/6, and my eating hours are between 2 PM and 8 PM daily.

  • Low-carb/High Protein + Vegetables

Apparel/Retail (6)

As I mentioned before, being able to abandon big and tall stores for lululemon was one of my proudest achievments along this journey.  But I’ve discovered much more that about fitness apparel since then. These are the brands that make up most of my wardrobe for activity and leisure . . .

  • Arcteryx (favorite for the outdoors)

  • Alo (favorite for comfort and leisure)

  • Fabletics (favorite for value in performance and leisure)

  • lululemon (favorite for performance and leisure)

  • REI (favorite for outdoors gear)

  • Vuori (favorite for performance and comfort)

Shoes (4)

Mars Blackmon told Michael Jordan, “It’s gotta be the shoes!”  Well, maybe not entirely, but they do help make fitness happy . . .

  • Brooks (favorite for running)

  • Nike (favorite for cross training and golf)

  • On (favorite for lifestyle)

  • Scarpa (favorite for climbing - my first climbing shoe)

Portable Fitness for Travel (2)

Work travel is a constant part of my life, and not every destination offers the same opportunities for working out.  So I often bring a workout or two with me both because they give me the ability to get something in when options are limited and because, even when options are available, they can are quick workouts that fit into my work/travel schedule . . .

  • Jump rope

  • Resistance bands

My New York Fitness Happy Places (7)

My workouts and recovery bring me to many places that provide happiness from the setting alone.  These are the ones where I am happiest these days . . .

Mantras (4)

I have found that having fitness mantras, makes creating habits easier.  They give me focus, strength, and perspective.  Here are just a few of the ones I tell myself every day . . .

#1:  The Journey

If I could sum up all other 49 fitness favorites, this is how I would do it.  They are each part of my journey over the past 10 years and are the foundation for where I am today.  As I enter a new decade, the list surely will change.  It already does by the month, or even by the week.  New tech is always one of the most exciting parts, but the journey is what it’s all about.

Some of my favorite moments and places over my journey since 40. Looking forward to the next decade!

Aaron

Aaron Levine
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