Outsmart your body: no matter your age, these eight tactics will slow down the the worst intentions of Old Man Time

Men's Fitness, Sept, 2003 by Myatt Murphy

"If you want to be in amazing health at age 50, you want to maintain a number lower than 0.8 to 0.85," says Peeke.

If you're already above that number, start adding a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise five days a week. Also increase how often you eat. "Eating six or seven smaller meals during the day instead of three or four larger ones can prevent your body from releasing large amounts of insulin," says Bell. "Excessive insulin not only forces your body to store more fat, it blocks the flow of growth hormone being released throughout your bloodstream."

To prevent additional pounds from piling on, make sure that those smaller meals contain lots of foods that score low on the glycemic index, such as vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and other low-sugar foods, all as close to the source as possible.

5 WATCH WHAT YOU EAT BEFORE AND AFTER WORKOUTS TO FLOOD YOUR BODY WITH MALE HORMONES

A few hours before you work out, try eating a tuna-on-whole-wheat sandwich, a chicken salad, or some other type of protein-carbohydrate mix (absolutely no mayo!). Research has shown that eating a protein-and-carbohydrate-rich meal two hours prior to exercise, and another protein-carb meal within 60 to 90 minutes afterward, can cause a significant spike in both growth hormone and testosterone.

What you may not know is that your estrogen-to-testosterone ratio begins leaning toward the female side as you age, which can lead to subtle fat deposition. Ever wonder why Granddad had boobs?

"Adding a few low-glycemic cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower or radishes can enhance [the efficacy of HGH and testosterone]," says Bell, "by minimizing the effects of estrogen floating around in your system." Keeping your estrogen levels in check can also serve to protect you against a handful of other age-related illnesses, including prostate problems.

If you're looking to push up declining hormone levels even further, try taking the amino acid glycine as a supplement (500 milligrams a day, preferably on an empty stomach) right before your workout, which should trigger a small release of growth hormone.

6 CONFUSE YOUR METABOLISM TO ENSURE A LEAN-AND-MEAN LOOK

Once you hit 25, your metabolism begins to slow down at a rate of 4% every 10 years, and all that extra middle-age weight you stand to gain comes with a lot more negatives than mere vanity-based concerns (which too are valid as far as we're concerned). "You can also see an increase in intra-abdominal fat, which may lead to insulin resistance, elevated levels of fat in the bloodstream, and hypertension," says Bell. "It is a vicious cycle, as the more fat you deposit in proportion to your body, the further your metabolism drops, which just exacerbates the problem."

Sticking with the same fitness regimen that served you so well in high school won't improve your odds, either. The National Runners' Health Study, which examined more than 4,700 male runners between the ages of 18 and 49, found that men whose running distances remain fixed from youth through middle age gained weight and possibly increased their percentage of intra-abdominal fat. The researchers recommended that men need to increase their distances every year by 1.4 miles per week between the ages of 20 and 50 if they hope to maintain their youthful weight.