Aging causes some to feel unbalanced. With only 24 hours in a day, it can be difficult to choose how to spend them to get the most out of life and the most out of our bodies.

But aging doesn’t have to mean a decrease in vitality, says lifestyle coach, writer, and social worker Elisabeth Akinwale.

“Healthy aging means living life the way you want to live it, without limitations based on your age,” she says. “With adjustments, intentionality, and care, we can continue to do the things we have always enjoyed throughout our life.”

A certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, Akinwale has developed her approach from more than just a lifetime of athleticism. She’s a competitive gymnast, a five-time CrossFit Games competitor, and an Olympic-style weightlifter. She has a master’s degree from the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work as a McCormick Tribune Fellow in Urban and Community Leadership. She shares her healthy lifestyle philosophies through her “On Balance” seminars and her training facility on Chicago’s South Side, 13th Flow.

“Try to identify activities you can really enjoy,” she says. “I’m a huge proponent of learning skills as a form of physical activity. Whether it’s Olympic weightlifting, rock climbing, or jujitsu, these types of skill-based endeavors are an excellent motivating way to continue staying active, as well as to stimulate your brain as you develop a new skill.”

At 13th Flow, Akinwale emphasizes maintaining a strong foundation where she can work on building and rebuilding.

Although some fitness trends focus on tearing the body down through explosive, heavy lifting, while still recognizing the value of high-intensity workouts, Akinwale’s approach centers on slow and controlled movements that reinforce the joints and reduce incidence of injury.

“I do a lot of what I call joint maintenance – movements that specifically support joint stability, range of motion, and function,” she says. “I began in structured athletics at a very young age, so it has just become an integral part of my life, of feeling good, and of thriving.”

Recognizing that training and healthy aging is mental as well as physical, Elisabeth developed the 13th Flow Performance System with a fluid approach to individual needs, to instill intrinsic motivation and belief in one’s abilities.

“You don’t need to define yourself by the expectations or stereotypes assigned to your age,” Akinwale counsels. “While you can’t control every aspect of your health and wellbeing, you do absolutely have the power to positively impact many aspects of it.”

To Elisabeth, healthy aging isn’t about aesthetics, but about consistency and commitment to progress, to perform your best.

“If we surrender to declining based on our age, then that decline begins to snowball,” she says. “For example, if you have arthritis in your knees and you stop moving, then the decrease in activity will negatively impact your other joints and the overall function of your body. We can’t just compartmentalize – we are integrated beings and we need to take care of ourselves with that in mind.”

To have the most impact in her own life, she starts her days early – “A short meditation or a quick bite to eat and straight to open my gym” – while also making sure to have time for her family and herself. “In the evenings, I cook and have dinner with my son. Before bed, I write in my gratitude journal,” she says.

Her secret to nutrition? “Simplicity! Simple combinations of foods can be nourishing and satisfying. Every meal does not need to be a complex recipe with specialty ingredients,” she says. “Keep it simple, keep a schedule, and plan in advance.”

As Elisabeth has gotten older, she says supplementing her health has become increasingly important.

“I generally like to focus on setting a strong foundation,” she says. “Because I’m in my 40s, I was immediately drawn to Thorne’s Healthy Aging Bundle,” which includes ResveraCel and CoQ10. She also takes the Multi-Vitamin Elite formulas to support morning energy production and nighttime recovery.

Healthy aging, like fitness, is a lifelong learning process.

“I have really benefited from the resources and information available at Thorne.com, and the Healthy Aging Bundle is helpful in directing me to the specific products that help me feel and perform my best at this stage in my life,” she says.

Thorne is thrilled to be partnering with Elisabeth and excited to bring you more health and wellness content. Be sure to check out Elisabeth’s personal collection and follow her on Instagram @eakinwale.