Fifty isn’t old … If you’re a tree!

There are numerous advantages in being 50 — just ask any 80-year-old.

Where can women over the age of 50 find young, sexy men who are interested in them? Try a bookstore under “Fiction.”

In less than three months, I will be celebrating the big 5-0. In honor of the event, I have decided to spend my 50th year embarking on fitness challenges I have never attempted. As of today, I have not compiled said list but promise to keep my readers informed. In order to get ready to test these uncharted waters, I know that I will need to get myself in the best shape possible.

Recently my daughter Nikki was bragging to one of her friends that her mom “used” to be a competitive bodybuilder. In order to convince this friend that she was not telling a whopper, she found and scanned a picture of me at age 25 or so competing in a contest in Charlotte. I took the original and have it hanging on the bulletin board at my desk as a constant reminder of how far I have fallen. Using it as motivation, I have set a goal to try to look half as good at 50 as I did at 25. To that end, I have embarked on two-a-day workouts.

Working out twice a day, which is not uncommon for serious athletes, can also be of benefit to those of us just wanting to get or keep in shape. For example, tri-athletes who compete in a contest that involves biking, swimming and running often utilize what are termed “brick workouts.” These workouts combine two or more of the aspects of their event — a run followed by a bike ride — in order to simulate the event. For the rest of us mere mortals who are not training for anything in particular, working out two times per day can be the jumpstart we need to get fit fast.

Let’s look at some benefits of working out two-a-day style:

— Extra calorie burn: It makes sense that working out twice in one day will double the calorie burn. Just make sure to space out your workouts to provide for some recovery time. Early morning is best followed by a late afternoon or evening workout.

— Helps with time constraints: With our busy lifestyles, it is often hard to carve out an hour for fitness. By splitting your workout into two 30-minute chunks, you will likely get more accomplished.

— Adds variety: By utilizing two a days, you can split your routine into two different styles of workouts. For example, the early morning workout could consist of some good cardio followed by an evening workout of strength training, yoga or stretching.

— Double the good mood: People who exercise twice a day report being happier and less stressed than those of us working out once or not at all. Those happy hormones that flow after the morning workout can carry on through the day until workout No. 2 fires them up all over again.

My two-a-day routine of choice happens to be the P90X video program. My workouts consist of a morning cardio followed by an evening strength workout every other day. On the days in between, I do one hardcore cardo workout or yoga, depending on the day. So far, one week and one day into it I can already notice changes in my energy level, body weight and mood. Before embarking on double workouts, make sure you have a baseline of fitness to start. If you are not working out currently, start out by single 30- to 40-minute workouts before you try and tackle a double. As always, check with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to exercise.

Kathy Hansen has more than 20 years of experience in the health and fitness field and almost 50 years of experience in everything else. She can be reached via e-mail at hansen02@southeasternhealth.org.