Have you noticed that you seem to have more pain in places like your back - knees and ankles as you age -- especially after forty. These nagging pains can hinder your ability to live an active life style and enjoy sports.

In this two-part article I will reveal some of my experiences overcoming frustrating knee, ankle, back and joint pain caused from osteoarthritis. I reveal my success with solutions like weight loss and dietary supplements.

Dietary supplements with promising results were supplements like Glucosamine Sulfate, Biocell Collagen ll, and a product called Phosoplex.

Most men are considered weekend warriors after 40, and can be prone to sports injuries when trying to compete even for fun. A few years ago I injured both my knees trying to play basketball with some teenagers.

I sustained these injuries after training for 3 months in split training which consisted of lifting weights and running over three miles 5 times a week.

My aerobic activity included running three miles a day or playing 1 hour of basketball in the morning (after ¾ miles walking to the track each way). Then I would do 45 minutes of weight training in the afternoon.

This rigorous training for three months did pay off big time, in that I lost a lot of weight, and was in the best shape of my life. In matter of fact, the teenagers became frustrated because I obviously had better strength and conditioning.

It seemed obvious to many of them a man more than twice their age had superior endurance and sports skills from experience. I was old enough to be their father.

This training and conditioning did come with a price at my age, because it was evident that my joints were just not the same as in my younger years. My joints and muscles were ache after hard fought basketball games.

Are their ways to avoid stiff and painful joints? This article is a reflection of one man's journey in trying to alleviate joint and back pain.

In search of the more healthy and active lifestyle it is important to minimize pain.

If you are experiencing stiffness and pain in your joints like your knees, elbows, and back perhaps you may have Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition caused by the worn cartilage. Cartilage is the tissue between your joints that cushion their movements.

As you age the connective and cushion like material between your

The pain can be very debilitating and frustrating if you want to live an active lifestyle.

However, these are some of the actions I took to overcome Osteoarthritis.

- Slowly Lose Weight

I woke up one day after dealing with a very stressful period in my life and I was 196 pounds. This was the heaviest I had ever been, and I knew something had to be done quickly. At only 5'10" a healthy weight for me, at my age, would be about 170 - 175 pounds (most of my life as a young adult I was about 150 pounds).

Therefore I started walking briskly until I could run. Slowly but surely I am now able to run 2 or 3 miles in about 20 minutes.

I cut down on eating after 7:00 PM. Furthermore I stopped ordering so much food at take-out restaurants.

The most important factor in getting fit is to have realistic goals. After checking with your doctor, to make sure you are fit enough to exercise.

I would have goals to slowly but surely increase my speed and cardio training. Once I became more fit I decided that I was not going to let anyone pass me on the track.

Later I decided I was going to pass other people two or three times on the track. I really pushed myself.

Now I plan to compete in 5K races and complete the NYC marathon in 2006. You don't have to set these types of goals, but set some goals so you can keep yourself motivated.

Don't forget to rest and not "over-train". Only workout 3 - 5 days a week. Give your body a chance to rest and heal, especially after forty.

Losing weight may help you alleviate your Osteoarthritis pain, because it can be worst in over weight adults. This is because the extra pressure of your weight puts more strain and wear and tear on your joints.

In Part 2 of this article we will discuss wearing the proper sports equipment and using supplements like Glucosamine Sulfate, Biocell Collagen ll, and Phosoplex found at Amazon.com" target=new>Amazon.com and www.bodestore.com" target=new>www.bodestore.com can help you lead a more active lifestyle.

About The Author

Kamau Austin is a health and fitness enthusiast and advocate. He is also the publisher of www.HealthandFitnessVitality.com" target=new>http://www.HealthandFitnessVitality.com.