Once you hit 40, you may find that it is more easy to gain weight. Or maybe you’re at a point where you never got to lose the weight you wanted and now you feel stuck. Maybe right now you’re feeling unfit, sluggish, tired and with no energy. Your 40’s and 50’s can be some of the most demanding years of your life. Working hard while also feeling bad about yourself is tough going.
When you hit 40 and beyond you experience many hormonal changes. It’s easier to gain weight around the middle. Your metabolism slows because your lean muscle mass decreases. You may experience hight stress and low mood. Does this sound familiar?
Here’s your game plan to fitting great in your clothes, having tons of energy and feeling good about yourself again.
- Do the right type of exercise. Your workout regime should consist of strength training, interval training and core work. I do 30 minutes with my clients, 3-5 times per week. This type of training gives you the best results in the shortest space of time. A high metabolism, lean muscle mass, strong muscles and bones, tons of energy and leaves you feeling really good. Read more about why you should be lifting weights
- Start the morning right! A great breakfast, packed with protein will leave you feeling full, satisfied and when you’re lifting wights, you need to get the protein in to you to help with the lean muscle building. I love to have a nice break from carbohydrates and have a protein only breakfast to start my day post-workout.
- Â Fill up on veggies and salad when you’re eating dinner. Do you have a big appetite? Not a problem. Load yourself up with the healthy extras! Salad, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, heap your plate high and it’ll help you stop reaching for more potatoes.
- Â Get out in the fresh air. You need to stay on the top of your game when you’re managing so many things in your life. Having ‘workout time’ and ‘walk time’ is so important.
- Focus on consistency not perfection. Move every week. Sometimes you’ll move loads, other times a bit less, that’s OK!
- If you’re skipping meals, you think you’re doing great. ‘WOW I haven’t eaten all day’. But then what happens? You overeat, maybe not that day, but it’s coming down the tracks! Eat regularly. Three meals and two small snacks is best.
- Give up the weighing scales and try on your skinny jeans. The weighing scales are painfully frustrating when you have hormonal fluctuations, water retention and when you’re lifting weights. Pick your ideal dress size and stick with it.
Remember you’re not what you weigh! Life won’t be perfect when you’re 7lbs lighter. Focus on loving yourself now and focus on being healthy.
My second biggest tip is to do 30 minutes of the right type of exercise, 3-5 times per week week (depending on how much movement you’re already getting)
It will transform you, inside and out! (and it can be done from your own home!)
To your success,
Jessica Cooke
