Getting older can be a pain in the ass. Your muscles mass decreases, your metabolism decreases. You can find it harder to lose weight. Fat accumulates around your middle. Your bones can get weaker. Your motivation can decrease. You can settle into a routine that’s not very healthy. Wine culture for women over 40 can go from being enjoyable to a problem.
Yes there are many things we face as we get older, but everything I listed above can be reversed. It’s never too late to get into shape, it’s never too late to feel good in your clothes and yes you can regain your fitness and get your confidence back, no matter what your age.
If you decide that what’s you want, if you’re committed to getting your health in order, here’s what’ll happen with a few key action steps.
Your metabolism will increase, you’ll lose weight, you’ll get stronger bones, increased lean muscle mass. Your stress will reduce, you’ll feel great, you’ll fit terrific in your clothes. Your waistline will get trimmer, and you’ll feel back to how you once felt! Free, in control and happy in your skin.
Here’s the checklist you need to feel fit, healthy and happy right throughout middle age and beyond.
The right type of exercise:Â
Resistance training. Using your own body weight or a set of dumbbells, resistance training is the exact type of exercise that will build lean muscle. Lean muscle burns fat, and gets your metabolism high. Lean muscle will leave you feeling great in your clothes and make everything feel tighter and firmer. Find some of my workouts here
Interval training. Up the ante now that you’re a little older and for your cardio, do interval training. That’s periods of work alternated with periods of rest. Helen Mirren swears by it and we’ve being doing it at Inspire Fitness for 12 years now, getting terrific results for our clients. Short bursts of exercises like running, skipping, the step, jumping jacks…anything that will get your heart rate up. Find some of my workouts here
The right type of food:
Food becomes more important as we get older, helping us stay healthy and well. It’s important you get enough protein, carbohydrates, vegetables and good fats into your body, and hopefully at this stage, the days of dieting are over. You need good healthy nutritious food to function well, physically and mentally. You can download FREE recipe books on our free tools section here
Keep the treats for the weekend
Wine and processed sugar are best kept to a minimum, and at weekends. If you start to let wine o’clock creep into the week, it can be a slippery slope. If you fancy a few drinks, it’s best to stick to the 80/20 rule and let your hair down at the weekend and stay healthy and focused during the week.
Water:
Drinking enough water is so important for our mental health. Even a small bit of dehydration can actually lead to feeling low and lethargic. Drink at least two litres, and carry a bottle everywhere you go.
Walking:
Walking is terrific and it really compliments the resistance training and interval training. Not only is it really relaxing, it’s great for stretching out the muscles after a tough session. Walking is terrific in helping prevent injury and loosing out all the muscles. Getting fresh air every day is great for your mental health.
Journaling
Journaling is a really great way to get your thoughts and feelings down on paper, and out of your head. It helps you see the bigger picture and gets you out of your head, and reflecting on things that you may normally brush away. It’s too easy to spend all our time on auto-pilot. This stops the auto-pilot and you only need to do ten minutes a day. This is what I use: Jessica’s journaling
I hope this article helps you, comment below if you’ve any questions or just want to say hi!
Jessica Cooke X
