8 Fitness Tips for Women in their 40s
How can a woman get in shape at 40?
Our body is considered to be the most sophisticated machine in the living world. It is indeed amazing to know how the human body works and performs specific functions. As a woman, you have already seen your body change and develop in your teens and when you were in your twenties, and when you crossed your thirties.
Forty may leave many wondering if they can call themselves young anymore. Now that you have just turned forty, you find yourself going through a cascade of changes that can be uncomfortable and leave you feeling frustrated.
After all, this is the time when you find yourself unable to see the fine print and buying your first pair of glasses. You start discussing the horrors of menopause approaching and find veins and sunspots developing on the loosening skin.
Well, there is no need to get anxious or concerned about running forty; as they say, age is just a number.
So, there’s no need to put a lot of unnecessary shame around the uncomfortable aspects of aging and getting conscious about trudging forty. All you should keep in mind is that you are a confident young woman who is a lot more mature and more well prepared for the life ahead.
What changes at 40?
By the time we turn forty, our bodies have experienced losses such as a slow down in metabolism, a decrease in bone density, and drops in hormone levels.
Different women may feel and experience different changes such as thinning hair, fogging brain, and sagging skin. Gray hair suddenly starts showing everywhere, and you start looking for the best hair colors in the markets. You also feel a desperate need for approval and have no time for any criticism.
Thus, both your body and mind undergo changes to remind you that you are in your forties now.
Although our bodies do experience some loss as we age, it is possible to negate those losses with a consistent fitness routine. Whether you are in your twenties, thirties, or forties, your body needs good fitness and nutrition routines to optimize your health.
Now that you have touched forty, you need to get more serious and cannot afford to ignore your health anymore. Having a regular fitness routine will not only keep you looking fitter and younger but help you stay relaxed and more active than ever.
Given below are some tips on how to counteract the signs of internal and external aging after forty.
• Start with your attitude
This is the first and the most important step to your complete fitness routine after forty. Experts agree that one should not let their age get between them and their attitude towards life. So, march ahead with full confidence and be proud of your age, your achievements, and your experience.
• Stay motivated
Create incentives in your life and set new goals when it comes to your health and fitness. Assign specific milestones to your fitness routine and buy a new pair of running shoes and tracksuits to stay motivated. Set realistic goals for yourself and measure your progress.
• Change your diet
Add more protein and fiber to your diet so as to stay full and stick to your weight loss goals. Foods like fish, turkey, eggs, dairy products, and certain vegetables can help you add protein, while beans, nuts, whole grains, brown rice will keep you satisfied for longer as they are fiber-rich foods.
• Join an exercise class
If you can’t maintain a regular exercise routine at home, it is highly recommended that you join a fitness class. Moreover, working out with others is a lot more fun, social, and engaging. So, look for an exercise class that suits your preferences and can keep you going. It could be yoga, Pilates, swimming, jogging, and more.
Click here to check out your local YMCA for a fun group exercise class!
• Get strength training
Strength training holds the key for women in their forties as it is essential to build and maintain our muscles as we age, as they play a major role in keeping our bones strong. So, incorporate resistance training into your fitness routine as it will help build those declining muscles.
• Introduce stretching for flexibility
Maintaining your flexibility is of utmost importance, especially after forty. This is the time when our tendons and ligaments start getting stiffer and expose us to several injuries. So, incorporate more of those stretching exercises for flexibility as they can help you perform a range of motion during your workouts and stave off injuries.
• Try fasting
If you have never fasted before, it is perhaps high time you gave it a try. you will soon realize the countless benefits of fasting and how it can revitalize your body and mind.
You can customize your fasting session and can still drink water and black coffee. Doing so is sure to maximize your energy and give your cells and muscles the time to unwind and renew.
• Get adequate rest
Take at least a day off between your workout sessions to relax and rejuvenate yourself. Go for a spa session or beauty treatment to relax your body and mind and reinvent yourself. Having a good head massage or a simple pedicure and manicure can do wonders for your spirits.
If you stay healthy in your forties and in later years, you certainly lower the risks of developing lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart ailments, and blood pressure. Following the right and regular fitness routine with a proper diet is the right remedy to engage the effect of age-related health issues.
Do not get carried away by any conflicting information about how a woman should look when she is in her forties. Thus, it is essential to differentiate between the stereotypes and myths and know that it is just important to keep fit and fine, no matter what age.
Whatever workouts you follow, just ensure that you stick to a schedule and follow a consistent exercise regimen that works for you and shows results.
Other articles to help you reach your fitness goals:
