It’s no secret that as we age, our body begins to slow down and things aren’t as easy to do as they once were before. Strides that we make to be healthier and more fit require more and more effort as we enter new age groups. As you reach the age group between your 40’s and 50’s, you’ll find that you’re having a harder time keeping weight off. This is natural, as your metabolism is slowing down and your body is fighting against you. For women, it’s even more difficult as menopause causes your body to slow down even more than compared to men. In this series, Fitness Through the Ages, we’ll be covering our first group, fitness for the ages of 40s-50s.
1. Challenging Your Metabolism
Keeping active is essential to combatting our body aging and slowing down quicker. However, engaging our bodies in movement and eating right may not be as easy as it sounds, as the age group of 40’s and 50’s consists largely of the working middle class. Falling into a sedentary lifestyle when you sit in front of a desk for most of the week is difficult to avoid, but with a desire to improve your lifestyle and a little discipline, you’ll find these handy tips will do the trick! If you want an even more in-depth look at how to improve your metabolism, we suggest taking a look at our blog, “Three Ways to Boost Your Metabolism,” in conjunction with this article.
2. Time Management
Finding time for fitness is difficult for those of us aged in our 40s and 50s. Life happens and sometimes we just can’t fit in as much exercise as we would like into our schedules. Whether it’s because of work, taking care of our families, or other obligations, we don’t set aside time to take care of ourselves because we are busy taking care of others. It’s crucial to allot yourself personal time daily to engage in physical activity for at least 20 minutes. Trust us, your body will thank you years later.
If you have a lunch break, go for a brisk walk. If you can go outside for your break, even better. Being out in the sun provides vitamin D which helps break down fat. Plus, the fresh air is a great way to ease your mind and reduce stress (another cause of weight gain!). It’s a win-win situation. Ideally, if you find that you are able to squeeze in high-intensity interval training (HIIT), that’s the ticket! HIIT provides more bang for your buck when it comes to exercise. It may require more effort but is effective in small time slots. Whatever you are able to do, just remember that we can’t properly take care of others if we can’t take care of ourselves.
3. Planning
Planning can be really difficult upfront, but it will have huge payoffs in the long run. When we say planning in this blog, we’re talking about meals. Always have a plan when it comes to food. Whether you’re going to the grocery store or going out with friends, you’ll want to have a game plan so you don’t have to worry about overeating. Ever go to the store hungry and buy things that your body is telling you that you need right now? Moments of weakness like this are all too common. That’s why before even stepping into the store, plan out your meals for the week that way no unexpected moments like this pop up throughout the week.
Similarly, the convenience of the drive-thru is all too tempting after a long day of work, but if you already have a meal planned or better yet, prepped, then there’s no need to even consider the thought. The same goes for when dining out. Look at the menu ahead of time so you know what meals stick to your diet plan. That way you are prepared to order instead of panic-ordering under pressure because you can’t find a meal. Also, consider a healthy snack before you leave the house. You’ll feel less hungry and won’t risk the chance of overeating.
4. Proper Sleep
You may have heard this topic getting drilled into your brain by us several times before, but sleep plays such an important factor in your health. While it’s true that we want to work our bodies to burn calories, we also need to give our bodies time to heal and renew energy. Typically, a good night’s rest consists of 7-8 hours of sleep. If you find that you’re having a hard time getting enough sleep, plan a schedule ahead of when you would need to be asleep in order to get the proper amount. You’ll easily find that with a full night’s sleep, you’ll be refreshed both physically and mentally to take on the day.
The same goes the other way around though. Too much sleep can be detrimental, leaving you feeling tired and groggy. So, be sure to not hit the 10-hour mark on sleep if you don’t want to feel exhausted all day. If you find that you are sleepy during the day, try taking a 10-minute power nap. Just don’t go over 10-minutes or you’ll end up feeling even more tired. Our bodies weren’t designed to take long naps.
At Fit Farm, we take your health seriously. That’s why you’ll find all these factors and more aligned with the programs here on the farm. Every day is packed with 7+ hours of active and restorative fitness and education, giving you the knowledge to continue your journey from home. While your meals are designed to provide the necessary nutrients to help your body build shed pounds, build muscle mass, and provide continuous energy throughout the week. Our experienced trainers have worked with a wide variety of age ranges, including those in their 40s and 50s, and have the expertise to enhance your results in our fitness program. To learn more about how to combat aging and take back your health, contact our team today!