It is natural as we get older that our bodies begin to change and the way we look might make us feel worse about ourselves. Hitting 40 years old is a crucial age because this is the time when our body begins to change and we might end up gaining weight due to the hormones within our body. If you want to make sure you stay fit after 40, there are some easy things you can do to help your body. Some of the things you could eat or do while you were younger also need to change, and new research is coming out about just how you can maintain your health even at this delicate age.
Eat Less Acidic Food- One thing you can do if you want to stay fit after 40 is to eat less acidic foods. As we age, the acidic foods we consume become harder for the stomach to digest so it is important to eat more alkaline foods. The calcium within the bones is very important as you get older and can be stripped away if you eat too much acidic foods. If you are over 40 you also need to eat lighter foods and more often rather than one very rich meal.
Get Involved in Resistance Training- Resistance training is something you need to get involved in after you hit 40 years old to maintain your muscles. As you get older you are going to lose some of the muscle mass you have accumulated, so it is important to do some resistance training at least three times a week. Building your muscle strength will help decrease the chances of breaks and fractures due to weak bones and will make your body look lean and tight. Researchers are showing that resistance training can also help when it comes to staying mentally fit, because you will feel less vulnerable if you are faced with dangerous situations.
Eat More Calcium-Rich Foods– You should consume more calcium and vitamins as you hit 40 years old to stay fit as well. Calcium is a major vitamin in exercise programs and is one of the most important vitamins for building muscle and strong bones. If you do not eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, now is the time to start. Fresh fruits and vegetables are something you should be consuming daily once you hit 40 years old to ensure you are staying healthy. If you do not want to eat fresh fruits and vegetables then you might want to consider a multi-vitamin supplement to get your daily vitamin and mineral needs.
Maintain Good Posture- If you are over 40 years old you also want to make sure you have good posture and sit as well as stand with your back straight. As you get older, your bones will become weaker and more susceptible to damage such as neck and back problems. When you are younger and your mom or dad told you to sit up straight or stand tall, they were not kidding. You might have been able to avoid the correct posture technique throughout your life but once you hit 40 years old, things change. If you want to decrease your chances of neck and back problems or other serious medical conditions, have good posture.
Change Meal Times- After 40 years old you also might want to change your meal times in order to stay fit. Often times as a young adult, you might have skipped breakfast or lunch so you could pig out on dinner and that was okay at that time. Being 40 years old though, you need to focus on about six small meals throughout the day. Eating smaller and more frequent meals will help you keep your energy levels high and your metabolism high which help maintain your weight. Skipping meals so you can pig out later on in the evening will only make you gain weight because you will be consuming all of those calories in one sitting which does nothing for your energy you spend through the day.
Walk Daily or Jog Daily- Walking everyday is also a great way to stay fit once you hit 40 years old. Walking daily can be a great form of exercise and will help keep your body physically in shape. Make a routine of walking for an hour everyday after you get up or in the evening after dinner. Walking daily will help keep your bones healthy and limber and will also do a lot for your heart. Walking is also a way to relieve stress and anxiety so it has many different health benefits to it.
Eat Healthy Before Working Out- Before you work out you should also eat something if you are over 40 years old and you really should not work out on an empty stomach. If you eat within about an hour before working out so your body will be able to use nutrients better and it can help build muscles. When you exercise on an empty stomach, your body is not able to use nutrients because it will be depleted and you will have no energy to even finish the workout.
Think About Dietary Supplements– If you want to stay fit over 40 years old, you might also consider dietary supplements to help your joints and bones. As you get older the joints and bones within the body can become weak which can lead to many different medical conditions which can be painful. Although you might be trying to eat healthier, it is not always possible to get all of the daily vitamins and minerals into your diet. Ask your doctor about supplements you should try to help joints and bones before you buy any to make sure you are okay to take them. There are many different supplements on the market that will help people over 40 keep their bones and joints strong. You can get supplements like these at your local grocery store or health store for about 20 dollars a bottle.
Try Yoga or Meditation– For mental health over 40 years old, it might be a good idea to get involved with some yoga or meditation exercises. Meditation and yoga are great forms of exercises that relieve stress and anxiety which helps your mental state stay strong. There are many different types of meditation and yoga you can get involved in and some areas even have classes for these exercise programs. Meditation and yoga are great ways to keep your mind healthy and strong as well as your body. Yoga and meditation have a lot to do with flexibility and stretching which is a good way to ensure your body is staying in good health also. You can get meditation and yoga tapes at your local retail store to guide you through the workouts if you do not want to join a class.
Make Sure You Are Sleeping- If you want to stay fit well into your 40’s you also want to make sure you get plenty of sleep. You should still be getting about 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night for the most health benefits. Some people can be perfectly fine with less sleep, but anything under 5 hours is shown to have a drastic negative effect on your overall health. During the time you sleep your body repairs cells that might have been damaged and it also can help control hormones. Sleeping helps the body heal from injury and inflammation and will also help regulate your body weight. Sleeping at a normal time each night, even on the weekends will go a long way at keeping you healthy as you hit 40 years old. Sleeping on a regular schedule helps build your immune system up and does a lot of good for your mental state of mind as well. Sleeping is one of the easiest things you can do to ensure you stay fit both physically and mentally as you get into your 40’s.
