Fit After Forty

What has fitness to do with the age 40? Well, a lot.

Firstly, let’s understand what's fitness. Fitness is the ability to do daily chores with ease and active participation in activities that make one happy. It’s about overall well-being; both physical and mental.

40s is the period when your metabolism starts to drop and digestion slows down. In a nutshell, your body becomes less efficient as you age. In the 40s you tend to lose more muscle even if you are someone who is really active. Women are more prone to loss of muscle mass and osteoporosis as compared to men. As the metabolism slows down, there’s increased risk of elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance.

Not just these, hormonal changes such as declining testosterone in men and declining estrogen in women cause fat gain. Losing weight gets even more complicated due to declining metabolic rate; in the sense the calories you body burns while at rest declines.

Is it really difficult to stay fit in 40s? Well, the answer is both yes and no. All it takes to stay fit in your 40s is to prioritise yourself and your health and sprinkle a pinch of right mindset with a dash of consistency!! But it might get difficult if you give in to cravings, it is more of a mind game!

What Should You Do to stay fit in your 40s?

Let’s take the traditional route to achieve lifelong fitness.

1. Yoga & Meditation:

A few minutes of simple yoga everyday will improve flexibility and joint health. Along with yoga, make meditation your daily routine. Soon, you’ll start to notice improved mental clarity, reduced stress, and better emotional balance. Tip: Begin your day with 10 minutes of stretching followed by 5 minutes of mindful breathing or meditation.

2. Choose Sustainable Exercises

Forget the idea of extreme workouts. Instead try these. Brisk walking: Walking a little faster than usual, enough to increase your heart rate but still lets you talk comfortably. Walk for 30 minutes a day at a constant pace (for example walk like you are slightly late), 5 days a week.

Swimming: It builds muscle strength, and flexibility. Swim for 20–30 minutes, 2–3 times a week. If you haven't learnt, the time to do so is now. Cycling: Ride a bicycle to improve leg strength, heart health, and stamina with minimal strain on joints. Cycle for 20 minutes, 3–4 times a week. Tip: Aim for 20 minutes of movement at least 5 days a week. Consistency is the key.

3. Eat Right for Your Age

Junk the junk food. There's a reason why it's called junk. This food may be mouthwatering, but it affects the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Instead, prefer homemade food. Take seasonal fruits and vegetables Choose whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Stay hydrated. Reduce the intake of processed sugar.

Tip: Eat with the season. For example, enjoy water-rich fruits like watermelon in summer, and root vegetables in winter.

4. Sleep: The Silent Healer

A good sleep is not about how much time you are sleeping but it in how well you are sleeping. The human body needs quality sleep. It helps in body repair, manage weight, and stay mentally healthy.

Tip: Maintain a regular sleep schedule and aim for 7–8 hours of quality sleep each night.

5. Make It a Lifestyle

All this practice we are talking about isn’t about a challenge. This is about building habits we can carry for years. Even if we miss a day or two, we don’t need to feel guilty, just pick ourselves up and continue. Our actual achievement is in showing up for ourselves regularly.

As the age old saying goes: Health is wealth, and just as you take various precautions to safeguard your material wealth, it is very important to take precautions to safeguard your physical health. The best way to do so is to go in for a preventive health checkup at least once in a year. Early diagnosis is better than a painful cure. And opt for a group medical insurance to safeguard your entire family. If you are a corporate employee, the employer might provide you the insurance but it is always suggested to have one group medical insurance policy apart from the one provided by the employer. This will come in handy on a rainy day, as one medical emergency has the risk of dragging you down financially by wiping away your savings.

It’s never too late to begin. Your body will thank you for every healthy choice you make today.