The Best Exercise Habits To Totally Transform Your Body After 40
As we age muscle mass decreases, which means your body burns less calories. On top on that, hormones change and metabolisms slow down, making it harder to get into shape. But the good news is while it can be a challenge, there are ways to stay fit. It's important to keep in mind that your body is very different than it was in your 20s, but with a few tweaks to your workout, it's totally possible to transform your body after 40. Here's how.
Strength Training
Strength training is particularly important because we lose muscle mass as we get older, so prioritizing lifting weights helps to maintain muscle and also helps keep bones strong. When you prioritize strength training, it helps your metabolism as well because you are burning calories for up to 48 hours after your lifting session.
RELATED: The 1-Month Strength Training Challenge for a Total-Body Transformation
Don't Forget to Stretch
Always remember to stretch to help reduce the risk of injury. We lose some natural flexibility as we age, so stretching helps to maintain flexibility, but it also helps you keep performing at an optimal level and it just feels good.
Take Advantage of Rest Days
Never underestimate the importance of rest days. Just as important as strength days are rest days. If you don't let your body recover then it can counteract all the hard work you are putting in to be healthy.
Consistency Counts
To see results, aim for a regular routine of four to fives times a week, rather than intense sporadic workouts. Consistency can help reduce injury, prevent burnout, and establish a routine that supports long-term health.
Include Cardio Workouts
Cardio sometimes gets a bad rap after 40 because it's difficult for our bodies to handle high-impact activity. But low impact cardio such as swimming, walking or biking, can protect joints while burning calories.
Focus on Mobility and Flexibility
As we get older, the risk of injury increases, but yoga, stretching and mobility exercises such as joint rotations, walking lunges and squats have several benefits to people over 40. By focusing on mobility and flexibility, you can help prevent injuries, improve posture, protect joint health and reduce stiffness.
What You Eat and Drink Matters
Lastly, you could exercise seven days a week, but if you don't drink a lot of water and eat clean foods, you won't be able to transform your body. Ultimately, what you put into your body really determines how healthy and strong you will be.
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