Fitness after 40
Let’s start by keeping it real. Getting older sucks. I know that I should say something positive like “these are the best years of our lives,” and they very well may be, but there is still a level of suck about aging that is difficult to accept sometimes.
When I was in my twenties, I could pull an all-nighter and then go to work or class the next day like it was nothing. I could run five miles a day, six days a week and feel invigorated. My skin was flawless. My stomach was flat, and . . . you get the picture.
I am now forty-four years old. I still try to pull an all-nighter now and then, but when I do, I am absolutely useless the next day and only marginally more productive the second day. I still attempt to run now and then, and my body hates me for it, so I am currently opting for lower-impact activities to stay in shape. My skin is no longer youthful and flawless. Putting on eyeliner now requires that I pull the skin of my eyelid taut in order to not look like a clown. To make things even better, when I pucker my lips, it’s obvious that I should have given up straws long before environmental awareness required it of me. My flat stomach seems to be getting softer no matter how many sit-ups I do, and there are mornings when my lower back hurts like a mother when I get up in the morning. Oh, and if I sit criss-cross applesauce (that’s Indian style for those of us who grew up prior to the era of political correctness), my left knee hurts so bad that I spend the next ten minutes hobbling about and cursing under my breath.
As much as we would like to think that our age does not define us, there are certain physical realities to aging that we just can’t escape:
As we get older, we lose muscle mass. This is the number one concern of my girlfriends at the yoga studio. As gravity is trying to pull everything down, we are desperately trying to keep it tight and lifted. It takes more effort as you get older, and never forget that if you don’t use it, you lose it, ladies and gentlemen.
Once we women reach 40, it’s only a matter of time before we start experiencing symptoms of pre-menopause.
Hormonal fluctuations during pre-menopause can cause mood swings, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. (Oh, hello! That’s my life right now.)
Our metabolisms tend to slow down as we get older. So, if you were one of the lucky ones who could eat a Big Mac, large fries, and a milkshake and not gain a pound, those days have likely come to an end. Why is this?
We typically don’t get as much activity as we did when we were younger.
We lose muscle mass which leads to a decrease in metabolism.
Our bodies have endured a lot of abuse over the years, and they don’t recover from injury like they used to twenty years ago.
When we injure ourselves, we don’t bounce back as quickly. That’s just fact.
We have an increased risk for injury as a result of a common lack of flexibility.
As we get older, our stress levels often increase. Work can be stressful. Raising children, especially teenagers, is stressful. The financial strain of raising children, taking care of a home, college, etc. is stressful.
The good news is that we can combat many of the ills of aging with one thing: EXERCISE. Staying fit and being healthy is important in every stage of life, but fitness is especially important in our forties. The health and fitness habits that we create right now have a significant impact on our future physical and mental health.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you consider fitness after 40:
This is the real me. No makeup. No filters. I am 44. I’ve had five children. Those little bumps just above my pants are stretch marks. I’m not perfect, but I do chose to make my health a priority. So regardless of the scale or the mirror, I feel good.
· Just do it. (Sorry, Nike, if using those words constitutes trademark infringement.) We are all busy, but we usually find time for things that are important to us. So skip tonight’s episode of The Handmaid’s Tale, or better yet, don’t skip it but incorporate some type of physical activity into your watching routine. Exercise doesn’t require a gym or a fancy yoga studio. You can do it in your living room or your kitchen or even your bathroom. (Trust me on this. I have on occasion suffered the ridicule of my children who have caught me brushing my teeth while doing squats or doing leg lifts while cooking pasta.) Instead of sitting in your car while your daughter is at soccer practice, try walking or jogging. Then you can both be sweaty and smelly on the ride home, and she won’t feel so bad. The point is to fit physical activity in where you can, and remember that a little is better than none.
· Make your health a priority by creating a routine and being consistent. Too often, when life gets busy, exercise is the first thing to go. Stop sacrificing your health to save time. You deserve better than that.
· Be willing to change it up. Sometimes as we get older, the exercise of our youth is not possible. We typically don’t have time to be on an athletic team – we are too busy carting our kids around to their activities to enjoy those kinds of activities ourselves. Additionally, we often can’t physically do the things we used to because it just flat out hurts. For example, I used to love Insanity, which is a high-intensity, high-impact interval training format. (Imagine jumping up and down on a wood gym floor for 30 to 45 minutes and you’ve got the gist of it.) Knowing now what my body can and cannot handle, I’ve found exercise formats that are a little easier on my joints. Also, changing up your workout routine is good for your body. If you are a cardio queen, add in some strength training. If you do nothing but strength training, try some yoga to improve your flexibility. Variety can keep your workouts exciting and keep you motivated.
· Stick with it! Unfortunately, as we get older, it can take longer to see the results we seek. I’m sure there is some scientific, medical reason for this, but I have no idea what it is. I just know it sucks.
· More is not always better. Once upon a time, I thought that if one fitness class was good, two back-to-back was better. That’s not always the case. Know your body, consider how strenuous each class is, and don’t over do it. You risk injury and dehydration if you push it too hard, which will significantly hinder your fitness goals.
· Exercise is not just about physical health; it’s about mental and emotional health as well. The endorphins released during physical activity can improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress. Who doesn’t want that?
Part of my tribe. They encourage me to do my best so I can be my best.
· Strength training and stretching are just as important as cardio. Cardio is great for heart health, but cardio alone is not enough. As we get older, we begin to lose muscle mass. Once we hit forty, it becomes more and more important to build and strengthen those muscles to support our bodies, to maintain our metabolisms, and to reduce our chances of injury. Flexibility is also very important when it comes to reducing the risk for injury. If you don’t normally stretch, try a yoga class. Your body will thank you for the increased flexibility and better balance.
· Get a tribe. Work out with others – they will motivate you. Your tribe could be a group of friends with whom you coordinate or it could just be the people who tend to show up at the gym at the same time as you every day.
· Eat a healthy diet. A well-balanced diet, high in plant-based foods is essential to long-term health. And when it comes to protein, unless you are a body builder, you don’t need to stress about packing protein into your diet. Extra protein, if not used as energy, becomes fat.
· Consider a trainer to help you figure out a workout routine that is best for your body and your goals. A trainer is especially helpful if you are new to this fitness thing and are feeling a bit overwhelmed.
· Make exercise your go-to stress reliever. Watching a lot of television, overeating, drinking, etc. are all things we tend to do when stressed. We are looking for a means of escape from whatever is weighing on us. Train yourself to use exercise as an escape. Instead of eating an entire pint of ice cream, go for a walk. Instead of mindlessly watching Netflix, do some stretching. If you consciously choose exercise over the less healthy options, before you know it, you’ll crave exercise every time you need that escape.
· Drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep. (Pretty self explanatory. And what’s cool is that when we challenge our bodies with exercise, we often sleep better, which is awesome for those of us dealing with those pesky pre-menopausal symptoms.)
· Meditate – being healthy is more than a physical task. Mental health is just as important. Meditation can decrease stress, can help you focus, and can improve your sense of well-being.
I highly recommend starting every day with meditation. Meditation will help you center your heart and your mind.
Though there are days when I really wish the crows feet around my eyes would magically disappear and that my lips looked like Kim Kardashian’s when I pucker, never in my life have I felt more confident or more comfortable in my own skin than I do now at the age of 44. The reason for that confidence and comfort is because I’ve made my health, mental and physical, a priority over the last few years. I’ve learned to pay no mind to numbers on a scale, but to do something every day that will strengthen my body and my mind.
Make yourself a priority because there are no dress rehearsals for life. This is it, and you deserve to feel your absolute best. So, just do it. (Sorry, Nike. I had to get it in there one last time.)