Fitness Over 40

Fit Over 40

Trying to achieve weight loss or to be fit over 40 becomes more difficult due to many metabolic changes that occur around that age.

Health problems can put obstacles in the way of good intentions and seem like a good excuse not to do those exercise workouts;

Arthritis
Asthma
Cardiovascular problems
Diabetes
Osteoporosis

These health problems can limit and influence the type of workout you perform but you don’t need to be sick to find excuses not to be active. A study done on thousands of women at Stanford University had a surprising result; if the women did not see other people in their neighborhood exercising then they didn’t feel motivated to workout.

Other excuses that were commonly expressed during this research project:

No time (mostly due to care giving duties)
No energy
Lack of sidewalks
Unsafe neighborhood
Self-conscious (due to physical appearance)

Perhaps the most surprising, but not uncommon, excuse was the lack of hills in their neighborhood.

Whatever your excuse for not exercising is, it could be killing you. Only 30 minutes of moderate exercise throughout the day can reduce your risk of developing these life threatening disease by huge amounts.

Heart disease - 35%
Breast cancer - 37%
Type 2 diabetes - 40%

What are moderate exercise workouts? A good example is walking briskly. Walk fast enough to be slightly out of breath, like you are late for an appointment, not just out for a stroll.

You don’t need to set aside a half hour for this activity; Five minutes of workout six times a day will give you the exercise you need to gain considerable health benefits. To achieve weight loss just increase the duration or frequency a bit.

The symptoms of menopause can be very uncomfortable and troublesome. With regular, moderate exercise workouts you can lower the intensity and frequency of hot flashes, headaches, the emotional roller coaster and other unpleasant effects of menopause.

In a study of women (average age of 51) three quarters said regular exercise had a positive effect on their experience of menopause.

Low impact workouts are the best way to start an exercise program if you have led a sedentary lifestyle. This makes it easier to continue on a regular basis when trying to be fit over 40.

Each person has unique needs, over 40 or not, and a new method to gauge your effort has been developed. The Borg Perceived Exertion Scale is based on how you feel about the activity you perform:

6 - no exertion
7 - very, very light effort
9 - very light
11 - light exertion
13 - somewhat difficult
15 - difficult
17 - very difficult
19 - very, very difficult effort
20 - maximum exertion

If you score yourself below a 10 more effort is needed while above 17 may indicate a scaling back on your exertion. A score of 13 to 15 will give you the optimal health benefits for your individual needs.

Start slow on your weight loss program and choose a workout method that is sustainable. Fit over 40 takes commitment and some determination. Don’t burn yourself out and make an excuse to stop exercising.

Before each workout due a 5 minute warm-up to get the heart rate up and the muscles stretched. Just as important is the cool-down after your exercise workouts. Walk about and swing your arms until the heart rate slows to keep from hurting yourself and getting discouraged.

Combining regular exercise and a healthy diet help you live longer and feel better.

Fit Over 40

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Over 60? Check out this article on staying thin after 60.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++