A few years back, it was the common view that youth ends at thirty. By age forty, people were not expected to start taking renewed interest in the way they looked or in trying to reverse the effects of aging. Things have, however, changed. Nowadays, anyone above the age of forty can decide to start going to the gym for daily workouts and start changing dietary habits.
The muscle loss which is usually evident in older people does not result from aging. It results from a prolonged sedentary lifestyle. Most people lose at least 40% muscle mass by the time they get to 65 years of age. At that age, most people usually find it difficult to engage in any aerobic activity without experiencing injuries and pains.
As you approach 40, you can decide to prevent this deterioration by simply staying active. With consistent strength training and daily aerobic exercise, you can defy the effects of age by more than 20 years. It’s possible to age chronologically but still remain quite young biologically. Below are some tips that will help you achieve fitness at 40 years and above.
Get your doctor’s go-ahead
If you have been living an unhealthy lifestyle for most of your life, you could be having underlying conditions that could be detrimental to your health if you exert yourself physically. Before you start your workout program, get your doctor to examine you to rule out any health problems.
Your doctor might also refer you to a nutritionist who will make recommendations about diet. When you start working out, your body will burn more nutrition and you will need supplements to stay healthy. After your nutritionist makes dietary recommendations, you can visit http://store.neulife.com/ to buy supplements.
Gauge your level of fitness
In order to come up with a fitness program that is effective and safe, you have to evaluate your current fitness level. Be honest about your current level of cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and flexibility. Work with a personal trainer for maximum gains and lesser injuries.
Make a plan
To become fit and healthy, you have to make a plan that you will follow every day. Break down your goals into monthly targets. If you want to lose 20 pounds, your monthly plan should be geared towards dropping part of this weight.
Achieving results requires consistency. You have to maintain the discipline of working out several times a week. You also have to be consistent with your diet intake. If you eat the wrong foods, you will not see results. Likewise, if you skimp on your supplements, you could be exposing your body to injuries. To make it easier to stay consistent with dietary intake, get the best online deal on vitamins and minerals and stock up before you start your program.
Prevent injuries
Never start any workout without first warming up as this increases the likelihood of injuries to the joints and muscles. During your workouts, you should also observe proper form and avoid doing too much on the first few workouts.
Enjoy yourself
As you intend to make working out part of your daily life, you have to have fun during each workout.