Women Over 40
Once a woman reaches the age of 40, there will be many changes in her mood and physical appearance. She may gain extra weight, increase belly size, and experience sleeping difficulty. Women at this age also tend to have lower energy and more stress, causing them to have difficulty accomplishing exercise goals that used to come more easily.
Losing weight is simply harder for post 40 year old women. This is because they begin to experience a series of adjustments in bodily functions, digestion and metabolism. Another reason is that hypothyroidism, a thyroid gland that used to be under-active, suddenly becomes active, making it hard for women to shed off those extra pounds.
But women ages 40 and up must not lose hope. They can still manage their body weight with these tips:
Recognize and Adjust to the New Rhythm of your Body
At 40, gaining weight is very easy but losing even some of it requires effort. To burn calories, one must exercise harder and longer than they once did. Changes in muscle tone can also result in the appearance of more fat even if weight has not been gained. The first best thing to do is to accept the changes happening to your body and adjust to them. If you are used to being able to eat anything because your exercise will burn all the calories off, you’re going to have to change the equation as you age.
Modify your Eating Habits
At this phase in your life, your focus should be on keeping yourself feeling full and not being conscious that you cannot consume the same amount of calories as you did in your twenties, the metabolic changes simply won’t allow for it. Dr. Julie Taw, an internist in New Jersey, USA, suggests that an older woman should eat more frequently but consume less at every meal. This way, it will be easier to maintain your blood sugar at a normal level.
Exercise Regularly
Women after 40 should exercise more often to gain muscle mass. The more muscles you develop, the easier it is for your metabolism to burn off calories. Weight lifting is essential as well as cardio workouts.
Get Sufficient Rest and Sleep
According to recent studies, the body’s metabolism is more active while you sleep and that sleeping less than 6 hours damages the body’s tolerance to glucose, which is the primary cause of diabetes. If you sleep and rest well, you are actually helping your body to effectively manage fat and sugar.
While it ís more challenging to lose and maintain a healthy weight as you age, it certainly is doable. Armed with the proper knowledge about exercise, nutrition and sleep, you should be well on your way to fitness after 40.
