Achieve your best body at 40+ |
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As we start to move into our middle years staying healthy and fit is very important. Many people complain about being slim and eating what they liked in their earlier years and can’t understand why it is becoming more difficult to keep the weight off. The reason for this is that as we get older we start to lose muscle mass and this reduces our metabolism. The research shows that from 30 upward for every 5 years you need 50 kcals less per day, which is the equivalent to 2 plain biscuits. At 40 you will need 100kcal less a day than you did at 30. This doesn’t sound like a lot of calories but over the years this can start to impact our waist line. A small weight gain from your 20s is acceptable, so be realistic.
What is the best way to keep a stable weight?
Research shows that by taking both regular cardio exercise and resistance exercise each week you will be able to keep yourself in good shape. The benefits of the cardio work-out help to keep your heart and circulation healthy. When doing cardio you exercise your heart and lungs and this helps them to get stronger and protect you from coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity. Recently, including resistance exercises at least twice a week has been added to this recommendation, which means using free weights, resistance machines (if you have access to a gym), resistance bands or using your body as resistance e.g. in yoga. The resistance work has the added benefit of protecting your muscle mass and this helps to protect or even increase your metabolism as you get older. The other benefits of exercise is that it improves your stamina, make your feel more energised and keeps you healthy and fit for many years to come. Remember it is never too late to get started.
Recommendations (American College of Sports Medicine)
30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise (running, cycling, swimming etc.) x 5 times per week or 20 minutes of vigorous intense cardio exercise x 3 time per week
Plus: Include 10 strength training exercises of eight to 12 repetitions each twice per week.
What is the best diet?
As the metabolism starts to slow after the age of 35 years it is even more important to start looking after our nutrition and following a ‘healthy balanced diet’. Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables that contain high levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals which can help protect us from chronic diseases like coronary heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Make sure that you have plenty of natural foods, limit your intake of processed foods, and ensure you have plenty of omega 3 based foods like oily fish, linseeds, flaxseed and walnuts. Try to keep your saturated fat intake to be minimum by eating red meat only twice per week and choose chicken, turkey or fish. If vegetarian make sure that you are having a good mixture of plant based proteins and don’t substitute meat for too many dairy based products which can increase your saturated fat intake. Swap your cooking oil to olive, or rapeseed oil and bake, grill and poach rather than fry. This will help cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Also keep your salt intake under the recommended 6g per day, by avoiding salty snack foods, limiting processed foods and not added salt at the table or with cooking. To keep your bones protected make sure you have good sources of calcium in the diet from low fat dairy products or calcium rich soya, rice or oat milk, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu, nuts and sunflower seeds.
Top tips
For more diet, health, food and fitness information visit www.weightplan.com
Tags: calories, Cardio, Diet, exercise, Exercises, metabolism, Muscle, Nutrition, older, weight
What is the best way to keep a stable weight?
Research shows that by taking both regular cardio exercise and resistance exercise each week you will be able to keep yourself in good shape. The benefits of the cardio work-out help to keep your heart and circulation healthy. When doing cardio you exercise your heart and lungs and this helps them to get stronger and protect you from coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity. Recently, including resistance exercises at least twice a week has been added to this recommendation, which means using free weights, resistance machines (if you have access to a gym), resistance bands or using your body as resistance e.g. in yoga. The resistance work has the added benefit of protecting your muscle mass and this helps to protect or even increase your metabolism as you get older. The other benefits of exercise is that it improves your stamina, make your feel more energised and keeps you healthy and fit for many years to come. Remember it is never too late to get started.
Recommendations (American College of Sports Medicine)
30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise (running, cycling, swimming etc.) x 5 times per week or 20 minutes of vigorous intense cardio exercise x 3 time per week
Plus: Include 10 strength training exercises of eight to 12 repetitions each twice per week.
What is the best diet?
As the metabolism starts to slow after the age of 35 years it is even more important to start looking after our nutrition and following a ‘healthy balanced diet’. Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables that contain high levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals which can help protect us from chronic diseases like coronary heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Make sure that you have plenty of natural foods, limit your intake of processed foods, and ensure you have plenty of omega 3 based foods like oily fish, linseeds, flaxseed and walnuts. Try to keep your saturated fat intake to be minimum by eating red meat only twice per week and choose chicken, turkey or fish. If vegetarian make sure that you are having a good mixture of plant based proteins and don’t substitute meat for too many dairy based products which can increase your saturated fat intake. Swap your cooking oil to olive, or rapeseed oil and bake, grill and poach rather than fry. This will help cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Also keep your salt intake under the recommended 6g per day, by avoiding salty snack foods, limiting processed foods and not added salt at the table or with cooking. To keep your bones protected make sure you have good sources of calcium in the diet from low fat dairy products or calcium rich soya, rice or oat milk, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu, nuts and sunflower seeds.
Top tips
- Regular cardio exercise.
- Regular resistant exercises.
- Be realistic don’t expect to be the weight you were in your 20’s.
- Follow a healthy balanced diet which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables as they contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that have many protective health properties and anti-ageing properties.
- Stay well hydrated: equivalent of 1litre to every 1000kcal consumed.
- Make sure you cut back on processed foods and go for more natural foods; low in saturates, salt and sugar and high in omega 3 fats, fruit, vegetables and low fat dairy (or dairy alternatives with added calcium).
- Reduce stress by taking up yoga, or meditation.
- Keep alcohol within safe limits.
- Give up smoking, its never too late.
For more diet, health, food and fitness information visit www.weightplan.com
Tags: calories, Cardio, Diet, exercise, Exercises, metabolism, Muscle, Nutrition, older, weight