As we get older our bodies change. What worked in our 20’s and 30’s no longer works as well in our 40’s and 50’s.
In our 20’s and 30’s if we needed to drop a few pounds we just cut out junk food and started going for a daily jog and maybe taking a yoga or pilates class a few times per week.
But, now after a few kids, a successful career, and a few more years on us this just doesn’t seem to work when we find ourselves a few pounds overweight and getting soft and flabby.
Fitness over 40 requires a different strategy. We need to focus on activities that increase our metabolism, increase lean muscle tissue, and increase our ability to move. The fastest way to do this is through strength training.
As we get older our bodies lose muscle tissue at a faster rate. This decrease in muscle tissue is what causes our metabolism to slow down and the loss in muscle definition, or tone.
So how does muscle tissue affect the metabolism and your body’s ability to burn calories?
Your muscles are the powerhouses of the metabolism, they move your body and are involved in every aspect of your daily life. Muscle also requires a higher calorie demand from your body, so for each additional pound of muscle you have the more calorie burning power you have.
If it’s toned and defined shoulders, arms, and legs that you are looking for, again strength training is the ticket. By adding some muscle to the body we will regain the definition of our youth without getting bulky.
To achieve this, strength training should be done 3-4 days per week focusing on movements that work the entire body, such as deadlifts, squats, push-ups, overhead presses, TRX rows, and carries for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
Look for Part 2 coming soon where we’ll discuss why cardio isn’t as effective after forty.
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