You’re never too old to start taking care of yourself and trying to keep yourself trimmer and more fit. Body contouring and health improvement are still attainable over 40. The following are some tips for achieving fitness goals in your 40s that will help you to succeed.
Start Slowly
The biggest tip you can use for your progress is to start slowly. It’s common for all people to want to dive into a new exercise plan and achieve huge goals in the shortest amount of time. You should go slowly for your own health, however. You must ease into a fitness plan so that your mind and body have time to adjust to it. The first time you visit the gym, you may just want to work out for 20 minutes, for example. You might want to avoid lifting large weights at first. You’ll need to use a slow process that will allow you to build muscle strength and endurance over time.
Make a Schedule
The next thing you’ll need to do is set a time when you want to exercise. Take an honest inventory of your weekly schedule and ensure that you fit your workout plan into a reasonable block of time. Don’t overschedule yourself. Overscheduling will cause you to miss the appointments you set for yourself. Thus, you need to take your time and schedule yourself when it’s convenient for you and you can dedicate one to two hours to it. The best workout strategy is to visit the fitness center every other day so that your muscles have time to heal in between sessions.
As you progress, you may want to develop a routine where you do cardio half the time and muscle-strengthening activities the other half of the time you exercise. You could also try to do cardio and muscle strengthening on separate days. You’ll fall into a routine that works for you over time.
Invite a Friend
It’s always better to have more than one person to work on projects and achieve goals. There’s an old saying that says two heads are better than one. Therefore, you should try to see if you can get at least one friend to go with you on your journey to the fitness center. A group of your best friends will be even better. You can schedule your sessions carefully and work together to reach the common goal of amazing fitness.
Use an Exercise Plan
Another way to ensure that you meet your goals is to sign up for a well-crafted exercise plan. There are some over 40 tailored exercise plan options available that may work out well for you. You should consider signing up for one of those plans. The plan will lay out what you need to do to reach your specialized goals, and you can go by the fitness outline it has for you. This will work well for you if you’re the type of person who likes things planned and organized.
Hire a Personal Trainer
You could also move your achievements along by hiring a personal trainer. A personal trainer would be a huge help for your fitness goals over 40. This person will act as an instructor, advocate and source of encouragement as you try to get your body into shape. Personal trainers often have an educational background that stretches beyond the realm of physical fitness. Some of them may have experience in the field of nutrition. Therefore, they may be able to give you some tips and advice on the different foods you can eat. Some of them may have gone through the same weight loss journey you’re thinking of going through now.
You can find a personal trainer at the fitness center, or you can search for one online. You’ll need to schedule a consultation with the person so that you know your personalities will match. A personal trainer should be someone you feel comfortable with that makes you feel a positive vibe.
Start Setting and Meeting Your Fitness Goals
Now you know what you need to do if you want to be healthier and more fit in your 40s. Try some of the tips mentioned above and monitor them to see your progress as you advance through this amazing journey.
McKenzie is your typical Midwestern gal. When she is not writing or reading, she can be found training for her next half-marathon, baking something sweet, playing her guitar, or cuddled up with her golden retriever, Cooper. She loves watching football, fall weather, and long road trips.