It’s been said that 40 is the new 30, and this may well be true in many areas in life. Socially we are happily deferring the things we once did in our third decade of life to our fourth, and those in our fourth to our fifth.
Getting married, having kids, staying in, and being more sensible overall: it’s all starting to happen later on than ever before.
This maxim, however, does not apply to health. Unfortunately, 40 is still 40 as far as your body is concerned, and it leads to the very same 50, 60, 70, etc.
You are welcome to keep living like you’re 28-years old, but the chances are that the consequences will come sooner rather than later, and they’ll be graver than you may have expected! A depressing though, yes, but a useful one as well.
The good news is that you don’t have to feel unhealthy in your 40s, and any lifestyle tweaks that you implement now will keep your body at peak performance later on.
Just 30 minutes of exercise a day will help you combat osteoporosis, keep muscle mass, maintain a natural range of motion, circumvent back pain, lower the risk of heart problems, and keep your sex life as it should be! So step away from the computer for half an hour a day and make your body more able to handle the great prizes your next casino no deposit bonus may help you bank!
Weightlifting Is Your Friend
Weightlifting isn’t necessarily about lifting huge chunks of cast iron like the pros do. Relaxed, low intensity movements with manageable weights which focus on compound movements will do just fine.
These will send your body a signal that it needs to hold on to the muscle mass that it’s worked so hard to earn, but won’t overwork it.
Increase Your Mobility
One of the biggest mistakes we make through our 20s and 30s is neglecting our mobility. We spend hours hunched over desks, and then race around like the teenagers we once were in the evenings with nary a single stretch to warm us up. When we hit 40 we’re like planks of wood, just not as upright.
Everyone knows about the benefits that yoga is able to provide when it comes to mobility, but what is not so widely known is that it doesn’t just protect your muscles.
It also preserves your cartilage, spine, and tendons. Making a point of regular stretching will see you becoming far more resilient to injury as you hit mid-life.
What’s the difference between yoga and Pilates? The latter is more of a traditional exercise protocol, and is very dependent on outcome. Yoga is more of a mind/body practice, wherein the physical outcome serves as a prelude to the emotional and mental benefits practising the various asanas, or postures, bring.
Start Where You Are
No matter what age you are, just 30 minutes a day will see you enjoying a range of benefits far more quickly than you may imagine. Why not start working it in to your schedule now? There’s no time like the present.