Getting in shape after 40 is easier than you think.
Despite what you may have heard, round is not the shape to be and the dad bod is not healthy. It may be easier to think of it that way but you need to focus on what is best for your health now and in the future.
These fitness tips for men over 40 have been designed and used for Men wanting to get their health back in track.; so take a look and build them into your lifestyle and feel better than you have in years. Remember, you only have one body, so it makes sense to prioritise your health.
Gaining weight is an unfortunate and extremely common occurrence as you age.
In fact, it is a combination of a slowing metabolism, lower levels of testosterone and an all too common ‘I have no time’ to exercise.
To help you out in this area, I have attached at the bottoms of this article an excellent workout overview that you can use immediately
From the comfort of your own home.
Although lack of time may seem like an excuse, it’s a completely understandable and almost inevitable part of the ageing process BUT can you afford to neglect your health??? Not at all!
As a young man, it felt much easier to workout anytime you wanted. Age brings responsibility such as mortgages, work pressures, spending time with your family and house maintenance.
The fact is, if you don’t feel you have time for exercise, you prioritise some time in your day.
Why Stay In Shape?
Firstly, your health is everything!
One of the most common drivers for getting into shape is a specific event that has been planned in the not too distant future.
Staying in shape and using these fitness tips for men is about appreciating the benefits of being in shape, like these:
Benefit # 1 – Improved Health
There’s no doubt that staying fit reduces the natural muscle deterioration associated with age.
It allows you to maintain your healthier lifestyle plus enjoying the benefits of an active lifestyle; including keeping up with your children, or even grandchildren!
Benefit # 2 – Disease Prevention
By following these fitness tips for men you will help strengthen your immune system and decrease your chances of contracting a number of age-related diseases such as coronary issues, stroke or even cancer.
Benefit # 3 – Mobility
Keeping in shape with these fitness tips for men will ensure you stay mobile. Your muscles, bones, tendons and core strength will all help you to stay mobile well into your senior years.
Benefit # 4 – Self Confidence
Being active and keeping your body looking healthy will help to keep your confidence levels high as you age. This will allow you to tackle virtually anything and succeed in other areas where you thought were not possible.
Fitness Tips For Men To Stick By
To keep you healthy and active well into senior years!
Tip # 1 – Set A Goal
The ultimate goal is to sustain a healthy lifestyle and remain active for longer. To achieve this, set yourself a daily/weekly target. This can be completing 20-40 minutes of exercise each day.
If you’ve been exercising for a while then set a new weight target you want to reach. Or it could be for an event that is coming up. Just step it out day by day.
Tip # 2 – Eat Right
Even before you start with physical activity or working out, another important fitness tip is to look at your diet.
Our 1 day meal plan can help you take your first step in the right direction.
Start today; aim for 35% protein, 40% carbs, and 25% fat.
Tip # 3 – Warming Up Your Body
Warming up well prevents injuries. This is even more important when you are older.
Use dynamic stretches before your workouts, to prepare your muscles and static ones after, to increase flexibility and limit muscle soreness.
Tip # 4 – Push Your Limits
There is a theory that as you get older you should lift less. However, to build muscle and improve your fitness as you age the best fitness tip for men you can listen to is to push your limits.
To increase your strength and muscle size it’s better to lift heavier weights and aim whilst your muscles are under load with the weight to remain under tension for approx 45-55 seconds.
Tip # 5 – Ensure You Keep Strict Form
Using correct form is an very important and often overlooked when trying to progress with weights.
This will ensure you get the maximum amount of benefit from your exercises and strengthen the target body parts.
Most importantly, correct form will make sure you reduce your chance of injury.
General tip: you can use a friend or a mirror to monitor your movements and make sure your form is right. Aim for 1% improvements rather than trying to improve by 10-20% with terrible form.
Tip # 6 – Rest To Recover
Resting between your workouts is the time your body recovers and builds thicker more dense muscle so it’s essential to allow your muscles to recover.
It is best to leave 48 hours between working each muscle group.
Tip # 7 – Build The Habit
Starting is the hardest point and building the new habit can be difficult to stick to.
The biggest excuse is time and this is something you should address as soon as you start your exercise routine.
Rule of 21!
Give your body a solid 21 days to stick to a routine and build the new habit into your lifestyle.
Find a timeslot that works and add it to your daily schedule. Treat it as any other appointment and stick to it. You will quickly get into the habit of working out and making it a part of your life.
Tip # 8 – Resistance Training For Bone Density
Bone density is important as you age. The denser your bones the less likely they are to break and the more mobile you can be.
The best way to increase bone density is to workout with free weights which creates load on the muscle.
Tip # 9 – Variety
When you’re exercising frequently, it is important to select activities you actually enjoy. This is one of the best fitness tips for men as it will encourage you to consistently exercise.
If you feel repeating the extra exercise on a daily basis becomes monotonous try adding in some variety.
Part of this can be achieved by working different muscle groups on alternate days or training outdoors with other equipment such as pull up bars, push up/dip bars, band work etc, but you should also vary the exercises you do to keep challenging your body.
You will see much better results in the long run.
With these tips, and staying consistent, there is no reason you cannot get into better shape than you were in your twenties.
Don’t believe the hype of you cannot get results like you once had. It’s simply untrue!
In fact, there are many studies now show that it is possible to get in better shape in your later years than when you were in your 20’s.
It just starts with you making the choice to start and build those new habits into your lifestyle.
Want a nutritional plan and workout guide to get you started?
Getting Fit After 40: Here you go!
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