Ahhhhh…I LOVE being in my 40’s. But it wasn’t always that way.
I remember when I was 39, about to have my 40th birthday. I received all kinds of unsolicited comments about how everything goes downhill after 40.
I’m not going to go into all of the negative advice, but suffice it to say they did not paint a pretty picture of getting older.
I’ll admit…I was a little scared! But I also took their comments, and used them as inspiration to show women over 40 that getting older absolutely does NOT need to be something to be dreaded or feared.
The way I look at it, each day I wake up in this body is a gift. It’s up to me how I treat it and think about it.
And while there ARE hormonal changes that happen as we get older, I believe it’s all about working WITH those changes instead of against.
But here’s the thing…when women start noticing changes, and the scale creeping up, what is the first thing they typically do?
Yep – they go on a diet and increase the exercise, typically the cardio. So, 30 minutes of jogging becomes 45 and then 60…
And when the weight keeps creeping up, the calories keep going down and exercise keeps going up. It’s a vicious cycle.
The #1 WORST thing you can do is eat less and exercise more
This is counter-intuitive, right? We think that it’s a calories in, calories out game – so of COURSE if we restrict calories and tack on extra time on the treadmill, we’ll go back to bodies of 5 or 10 years ago.
The GOOD news is it actually is NOT just about calories in and out. This means that you can STOP thinking that doing more exercise is better. Whew!
As we get older, and hormones fluctuate, our bodies become way more reactive to stress. This means that doing more and eating less can work against us because it can increase stress hormones.
If you’re playing the eat less, exercise more game and aren’t seeing the results you desire – this is probably why.
So what DO you do?
Well, firstly, be grateful.
Be grateful for the miracle that is your body. The more we speak negatively about it, the more it will work against us. So, right now, I want you to tell your body how grateful you are for it. It enables you to breathe, walk, feel and experience joy. Do that RIGHT NOW…say it with me:
I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE MIRACLE THAT IS MY WONDERFUL BODY!
Secondly, understand that it’s not about doing more, it’s about doing things smarter…just enough of the RIGHT types of exercise.
This means having a focus on strength training, with very short duration cardio mixed in. Three to four days a week is really perfect.
Other days should have a focus on stress-relieving activities – leisure walking in nature, massage, baths, reading – anything that makes you feel good!
As far as nutrition goes, quality counts. You need to be sure you’re getting adequate protein, plenty of green veggies and a bit of starch. The amount of starch will depend on your tolerance and will take some trial and error, but again – it’s not merely about cutting calories – it’s about making those calories count.
Where to begin?
Head over here and grab your free 3 Day Fountain of Youth Workout Routine. I’ve created this routine to challenge your body just enough to elicit and wonderful fat-burning effect, but not enough to put more stress on it.
Being in our 40’s and beyond should be a time we CELEBRATE life – not focus on perceived negative changes. We can totally do this if we learn how to work WITH our bodies and not against them. Are you ready? Good!
xoxo,
Tara