Tuesday, June 17, 2014

How To Achieve Fitness Over 40

How To Achieve Fitness Over 40


by Nora Jennings


Age happens to everybody and many people resent the fact that their bodies refuse to perform in the same way it used to once they reach the magic age of forty. It is nevertheless perfectly possible to remain fit and active in middle age and beyond. Fitness over 40 simply means that a different approach must be taken. The body changes and it is necessary to adapt exercise routines to those changes.

The supportive network of the body, including the tendons, cartilage and the ligaments tend to become much less elastic once the age of forty is reached. At this age it is necessary to abandon high impact exercises such as running and aerobics because the chances of suffering an injury are much higher. In its place low impact exercises such as swimming, yoga, cycling and walking should be considered.

It is very important to focus upon strength exercises once the age of forty is reached. This is because the body starts to lose muscle weight as one grown older and the metabolism also slows down. The only way in which to prevent muscle loss is to do strength training. This type of exercise also increases the elasticity of the joints. It has proven to increase bone density too.

Many studies have shown that those over the age of forty that exercises regularly live longer than those that get no or very little exercise. Many people follow strict exercise regimes earlier in their lives because they want to look good. After the age of forty the focus changes. Exercise then serve to help prevent disease and to maintain a steady weight.

Too many people consider exercise to be a punishment. It does not have to be. Getting and remaining fit should be a pleasure. People older than forty do not need to join a gymnasium. They simply need to take up a sport or hobby that will get them moving. Even regular walks with the dog, household chores such as vacuuming and gardening can help people to remain physically active.

Because the body grows less elastic after the age of forty it is vital to perform stretching exercises before undertaking any strenuous activity. Stretching will help prevent injury to the joints, ligaments and cartilage. Stretching should even be done prior to everyday activities such as working in the garden or taking the dog for a walk. In fact, stretching can be done at any time, even when it is not going to be followed by exercise.

People that have been inactive for some time need to consult a doctor before they embark upon any exercise regime. This is especially important for those suffering from any chronic disease. It may also be useful to hire the services of an experienced fitness trainer, at least for a time. Another option is to join an exercise group for people of similar age such as those found in Atlanta GA.

Getting fit should be a very important priority for all people aged forty or above. Fit people simply enjoy a better quality of life and they live longer than their unfit peers. Getting fit can be fun and it can do wonders for the self esteem.




About the Author:





You are receiving this because you signed up for it on 2011-08-21 from IP 72.177.83.171


To fine-tune your selection of which articles to receive, just login here
using your username:


To unsubscribe please use the following link:

Unsubscribe