Your 40s are a time when your body, your responsibilities, and your interests go through some big changes, and your habits should, too - especially in terms of your health and wellness. With that in mind, here are the five most important habits you need to adopt in your 40s:
MOBILIZE - Tired of waking up in the morning achy or constantly tight and sluggish? Chances are you’re like everyone else who skips out on mobilizing. Stretching, when done correctly, is one of the easiest forms of body maintenance, which almost everyone can do on their own. What does staying mobile do for you? To name a few, it helps muscles heal, it prevents everyday aches and pains, it can help you de-stress, and it will improve your workouts and everyday movement. You are especially in need of mobilizing if you stand a lot, sit a lot or if you’re an athlete. If it sounds like that includes just about everyone, you’re right.
LIFT WEIGHTS - This habit will benefit you in more ways than one. Training with weights two to four times a week builds muscle and maintains bone density. It also makes it easier to maintain your weight, since a leaner body with more muscle is more metabolically active and burns more calories all day long. Long story short, weight lifting is one of the biggest bangs for your buck, because the benefits of your lifting session bleeds over to when you’re sitting on the couch - thanks to your newly increased metabolism.
EAT MORE PROTEIN - Building and preserving muscle isn’t possible if you’re not eating enough protein. The USDA’s recommendation of 5.5 ounces of protein per day is too low. In order to maintain and build muscle in your 40s, you should aim to get about one gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. Throw in a protein shake or two if you need it, but get that number up!
SLEEP - You KNOW sleep is important, and you know firsthand how miserable you can be when you don’t get enough of it. Once you get into your 40s, you probably need to reassess just how important sleep is and exactly how much you’re getting (or missing out on). Sadly, our sleep quality tends to get worse as we age due to life stress and as a result of hormonal changes that occur in both men and women over 40. To that end, we have to be more diligent about getting the recommended hours as we get older. Getting your seven to nine hours of sleep will reduce stress levels, boost your immune system, and help you recover faster from exercise.
STAY CONNECTED - Spending time with those who give meaning to our lives, who we feel comfortable around, and who we share common interests with allows us to feel a sense of intimacy, trust, and helps reduce our stress levels. All too often we find ourselves running ragged from one commitment to another and we forget to take time out and connect. We need social interactions, down time and portions of our day spent with friends and in the community. According to the Mayo Clinic, socializing plays a significant role in promoting your overall health. Adults with strong social support have a lower risk of many significant health problems, including high blood pressure, depression, and an unhealthy body composition. Other studies have found that adults with a rich social life are likely to live longer than their counterparts with fewer connections.
Here at Sasquatch Strength we help you tackle all of these habits. In every class we’ll get you mobilized, teach you how to lift weights and keep you connected with your community. As far as sleeping and eating protein, we’ve got resources for you. If you’re interested in learning more, click on the location below to schedule your FREE trial class with no commitment. Thanks for reading and hope to see you in the gym soon!
