Fitness Goals
2022 is right around the corner, and if you’re like me, you’re starting to think about your New Year’s resolutions. If your resolutions include getting – or staying – fit, great! I’ve sifted through loads of information to narrow down what you need to do to simplify your routines. To stay fit over 40: these are the only 6 resolutions you need next year!
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#1 Sleep
This is one you’ve probably already heard before, but it bears repeating. Getting enough, high-quality sleep is one of the most important things you can do to help your fitness over 40. In our social media comparison and FOMO lifestyles, sleep is not always our priority. Join the sleep revolution and promise yourself that you’ll get enough sleep most days of the week this coming year. Make your bed all the more inviting with these luxe sheets and silk eye mask.
#2 Stop Dieting
When we say we’re on a diet, we imply that we’re working toward a “quick fix.” Work to switch your mindset around how you eat and see food. Sure, if you want to lose weight, you’ll need to be in a calorie deficit, but you shouldn’t be walking around hungry all of the time. A small daily deficit will help you reach your goal because you will still be nourishing your body. Keeping your nutrition high will also keep your metabolism higher.
#3 More Protein
To stay fit over 40, you need to eat more protein than you may think. Protein makes us feel fuller for longer, so we’re less likely to have mid-afternoon cravings. It also helps keep muscle mass in a healthy range if you’re working to lower your weight. This means you are reducing your weight through fat loss, not muscle loss. Another reason protein is important as you age is that it can help your bones stay strong.
#4 Weight Training
Lifting heavy weights will not make you look like Dwane Johnson. You just don’t have the testosterone to make your body do that without some serious planning. Heck! Even The Rock needs to train really hard to look like The Rock. Weight training can help you stay fit over 40 though! Lifting weights will increase your muscle mass, which will burn more calories, even when you’re resting.
#5 Some Exercise Is Better Than None
Many women, myself included, feel like short workouts aren’t worth the effort. We need to do the whole session to feel like we “accomplished” something. Here’s the catch though, sometimes we’re busy or just tired, and we don’t have the time or energy to do the entire workout. That’s where giving yourself the grace to do a short workout is important. It keeps you moving and can help you stay on track with your fitness goals overall. Accepting that if you can’t do the long workout, a short workout is better than nothing is important. This is a resolution I’m going to work on this year.
#6 Follow Your Interest
Everyone may say that the new yoga trend is the best, or they’ve had amazing results with a new at-home fitness program. But if you don’t like those things, then don’t buy into them. Allow yourself to follow your interests, and you’ll be more likely to stick with your fitness resolutions. I love yoga, but I don’t do it often because weight training and running gives my high-energy personality a release.
Ready to stay fit over 40 with these resolutions next year? I’ve rounded up some products that can help you get started. They will help make keeping the resolutions enjoyable! Keep scrolling for all the details…
What are some of your fitness resolutions for the new year? Which of these ideas do you think you’ll try first? I’m excited to hear your thoughts, so let me know in the comments. Don’t miss out! Get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox along with some incredible and exclusive style resources, by clicking here to subscribe to the newsletter.
Great post, and absolutely true! I got into the best shape of my life at around age 45 doing exactly what you wrote. I would work out 3 days a week to build muscle (not to bulk up but to tone up) and then do cardio 3 days a week. Add a healthy diet + consistency and it happens!! Of course when I was 20 years younger, I simply wouldn’t eat and *bam* I’d drop 5 pounds in a week. Would never do that now! I think one of the biggest myths is having to severely restrict calories and “starve”. That’s incredibly unhealthy in general, and not good for maintaining healthy skin and hair either! Calories count, but the right calories! I recently gained a bit of weight because I dropped my fitness routine and it’s a bit harder to get back into shape as I’m a few years older now, but I’ve been working at it in slow stages and I’m starting to see healthy results now, which inspires me. And now, it’s not only about looking good in my bright red jeans, it’s about strong bones, flexibility, heart-health, etc as I age! Thanks for the post.
Thank you for your kind words! I’m glad to hear you’ve had success on your fitness journey. I agree that calorie restriction is a horrible and ultimately unsustainable way to go. Better to learn to nourish your body with all the foods that serve you! Thank you for sharing your wisdom.