Can women be fit at 40?
by Northern Life
James says that age should not determine fitness and factors such as work commitments, family life and low energy should not prevent women from being at the peak of physicality at forty.
It has been proved that physically over forties still have the ability to build muscle and to change their body shape with strength training and muscle gain.
With the use of his favoured approach of HIIT and Tabata, quick and effective approaches to exercises and effective changes to your diet, James hopes to fight flab and prove that women can be ‘Fit at Forty’.
“The most frequent concerns from 40-plus women from low energy, bad sleep, having no time to train and poor food choices due to family life,” James Crossley.
James is targeting motivated, midlife crisis contenders; women in their forties who have let themselves go and want to regain fitness but don’t know how. Over time women can develop problems that stem from a sedentary lifestyle such as posture suffering from sitting at a desk, those struggling from injuries they have picked up over time and little time to work out due to work and family commitments.
In our current ageing population in the UK and growing concerns about healthcare availability, there is an increased need for women to stay fit and healthy.
Forty is a great age for women to be working out, it’s important to have a combination of different types of training to keep the body feeling, strong and functional, says James. Even with a busy life and family with a bit of planning, preparation, and prioritisation it’s possible to eat well, train and keep yourself feeling fit and full of energy.
“This is an age where it is easy to start putting weight on especially around the waist and legs.
Harsh diets and endless cardio are not the answer, these can actually help you to put weight on.
Ditch the cardio and look at a combination of HIIT training, strength training and some yoga or deep stretching to help lengthen the muscles.”
What are the myths surrounding women in their 40’s or over in regard to exercise?
- Weights will make me bulky and look like a man. Incorrect, you will burn more fat and change your body shape for the better.
- I need endless cardio to lose weight. Incorrect, short sharp intense workouts mixed with weights are more effective for fat loss.
- I have to eat like a bird to lose weight. Incorrect, you are what you eat, that’s the key, regular food will keep the metabolism fast and the blood sugar stable. Regular eating is important for sustainable fat loss plus your less likely to binge.
- Older women shouldn’t do strength training. Incorrect, strength training will help preserve bone density while improving muscle mass, strength, and balance in postmenopausal women.
- Women have to train differently to men. Incorrect, in most cases women will benefit from the same exercise selection as men.
What are the most effective workouts women should be doing?
In general, HIIT training is important to boost the metabolism and torch body fat. Strength training, as muscles over 40 can start to become, weaker, especially postural muscles if you have a sedentary job. Also a dose of yoga to help, lengthen and stretch out the body.
In an age where being fit and healthy is the biggest trend for twenty something year olds, a 43 year-old James, still in peak physical condition, wants to target flabby forties and prove that whoever you are and whatever you do, you can fight fat and be fit at forty.
Beware…
- Eating too little
- Endless cardio
- Hidden sugars
- Too much dairy
- Excess alcohol
Embrace…
- Weight training
- Yoga
- Goals
- Regular meals
- Plenty of sleep
