What you do for your body in your 20's & 30's will reflect when you are in your 40's, 50's & so on. Which is why it's so important to make our health a priority.
As we age our our collagen, & estrogen levels reduce and Testosterone levels will rise. what does this mean? Well, I'm glad you asked. When this happens we loose bone density, muscle mass, & flexibility among other things. The list really does go on. We can also see an increase of facial hair, stubborn weight around the mid-section, that flappy thing on our triceps, low energy levels and low sex drive. Not to mention mood swings, hot & cold flashes and your confidence just disappears. With that being said, there is a way to stop it or at least reduce the symptoms!
1. Make exercise a priority (schedule workouts). 30-60 minutes of exercise or physical activity per day can do wonders for your body and over all health. Balance and strength training can reduce the risk of falling by increasing flexibility and modality. Strength training can increase muscle mass, improve muscle tone and definition. Exercise for 30-60 minutes per day is proven to be effective with boosting you mood by releasing a hormone called endorphins. Exercise is basically your preventative maintenance for the body. For example, a brand new vehicle... it works great right? Well, over time you need to add oil, get the oil changed, and change the brakes. What happens if you don't maintain your vehicle? What happens if you stop changing the oil? Or decide to drive the Vehicle without fixing the brakes? Eventually it brakes. It's stops working properly and ultimately creates more issues and more problem to fix. Same goes with our bodies. We have to keep maintaining it to keep it working and functioning properly. Otherwise, we will be spending a-lot of time at the doctors office.
2. Multi-vitamins. You should look for a multi-vitamin that fits your personal needs. Do your research. Don't just put anything in your body as some vitamin combinations will not absorb properly in your system. Your doctor can also recommend the best one for you. There are a few custom brands out there like Persona and Vous that will ask you questions to determine what vitamin cocktail to create for you. Make sure to increase your Vitamin D & C as these are important after 40.
3. Hydration. Water intake is so important. our bodies are around 60% water and our blood is 90% water. Water is essential for the kidneys and other functions of the body. It can improve skin texture & wrinkles revealing younger looking skin. Water can lubricate the joints to provide optimal range of motion. Water helps digestion and deliver oxygen throughout the body. Water helps regulate body temperature which is important especially during physical activities and exercise. Water flushes out body waste & toxins in the body. So the more you pee, the better! there are so many more great reasons to drink water but i'm sure you got the point now. Water is essential.
4. Sleep. Sleep is so important for our over all health and wellbeing. Sleep can boost your immune system, prevent weight gain, strengthen your heart, increase moods, and increase productivity. It is suggested that we have 7-9 hours of sleep every night to prevent all the negative effects that come along with lack of sleep. Lack of sleep with also hinder your weight loss journey due to increased cortisol levels, a stress hormone that causes fat to store on you body instead of burning it.
5. Portion control. Portion control is an important part of watching your diet. Everything you eat has a serving size or recommendation on the label. It's important to read those labels and only eat the serving size to maintain a healthy balance. Do you remember being a first time mom? That fear of doing something wrong? Or our parents, family and friends who had more experience trying to tell us how to raise our child? Yet we still did our research and tried to prove them wrong, like we knew better then them. (ok, maybe that was just me!) We wouldn't put just anything in their body. It had to be the best of the best. Right? So why are we not doing the same for our bodies? Are we not as important? Of course we are. So read those labels, log your food, at least for a little while and on new foods you consume. This will help you be aware of how much calories you consume as well as proteins, fibers, carbs & fat. This knowledge is power in your hands. Knowing what you put in your body will help you understand what is going on in the inside. Portion Control isn't a diet. It's a way to get the freedom to eat a variety of foods but in a small portion. Point being...Moderation is important.
As we age it will become harder to achieve your goals. Be patient with yourself. Your body isn't the way it was when you were in your 20's or 30's. What may have taken you 2-4 weeks to achieve back then, may take you 6-8 weeks to do now. The 5 points above are important to maintain a long healthy life full of Energy, Strength & Confidence. I know you have it in you!
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