Healthy Lifestyle and Fitness Hacks for Women in Their 40s

Are you a regular at a gym? Or do you find it easier and more comfortable to work in your home? Or has it been a while since you have tried any form of exercise or even taken a brisk walk?

Irrespective of your current fitness level, if you are a woman approaching or in your 40s, you need to make fitness and a healthy lifestyle a priority now. It is because your body is constantly changing. In your 40s, everything from your metabolism to digestion will differ from what it used to be in your 20s or even mid-30s.

Also, for women, there are hormonal changes that are brought about by perimenopause and menopause. Hence, there are scopes for developing bone and cardiac problems that might show up. Having a healthy life with fitness at its core is essential.

In this article, we will discuss some of the best guidelines that will help women in their 40s to stay fit and healthy.

Say Yes to Aerobics to Reduce Heart Disease

With age, the risk of heart ailments increases. Even though men are more likely to suffer from cardiac arrest than women, that doesn’t mean women should take their health lightly. One way to ensure that you have less chance of cardiac arrest is to get into aerobic exercise every week. It enables the building of the heart muscles by pumping them faster.

Studies suggest that women in their 40s who exercise for almost 30 minutes a week have better fitness levels. A sedentary lifestyle is the root cause of most ailments, especially heart ailments. An excellent exercise routine helps to rule away this problem to a great extent.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

After every decade, your metabolism reduces by 2%. As a result, it is crucial to have a hearty breakfast. When you eat a healthy and wholesome platter at the start of the day, it helps boost metabolism and aids the digestion process as well. This helps steer clear of all gut-related issues.

According to several studies, women who consume a healthy breakfast tend to lose more weight and maintain a fit body for a long time. Also, eating in small fractions throughout the day is more effective at retaining a healthy body than starving for long hours. Women who practiced this lost the extra weight in four months.

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Most women find it tough to maintain a family and their job targets once in a while. The growing expectations from family and increasing professional targets can trigger suppressed fear and anxiety that existed from childhood. When not addressed and treated, it can manifest into physical symptoms such as high blood pressure and quicker cell death that can inhibit the natural heart rate.

All this can make one look and feel older. Hence, it is necessary to address and manage the stress and anxiety that one feels. Techniques such as meditation, journaling, breathwork, and listening to motivational talks are helpful. However, when the stress and anxiety increase, it might be helpful to seek the guidance of a family nurse practitioner.

They can help diagnose the current health status, suggest medical tests, and prescribe medications required to address the existing stress and tension. Today, aspiring family nurse practitioners pursue MSN to FNP programs online, which equips them with the correct know-how and aptitude to deal with women across various age groups and understand their health issues.

Rockhurst University states that FNPs, through their rigorous academic courses, know what it takes to provide primary care for patients of all ages. Their varied and rich clinical experience helps them to be better observers and reflect effectively to provide the best solution to the issue at hand.

Adding Vitamin D and Calcium to the Diet

With age, women must maintain strong bones so that they can go about their lives without any joint pain. It is necessary to count on vitamin D from natural sources, such as salmon and milk. Health experts suggest that women in their 40s should consume 800 IU of vitamin D and 1000mg of calcium daily to ensure better bone health and structure.

Visualize a Positive Future

Movies like “The Secret” have popularized the importance of positive thinking. And this is no new-age mumbo-jumbo. Rather, studies and anecdotal accounts prove the fact that when you visualize a better life, you start to live it.

After their 40s, a woman’s preferences in life change. Also, she has been through much in her life, which might leave her with old anxieties and bitter memories. Therefore, other than taking healthy initiatives in terms of food and exercise, it’s necessary to fix the mental diet as well.

According to Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, spending 15 minutes daily visualizing the kind of life you want changes brain chemistry. It hardwires you in such a way that you develop an optimistic way of life and lead a better life than most women who are not into this practice.

To sum up, no one can stop aging. Instead, one can only develop better ways to tackle the health issues and mental problems that might arise because of it. Women in their 40s can lead an enriching life, provided they give their body and mind the right kind of energy in terms of food and thoughts. The guidelines mentioned can make it possible for women to lead a wholesome life in their 40s and beyond when followed with diligence.