Fit After Forty

Women today have all the advantages that our ancestors only dreamed about. From having the right to vote, to being able to own land and manage our own earnings, modern women have come a long way.

Women today don’t settle for old myths about not being able to keep up with a changing body. Times were, that as women aged, they gave up on any thoughts of physical fitness, sports competition or losing weight, for that matter. We now realize that as we age, it is as important as ever, to stay physically fit.

Regular exercise is vital to our bodies at any age, but as we get older, our joints become stiffer, muscles are not as flexible and our range of movement begins to slow a little bit. However, with regular exercise, you can strengthen your muscles, avoid injury and be able to regain the flexibility that you once had.

It doesn’t matter if you are 17 or 77, exercise can improve the way that you feel and look. It’s not unheard of for women over 40 to still be modeling or even competing in the Olympics. Look at Dara Torres, an ageless wonder, who at 42 is still winning medals for swim competition, and looking forward to the 2012 Olympics.

There’s no reason to throw in the towel just because you’ve hit a certain age. Surprise everyone you know, by getting back into the swing of things. Start exercising for about 30 minutes a day, and repeat it for six days every week. The seventh day, take a day off and rest your body for complete rejuvenation.

When you begin your exercise program, reserve three days each week for resistance or strength training workouts. These exercises will strengthen and train your muscles so you can perform day-to-day activities and to assist you in doing aerobic or cardio exercises. You’ll need this training because the other three days of the week, you need to concentrate on doing aerobic exercises that raise your heartbeat.

Cardiovascular exercises that raise your heartbeat work to strengthen your heart and lungs and help to build your endurance. Together strength training and aerobic exercises will give you the perfect workout for your best-looking body.

Fit after forty doesn’t have to be just a dream. It can be a reality for any woman or man, for that matter. Best of all, being physically fit and living a healthy lifestyle can make life so much easier. Sure, it doesn’t guarantee you won’t have any disappointments in life, but it does mean, that you will feel healthier, have better movement and will love the way you look. And that really counts for something!

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