Staying on Top of the Game: Fitness in Your 40s

When you hit 40, your body changes. Mentally you’re the same you’ve always been, but maybe your knees start to ache or you’re a little slower than you used to be. For some, this might be seen as an invitation to slow down, but maintaining good fitness habits is even more important when you’re over 40.

Don’t let your age be a hindrance to your workouts. You can use your forties and beyond to get in the best shape of your life. You just have to know how to approach fitness as you approach retirement. Here are a few ways you can make sure you’re working out safely and effectively when you’re in your forties.

Know Your Body

It might be hard to hear, but it’s easy to feel: your body in your forties is definitely not what it was in your twenties or even your thirties. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s definitely something you need to wrap your head around. As we age, our bodies change and, while these changes shouldn’t prevent you from doing the physical things you want to do, you need to know your limits and understand your body’s needs.

As we age, our bodies have a harder time building and retaining muscle. “As we grow older,” according to the Columbia University Medical Center, “our skeletal muscles tend to wither and weaken, a phenomenon known as sarcopenia.”

Sarcopenia begins to rear its ugly head around age 40 and accelerates after age 75. It’s a major cause of disability in the elderly. The only thing known to counter its effects is exercise. “Otherwise,” the Columbia University Medical Center says, “there are no established treatments.”

This makes exercising after age 40 even more crucial, but it’s important to keep in mind that your body doesn’t behave like it used to. Knowing and accepting this can help you tailor your routines to build muscle and it can help you to set reasonable goals. If at age 20, you could run an eight-minute mile after a few weeks of training, recognize that at age 40 it might take you a while longer to make that milestone. It’s still a reasonable, achievable goal.

Bump Up Your Weight Training

You know it’s important to amp up your weight training to stave off sarcopenia and maintain or even build muscle mass, but how should you do it? And how can you do it safely? They key to weight training in your forties and beyond is to take it slow and steady.

According to BodyBuilding.com, you should always warm up with a little bit of cardio before you lift weights. Fifteen minutes on a piece of cardio equipment is enough to increase your core temperature and get your blood flowing for the rest of your workout. Keep your repetitions in the moderate to high range but with a lower weight. Heavy weights can put too much stress on aging joints and ligaments.

Using a combination of free weights and weight lifting machines is the best way to build muscle over 40. Relying only on free weights can put too much strain on age-weakened stabilizer muscles, but only using machines doesn’t give those muscles an opportunity to build strength. When you’re doing any exercise, pay special attention to your form and your posture. After age 40 you’re much more prone to injury, so form becomes especially important. And remember to allow yourself more time to recover than you might have in your younger years. Your body is going to take more time to bounce back, which may mean fewer days in the gym. But if taking it slow is going to keep you from being injured, an extra off day is going to be well worth it.

Adjust Your Diet

Your diet is going to have to change a little bit after you hit 40, too. You’re not the calorie-burning powerhouse you once were. You might not be able to get away with going to town on a bag of Hot Cheetos the way you used to. That’s ok. Hot Cheetos are junk anyway. You want to use your diet to fuel your muscle production and to keep extra weight at bay. “As you age, your metabolism tends to decelerate by about 5 percent for every decade of life past age 40,” according to WebMD.

Men’s Fitness suggests keeping an eye on how many calories you’re consuming by using a calorie counter app. Cutting back on alcohol and refined carbs can help keep your calories in line. Men’s Fitness recommends easing up on your meat consumption, too, looking to other sources of ever-important protein. And getting enough protein is more crucial than it was in your twenties and thirties. Middle-aged men should aim for 25 to 30 grams per meal.

Take Care Of Yourself

This advice holds true at any age, but taking care of yourself as you approach middle age is even more important. Being in tune with your body can prevent an injury that could sideline you for weeks, even months. If you feel that something’s a little off or hurts more than it should, take a break from working that body part and see your doctor. Take care of yourself in the things that you eat, focusing on whole foods and complete nutrition. Take care of yourself by hitting the gym, building muscle and strength to stave off sarcopenia. Take care of yourself by resting, getting enough sleep and giving yourself enough time to recover from your workouts.

Fitness in your forties doesn’t have to be intimidating. Whether you’re new to the gym or a seasoned veteran, the game changes when you hit 40. Take care of yourself, build muscle, eat right and listen to your body and you’ll look and feel better in your forties than you ever have.

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