“Life starts at forty”. You have probably heard this phrase, but it is only until you hit the magic number that you realize the changes which come with this new phase in your life. Forty is a move from active adulthood into a rather sluggish old age. However, this change does not necessarily have to deal a heavy blow to your health. You may have probably lived a more carefree way earlier, but that becomes precarious during middle age.
After you exit your early to mid-20s, your body starts taking longer to recover from the things you do. Your metabolism slows down, energy levels may decrease, and you start to feel that age a little bit. A lot of people succumb to the woes of getting older, but there are still a lot of ways to combat old age. Here are a few steps on what you would embrace to get back in shape and enjoy your forties.
Staying Healthy
“You are what you eat”. One can never overemphasize this simple phrase. A healthy diet is good for your body and overall health. When you are younger, you can easily get away with some not-so-good eating habits such as junk food, drinking, and smoking. However, once you hit forty, your body is getting older and metabolic processes are slowing. The body takes longer to eliminate unwanted stuff, including excess fats and toxins from alcohol and smoke.
Eating healthy will give your body an easier time dealing with its changing metabolism. Additionally, you also give your body a chance to rejuvenate and revitalize components and processes that you had potentially affected with a less healthy eating habit. It becomes more important when you are older to start fueling your body with the right food. It is not sustainable to live off of processed, unhealthy foods. This type of diet can lead to poor health, energy levels, and sluggish quality of life. If you really want to fuel your body with the right stuff and live a longer, happier life, you need to start changing what you eat.
Exercise Health
“All work and no play” gets real in the forties. Most people in the modern generation lead a sedentary life with an office routine for the better part of their productive lives. However, you will soon find out that this lifestyle is not the best, especially as you begin to age. It is important, if you find yourself in this constant work cycle, to incorporate exercise into your daily regimen. A lot of people claim that they simply do not have the time or energy to exercise amidst their work schedule. This cycle is easy to fall into, especially when you are on the go and eating foods that are not optimal for your health, but rather more for your time.
Regular exercise is an excellent way to maintain the correct weight and get back in shape. A regular routine of exercise that focuses on intensity is recommended for weight loss and management of calories. You may need to work with a specialist in physical exercise to guide you on the proper regimen that fits your body structure and metabolism. One way you can start increasing your activity levels is to start walking each morning. Getting about 45 minutes of walking time and exercise can change a lot of aspects of your life. Being outside in nature is good for your psyche and getting the blood flowing is good for your health.
Checkups
At forty, your body is prone to chronic conditions that have been developing or are now creeping on you as age advances. The most effective way to curb this risk involves routine screening for possible diseases. Regular checkups for hypertension, blood sugar, and other chronic conditions are necessary to ascertain proper health and management.
You are also at a higher risk of adding weight and developing these chronic issues without a regular checkup. However, if you undergo regular checks, there is a higher threshold for proper management. You can work with your physician on making the right physical health changes that will positively affect your health.
Self-Awareness
Your body is inevitably prone to take a new shape with age. Most of these transitions start to occur around your forties. Some of the expected changes that you will observe include the development of excess weight, even with a regular and routine diet. Even under effective control, your skin will look different and become excess in specific areas.
However, you do not have to worry about issues such as sagging skin, which is a common aftermath of aging, especially around the abdominal region. When necessary, a skin tuck is essential to keep your skin looking good, even as you maintain proper health. If you are experiencing sagging skin issues, you can inquire about a tummy tuck procedure and find a certified practitioner who will serve this and other aesthetic skin needs. All you have to do is search for what you need online to be connected with the best healthcare professionals. For example, if you lived in Kansas all you’d have to do is search up tummy tuck cost in Kansas City to learn all the financials and details regarding the procedure. This goes for any other state as well, a quick online search will get you where you need to be.
Consistency to Stay Healthy
Ultimately, everything that you do after forty and beyond counts more immensely on your aging process. Subsequently, it would be best to remain consistent in all that you do on your lifestyle, diet, activity, and day-to-day routine. It would help to cut on habits and indulgences that negatively impact your health and general well-being. If you adopt new practices, you must also remain deliberate on maintaining them as part of your new lifestyle.
Life indeed starts at forty. However, this is a new phase in life that requires greater personal responsibility on your part. One must take charge of their habits and indulge in practices that positively impact their lifestyle. When this is done consistently, your expectancy will stretch far beyond forty and leave a good impression about a life well-lived.