Men’s fitness: What habits to change as you age

MANILA, Philippines – Mark Wahlberg, Patrick Dempsey, Keanu Reeves, Hugh Grant. Aside from being world-famous, all of these men have one thing in common. They’re already in their 40s.  

What does that spell for a man like you? Your 40s is definitely a critical time. Whether you’ve been a fitness buff all throughout your 20s and 30s, or spent those years drinking a bit too much and consuming too many calories – you will definitely feel the effects once you hit 40.  

The good news is that you can still fix the trajectory of your health by simply adjusting your workout, eating, and other fitness habits.  

Read through this list of fitness tips to help you improve your health and boost your overall performance during your 40s. 

1) Exercise for flexibility and maintenance

When you hit your 40s, men typically begin to lose about 0.5 pounds of muscle a year. However, by changing your workout routine, you can counteract the process and maintain or even build a leaner physique. 

Building flexibility should be a main focus in your workout, coupled with increasing mobility and balance. This enables a full body workout that will stress your muscles just enough to build and maintain but not over burden your joints. Your focus needs to shift from pushing yourself to your limits, to listening and caring for your body’s needs. 

Consider taking yoga classes to work on your flexibility and balance, in addition to your regular gym routine. When in the gym, Men’s health also recommends you split a 1 hour workout three ways: 15 minutes of flexibility, 25 minutes of strength training, and 20 minutes cardio.  

Do this three times a week and you should have no problems staying on top of your game. 

2) Eat a protein heavy diet and avoid processed food

Gone are the days when fast food on a regular basis barely made a dent in your waistline. If you don’t want to be buying larger pants every year, you need to implement dietary restrictions and start counting calories. 

Depending on how active a lifestyle you lead, the recommended number of calories men in their 40s should consume is between 2,200 to 3,000. This should be split in a variety of food groups: 10% to 35% in protein, 45% to 64% in carbohydrates, and the remaining percentage in healthy sources of fat such as olive oil and nuts. 

Tuna, salmon, chicken or turkey breast, eggs, and lean beef are good sources of protein to protect your hard earned muscles. Also, try avoiding processed carbohydrates and opt for brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes or kamote as alternatives.

3) Get a good night’s sleep and keep hydrated

Different age groups require different amounts of sleep. Typically adults require 7-9 hours of sleep a day. While this is also dependent on an individual’s needs, clocking in the right number of hours a night really improves your performance during the day.   

When you get a good night’s sleep, your mind is sharper and your stress levels are lower. It also increases your ability to pay attention and retain new information, and helps improve athletic performance and weight maintenance.  

Equally important, is to keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Do away with drinks filled with high fructose corn syrup (HFCP).  Studies from the journal Diabetes and Metabolism have revealed that HFCP could be linked to higher incidents of gout, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, belly fat, and diabetes.  

4) Get regular physical exams

Admittedly, nobody likes seeing the doctor. Missing regular check ups in your 20s and maybe even in your 30s could seem forgivable, as your body is still much more resilient to illnesses. However, your 40s is the age to begin getting regular physical exams as a preventive measure for future illnesses. 

See your doctor every 2 to 3 years for a full body check up. This includes measuring your body mass index, blood tests, urinalysis, and even a mental health screening. Also, ensure you take a testicular exam along with your regular physical exam. Early screening is key in preventing your risk of prostrate cancer.  

5) Quit smoking and drink only in moderation 

Gone are the days of all night benders with your buddies and bouncing back hangover free the next day at work. 

Excessive drinking begins to take a toll on your body at 40 and can actually cause you to become more irritable and impatient. Heavy drinking can also lead to liver and heart disease.  

After a stressful day, it’s natural to crave a drink or two to help you unwind. Drinking in moderation is the way to go and the recommended amount for 40 something males is 2 drinks a day. The serving size differs on your choice of poison: 24 ounces of beer, 10 ounces of wine, or 3 ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits. 

Lastly, if you are 40 and still haven’t realized that smoking kills – it’s not too late to go cold turkey. With so much more to look forward to in life you are only lessening your lifespan every time you take a drag and fill your lungs with black, gooey, tar. 

Read: Why men should look forward to their 40s

Staying fit at any age is a struggle and each life stage requires you to customize your habits to fit your body’s needs. Being 40 does not have to mean the end of your chiseled body and peak form. It could mean the beginning of being in the best shape of your life.

Follow these simple health tips and prove to people that age is really just a number. –Rappler.com

For overall body maintenance consider adding a nutritional adult milk drink that has a multi defense system® as part of your daily routine. These drinks are specially designed and packed with essential nutrients such as: natural inulin fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium, Vitamins A, D, B6, and B12.

Regularly drinking nutrition rich supplements helps in the following areas:

• build your resistance to high blood pressure
• increase your stamina
• lower your cholesterol
• prevent obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease