Back again with round two of everything you want to know regarding my current fitness, health and wellness journey at 40. I was so glad to see that last week’s post was so well received and I hope it can offer some long-term advice on how to achieve your goals!
If you missed it the first time, you can read the first q+a here. It should help you regarding more ways to integrate protein into your meals, my core moves for both arms, legs and core and of course other tidbits of info sprinkled in for good measure. But let’s get right down to it: I’m answering 5 more questions you all submitted…
Does a bear go in the woods?? That’s me being captain obvious over here. A lot of my friends forewarned me ahead of time and I am super thankful they did. I can absolutely tell a difference in my endurance over the past 5 years, not just specifically since turning the big 4-0.
The hour-long HIIT workouts I used to be able to knock out day after day just aren’t what benefits my body the most so I’ve definitely shifted my perspective on that aspect of my fitness. I shoot for 3-4 sessions a week, mainly focused on weights + strength training and far less cardio. I have no goal of running any more 1/2 marathons, I just want to continue to age well and stay healthy! For instance, instead of doing 3 sets of a specific exercise, I’m trying to up that number to 4… that means more reps which adds up quickly and has helped to regain my stamina, too.
Honestly, I was just like you… I’ve tried all the classes and group programs and they just never felt like they “fit” my fitness personality. Whenever I went to the gym, I wasn’t there to socialize with friends or chat with people I passed by = I literally went there for some quiet time for myself and to help my mind, body and soul by getting in a workout. But I know if you’re not partaking in Orange Theory or playing pickleball with your girlfriends, it can be very overwhelming on what to do and how to do it. My best advice would be to start with small bits of cardio mixed with strength training 2-3 days a week. Don’t overcommit = set a realistic goal you can make work with your day and strive to reach that. If you’re not as familiar with weights and machines, I’d definitely suggest downloading a workout app = I enjoy the Sculpt Society and Madeline Moves apps because they are effective, quick, easy to adapt based on equipment you have and are moves you can master and then do on your own!
I’ve shared this time and time again and it’s worth sharing again. You don’t need to join some fancy gym or enroll in monthly class packages to meet your fitness goals. Honestly, I prefer working out at home because I save time and a ton of money, but I know that can be hard to maintain without the proper equipment. The good thing is that you really don’t need a lot of pricey items to make your strength training matter = case in point, most of the items listed below are between $10-$50 and will absolutely help you get toned with defined muscles in a few shorts months as long as you’re consistent.
If you’re just starting out, I’d start with a good set of resistance bands, a few specific sizes of dumbbells [my preferences are 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 lb], a bosu ball, heavier kettlebell [25-40 lb] and then a roll up yoga mat. Star there and you can make some major magic happen!!
You and me both sister. I have a HUGE sweet tooth and it’s definitely my weakness when it comes to eating well. Now I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again for people in the back = I live by the 80/20 motto and yes, that includes eating dessert a few days a week. Now that doesn’t mean I go and eat an entire Crumbl cookie at one sitting [yes they are totally my weakness], but I do let myself have ice cream from time to time or a dessert when we are out to dinner… but I don’t eat the entire thing! Usually a few bites cures my sweet tooth and satisfies. Other times, I’ll eat a caramel rice cake with peanut butter on top or I love to keep TruFru dark chocolate and fruit bites in the freezer… you can always make smarter decisions in the sweets department and I am sharing some of my favs for reference, too!
I have done a lot of fasting in my fitness journey and I’ve tried a few cleanses here and there, but honesty they aren’t my favorite. I looked into Prolon after I saw a lot of my influencer friends rave about it, but the menu of options just didn’t appeal to me whatsoever. I am a picky eater and the soup specifics just didn’t do it for me. Now I will say some people love it!
On the other hand, I’ve looked into Kroma and it has definitely piqued my interest. This one has a morning latte with porridge, acai smoothie + veggie broth for lunch, and cookie butter + another broth for dinner for 5 days so I think this option would be more attainable for me personally. However, the price tag is substantially more, so keep that in mind.
For me, I think a cleanse could be a great restart for your body, but beware… it can also affect your energy levels, you can get easily fatigued or experience muscle aches and I’ve had some issues with lightheadedness/feeling dizzy so be sure to note all the potential side effects before trying on these short-term programs.
So there you have it… round two of all things fitness at 40! Be sure to bookmark this post for a fast reference on things to make your health and wellness journey easy + efficient in 2024. I’ll be back soon with the final round of this series = chatting more about my favorite fitness brands + attire, shoes I swear by, calculating macros the easy way, go-to fitness apps and more!
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