We 3 Kings! Important things for those over 40

Now that I am in my precious 40’s; I have learned a lot about things we need to be doing for longevity and functional health. There is SO much information out there, but sticking to the basics will always trump all the marketing and gimmicks everyone is trying to sell.

Women lose 1/3 of their muscle after 40 years of age. We have to work “really hard” to maintain or continue to build muscle mass. For those who have never picked up a weight, it is not too late. I started lifting in 7th grade, even though most of us didn’t know what we were doing in the 90’s. If we want to be able to run around with our grandkids, not be susceptible to broken limbs or falls, perform functional daily exercises around the house, and not be riddled with aches and pains; listen up. We are going to have to make some changes. It is vital for living a long and healthy life.

Weight training does not have to be intimidating. I plan on helping each of you try and understand that everyone can start no matter their fitness level. The goal is progressive overload which means following a program for 4-6 weeks gradually increasing the weights over time to make it challenging. Grab a reliable friend and get after it! There are thousands of workouts on you tube to help you get started or you can buy into an app. I bought an app this year and love it! Her name is aliciae. I follow her in instagram. She is a health and wellness coach/trainer. It keeps all my workouts easy to follow and log every time I go to the gym. She is high energy and super fun!

If you don’t see yourself ever picking a weight, I suggest buying a weighted vest off of Amazon. My vest is 8lbs, but they have vests which go as high as 30-35 lbs. You click it on and head out the door for a walk or weight training session. It will challenge your skeletal structure and put stress on it for it to become stronger. It will make you less resistance to osteopenia or osteoporosis which is a weakening of the bones. It can even improve these conditions over time! I will link the weighted vest in my group on FB called Vital Women’s Health. I have had several women tell me they bought one and love it!

The second most important things for increasing longevity after 40 is sprint interval training. You want me to do what Emily? RUN?? No, no, no. Ummm yes. I understand some people have bad knees, back injuries or think they are not capable. If you are not struggling with any of these things; I promise you are capable. We aren’t looking for lightning speed. We are looking for a build up to as fast as you are capable of going for 20 seconds, resting for 1 full min (or perhaps a bit longer) working up to 10 minutes of this 1 time a week. I will help you with this as we go along. Our bodies NEED that kind of impact 1-2x a week to stay strong with the loss we experience after 40. There is something so raw and amazing running with the wind at your back, pumping your arms, breathing in and out, and feeling like your version of a superhero even if for a moment! We are women! We handle all the things. We push out babies. We cook, clean, transport, soothe, fix, encourage, fight and do it all by noon! WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! We are already doing them!

The third most important thing in increasing longevity is jump training. Even though I have a bladder of a 90 year old woman at this point, I still love to jump! I LOVE it. Jumping up, throwing your arms up and landing hard in your heels is important. You can work up to jumping onto a low step or box. It is so important for our bone strength. The muscle and impact we can safely put on our bodies is so essential.

To wrap things up, the three most important things for moving forward into our 40’s is weight training, sprint interval training and jump training. I believe in every single one of you! This is your time to find your old self, create a new version of yourself or celebrate how hard you have worked and the growth you are already experiencing! We can cheer each other on at every milestone! This is OUR time to be strong, push ourselves outside our comfort zone and reap the millions of benefits while doing so! Isn’t this exciting???

Here’s to your health and a NEW YOU coming! WOOHOOO!

Blessings and may you enjoy all the magic of the holiday season no matter what season you are in right now. You are loved. Merry Christmas!

Emily