Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The Importance Of Fitness For The Over 40s

So just why is exercise so important when a person reaches 40 or above? Certainly as we grow older we begin to lose muscle. This is known as atrophy and we lose muscle because it begins to shrink because they are not used as much as they were when we were younger. Also as we grow older we begin to lose bone density which can eventually lead to osteoporosis. But by having muscle (which is active tissue) it helps to burn calories. However as we lose muscles through age our metabolism also begins to slow down which can result in us gaining weight because we store fat more easily. In fact 50% of weight gain in old age is due to inactivity. Luckily today there is ways in which a person can reverse this process if they are willing to make the effort. One such way is to use a Fit Over 40 program which has been specifically designed to help those over 40 retain a healthy lifestyle.

The benefits of using a Fit Over 40 program are numerous and below are just a few of them.

1. You will look good (your waist will be smaller and your stomach flat). In some cases it has been known to reduce a person's biological age so they in fact look 15 to 20 years younger than they are.
2. People who take up this sort of program have a stronger libido and so their sex life is normally better.
3. Often they find that their energy and stamina levels have increased and their mental alertness has also increased.
4. In many cases those who decide to take up a Fit Over 40 program will have not only an improved immune system by they will have an increased zest for life and will look to do more.

When taking part in a Fit Over 40 program there are a number of different exercises that you will be expected to do in order to improve your muscle mass. These exercises are broken down into 5 different categories as follows:-

1. Endurance Exercise - This includes such things as running, a brisk walk, cycling, aerobics or even tennis. Normally you are expected to do between 25 and 30 minutes of this particular form of exercise each day.
2. Strength Training - This includes both weight lifting and uphill training. In the uphill training you can include walking, running or hiking as long as it is up an incline.
3. Stretching - By doing pre and after workout stretches you will be able to retain the flexibility of your muscles. Both yoga and pilates are great for this sort of exercise and there are even special programs which have been set up for use by the over 40's.
4. Balance - This is where you use a balance ball for core exercises or you can stand on one foot without support instead if you do not have a balance ball.
5. Meditative - Help to lower your stress levels by doing either yoga or Tai Chi.

Certainly the Fit Over 40 program is growing in popularity with many people today. So why not take a look at the program for yourself and see what Fit Over 40 can offer you.


Allison Thompson is a full time writer and researcher and fitness addict. You can find further Fit over 40 Reviews at http://www.middleagefitness.com/

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