By When you are over 40, there is some work to be done
It’s not entirely our fault — it’s just that we’re tired. We are tired of the kids bleeding our pockets dry, of doing all the housework as well as running around putting out fires at work. Then we have to do all the grocery buying, prepare meals and lunches. Maybe we might get a few moments to drink a cup of coffee — if we’re lucky. The world becomes a lot busier when you age. More responsibilities, duties and little people to run around after. Stress is probably higher than ever before, and the pressure is to pay bills and make everyone happy. No wonder we’re getting both fatter and lazier as the years progress. But, unfortunately, sometimes that fat doesn’t budge, no matter what we do. It’s frustrating and tiresome. Unfortunately, as we age, so does our metabolism. It starts to die down because of age, and during our 30’s, if we haven’t made an effort to build some muscle, we’re running the risk of losing whatever we have. This makes us weak and diminishes our metabolism even more. So you have the age factor and the non-workout factor to think about. This adds up by the time you hit your 40’s. You can do some things to start turning this around; slowly but surely, you will begin to feel more like your old self, with some energy and vibrancy. I mean, come on, ’40s are not old. We have many lives left in us; we have to let our bodies catch up with our minds. Here’s how to do just that:
One — Pick and choose your fat-burning food well every day
Certain foods enhance your metabolism that you should include in your food plan daily. These foods are; protein sources like chicken, salmon, turkey and eggs. You can also get quite a big metabolism boost from green vegetables. Focusing on these key ingredients will not only increase your metabolism but will also keep you full, decreasing your chances of snacking in between meals. You will also experience balanced energy levels, which will increase your energy. Protein in itself is thermogenic, so do opt to eat protein sources regularly, even if sometimes you may need to resort to protein powders as a backup.
Two: Make it a habit to lift weights 3–4 times per week
You cause a cascade of hormonal changes that boost your metabolism’s potential when you lift weights. It’s in the muscle mass itself and the force and exertion needed to lift the weight. It’s very taxing on the body (in a good way), and therefore, needs a lot of energy. Without getting into the science jargon, it’s in your best interest to use this strategy 3–4 times per week to keep making this shift and stretching your metabolism’s potential in the process.
Three: Use some HIIT for burning that belly fat
HIIT is the most effective kind of cardio for getting rid of those stubborn fat stores, especially belly fat. Because of the sheer intensity, it can leave you with the after-burn effect for hours after the session ends. But the one rule is that you must go all out during the intense periods. You will have to be gasping for air! Yes, I know it’s hard, but we are after effective metabolism boosters and fat burners. Nothing is ever easy!
Four: Skip one meal a day for 40 days
By far, this is the most straightforward lifestyle strategy to slot into your daily life. I’ve been doing this for many years and have completely changed my metabolisms potential. It works so well because when you don’t eat, insulin levels plummet — triggering hormonal responses, which increases our bodies fat-burning potential. The beauty of this strategy is that it’s not restricted eating or calorie-controlled eating — therefore, you can still eat reasonably well with this. Although I would encourage you to keep eating healthy, you could add a treat or two during the week. Depending on your dedication, you can use this strategy daily or three times a week. I use it every day, as it works pretty well for me, and I’m getting excellent results. Hunger — How To Stop That Never-Ending Feeling That Takes OverHunger can ruin your nutritional goals. Here’s how to get hold of it before it takes hold of youmedium.com
Five: Time your food
This is a bit like carb loading. You eat the most nutrient-rich meal during your most challenging training days. For instance, I would eat more carbohydrates on my weight lifting days than on cardio or rest sessions. This gives my body a chance to store the glycogen in my muscles to use in my next session. It’s essential to keep those stores high so that you can develop your muscle mass over time. Muscles are constantly in a loss and gain status. This is because they need the proper nutrients to grow and develop — and as you know, when we enhance our muscle mass, we create a metabolic shift — especially when at rest. You don’t need to overeat at all — just enough to hit those goals. Lose Body Fat & Stay Lean While Still Eating Your Carbs — By Doing This One ThingIf you love carbs — then use this technique to eat them often and still stay leanmedium.com.Eating extra protein doesn’t do much — it’s lifting weights that make the most impact. Making these small yet highly significant changes will turn your age bracket around within a few weeks. Who knows where your dedication might lead you, but I guarantee you will no longer strive for results. If you would like to read more articles like this or start writing your own, please sign up via my link. I’d love to see you on the other side. Sign up here for your medium subscription