Fitness by the numbers: Right exercises for your 20s, 30s and 40s

Keeping a healthy outlook and an active fitness regimen shouldn’t start when one has developed a sickness of some sort. The earlier you start maintaining a healthy workout regimen, the better. Our bodies change not only in how they appear physically but how they function as well. This is one of the main reasons why people at certain age don’t lose pounds as faster as they used to when they were in their teens; this is also the very reason why people should maintain a workout plan according to their age groups as our bodies’ reactions to a fitness routine vary depending on our age.

Age is just a number; however we should keep in mind that our bodies go through discreet to noticeable changes. Having said that, we should tailor fit our workout plans in accordance to our age groups.

Fitness for people in their 20s. People in their 20s are just getting started in their career life. They should be aware of their feet, neck and core. Women are most often seen wearing heels, which isn’t good for their health. This is the phase where one sits in an office chair in front of the computer for hours, leaving a strained neck and back. According to fitness trainer and lifestyle expert Jim Karas, exercise should be 75% cardio and 25% strength training. Group workout programs like spinning classes, dance aerobics or Pilates are good cardio workouts as they leave a good amount of muscle preserved. When strength training, keep in mind to focus on areas that require special attention such as arms, legs and abdomen. Pair it with the right diet that avoids alcohol, empty calories such as pizza, and eating out a lot. Instead, opt for water and natural fruit juices instead of alcohol and healthy grilled food options like grilled fish instead of a burger from a fast food joint.

Fitness for people in their 30s. If your 20s is all about finding your place as an adult, your 30s is all about finding and maintaining balance. In this phase, basal metabolism begins to drop, making it a bit harder to lose extra pounds than when you were in your 20s. Areas that should be given extra attention to are shoulders, buttocks and back. Stress is now making its mark on your tight shoulders and back, while butt is starting to lose its shape. It’s all about balance; workout programs should be 50% cardio and 50% strength training. This is the time when you are starting to lose more muscle so the exercises that you were doing in your 20s need to be improved to maintain your body’s shape. Increase the heart rate when doing cardio exercises by adding some intervals. Couple this fitness regimen with a diet that’s 50% fruits and vegetables, 25% whole grains and 25% lean proteins.

Fitness for people in their 40s. While others say that 40 is the new 30, this is the time of transition to middle age, meaning there might be subtle changes in vision and brain function and an increasingly slowing metabolism. Areas of concern are the abdomen, wrists and knees. Fitness regimen should be focused on strength training to increase and preserve muscle mess, endurance exercise to reduce resting heart rate and high blood pressure, and lower impact cardio to reduce the risk of injury. Diet should be rich in lean protein, healthy fats and fiber.

CONTENT SOURCES:

Health and Fitness Advice by FitFarms Editorial Team

Image Credit: AuroraHealthCare.org