Welcome back to the second half of our two-part article on how to enjoy your body after turning 40 despite what media and possibly your own instincts are telling you. Just when you’re starting to feel like slowing down is the perfect time to find a routine that works well for keeping your body healthy and comfortable. Last time we talked about the importance of walking and swinging your hips in general, as this both works out a large variety of muscles and moves your digestive system forward, along with the benefits of hot baths on aches though society has turned to showers. Let’s pick up where we left off at the right foods for a pleasant experience.
3) Eat Rabbit Food
One of the last things anyone in their 40s and 50s wants to hear is another person pushing them to change their diet but we’re going to talk about diet anyway. The way your digestion treats you will depend a great deal on what you eat. As the computer crowd likes to say “Trash In, Trash Out” and this absolutely applies to your diet as well. Now I’m not saying that you need to give up the burgers and steak altogether, just think about what you’re mixing together and how that will bond in your belly.
The key is to sneak vegetables, rice, and other forms of natural roughage into your diet whenever possible. This is actually easier than it sounds. Try including half a bowl of oatmeal with your regular breakfast. If you tend to live on instant noodles when really getting to work, throw in a handful of dehydrated vegetables. Eat a side of rice and a side of steamed and seasoned vegetables with your steak, eat a salad with your burger, and consider putting together raw veggie dip platters for your desk snacking. Your digestion will thank you.
4) Build Up Muscle
Finally, now is your last best chance to build up muscle before your body decides that it’s time to retire and no, it’s not about looking good. Most of us by 40 have accepted that our body shapes aren’t likely to change very much without extreme effort and that, for the most part, we just don’t have the time for the hours of exercise and mood swings involved in seriously cutting. On the other hand, being strong is incredibly useful and something you’ll value in your later years. Strength itself isn’t about appearance, it’s about the ability to do things. Being strong means that you can lift and move furniture at will, get household tasks done quickly, and open jars for smaller and younger people. You also start losing muscle mass when your body finally decides that you are official “old” so you’ll want plenty stored up to help you stay strong for a good long time.
This means that right now, while you’re still “In Your Prime”, is the perfect time to build up and maintain muscle through regular exercise. If you don’t want a flight of stairs to take out you and don’t want to become frail in your old age, muscle now is the key to independence and capability later. Plus, you get the bonus of admiration for gaining extra strength today while you’re still frequently asked by friends and family to help move heavy furniture or open jars.
Being healthy isn’t about impressing anyone or looking like you’re 20 again, it’s about being as comfortable and capable as possible in the body you have today. When you treat your digestion, joints, and muscles correctly, they’ll carry you through retirement with far greater comfort and reliability. With these 4 tricks, you’ll enjoy being 50 possibly even more than you enjoyed being 35.