How to Stay Fit in Your 40s and 50s from a 57-Year-Old Trainer

Nobody said getting in shape over 40 was easy.

But Jill Brown, a certified fitness and nutrition master, said it absolutely can be done — as long as you’re willing to make some adjustments to how you’re used to doing things in your 20s and 30s. -at. .

“I completely changed my routine when I was approaching my 40th birthday and got into the best shape of my life, then I did it again at 50,” she told The Post.

Reduce your idle time

More movement is the name of the game, especially if you’re stuck in your seat at a 9-to-5 office job.

“To go into a calorie deficit in order to lose fat, we can simply be less idle,” Brown said. “If you work at a desk, setting a timer to do 20 jumps or 10 sit-ups every hour will help you burn more calories during the day.”

Cleaning and other things on your to-do list also count toward your goals.

Chores around the house, taking the stairs, doing your own shopping instead of using Amazon or Instacart all add up to burning more calories, Brown added.

Change your routine

Just because your gym routine has kept you in shape for years doesn’t mean it will work forever.

“Our body adapts to stress. Exercise is a form of stress,” Brown explained. “The more you do a particular exercise or routine, the more efficient you become at it.”

While this sounds good in theory, burning more calories means you actually have to be less efficient.

“Doing workouts that are different and challenging will burn more calories than what you’re used to,” she continued. “However, you can fix this simply by increasing the length or intensity of the workout (using heavier weights for example or doing more sets and repetitions).

She’s a particular fan of circuit training and takes less rest between sets, which means you’ll burn more calories per session. One way to do this is to choose lighter weights, but do more sets and reps, as you may need less time to rest in between.

Rest, rest and more rest

That’s not to say that rest isn’t very important, especially as we age.

“When we’re younger, we need less recovery because everything, including our muscles, heals faster,” Brown noted. “We need to be aware of sufficient recovery as we age if we do harder or more training.

“We also need more sleep as we age because we recover more slowly. Most muscle recovery occurs when we sleep and rest. And lack of sleep also causes more hunger hormones.”

Yes, you can still have abs

Brown insists that you absolutely can have abs in your 40s and 50s, but it will take a lot of hard work.

To get a toned stomach, “planks done right — back level with your shoulders if you’re on your elbows, butt cheeks compressed, abs tight — are your best friend,” she emphasized.

“I think it’s ideal to make a variety of different boards. Tip: You’ll actually feel the elbow planks more in your abs than straight arms.”

She also likes pilates ab exercises to tone and tone your midsection.

“Even though fat burning comes mostly from a caloric deficit, we all want to make our abs and heart muscles stronger. Always remember, you can’t diet after a certain age!”