What is your one tip to staying fit above 40

[norsedanebro]

I'm 39 and have gotten back to decent shape since a slipped disc and nerve damage 5 years ago.

I lift weights and do cardio, but I don't lift really heavy anymore. I do use excellent form, which I didn't in my 20s.

What I find the most challenging is losing weight. It's so slow and its different than what it used to be. I don't know if its metabolism or being less active overall, probably a combination, but I find it really difficult to lose weight. I've lost about 5kg over 2 years and added significant muscle mass. I'd like to lose 5kgs more.

Anyway, to the question, what are your best tips, taking everything into perspective, to staying fit in your 40s and beyond.

[TolerantLactose]

Eat less food. That is all.

[Tommy W.]

You have to make a more conscience effort with both diet and exercise.

I'd say age will differ from person to person. At 60 I had to be a lot more conscious of what I was doing. 40 was still pretty much balls to the wall and not having to monitor diet. Some guys may be 30 when they have to start watching diet closer and being more cognizant of their activity, both structured and NEAT.

[Bigdumogre]

I’m 43 and don’t lift heavy anymore either. I also agree it’s harder to lose weight at my age. But diet is key , I can still lose weight easily just gotta dial in the diet.

[norsedanebro]

I’m 43 and don’t lift heavy anymore either. I also agree it’s harder to lose weight at my age. But diet is key , I can still lose weight easily just gotta dial in the diet.

How do you get motivated to diet?

I mean, I'm at the point where I've realized a lot of things such that having a sixpack is not important in meeting women on its own or that I'm not going to be a competetive this or that, so no need to be very low bodyfat.

Overall, as I feel more confident in my own skin, I feel less of a desire to stick through the diet, because I also like to eat and cook.

I do want to lose weight though, so I just try to increase my workout time, but that won't do it, I know.

[norsedanebro]

You have to make a more conscience effort with both diet and exercise.

I'd say age will differ from person to person. At 60 I had to be a lot more conscious of what I was doing. 40 was still pretty much balls to the wall and not having to monitor diet. Some guys may be 30 when they have to start watching diet closer and being more cognizant of their activity, both structured and NEAT.

Do you do anything hormone wise?

[Payton1221]

How do you get motivated to diet?

That's got to come from within. As for me, I just won't allow myself to look like the average 54 year old.

For me, my fitness journey was to get thin and stay thin. I don't think my weight has fluctuated more than +/- 4 lbs (8 lb total swing) in the last few years.

[weiss1967]

Anyway, to the question, what are your best tips, taking everything into perspective, to staying fit in your 40s and beyond.

the absolutely best strategy for staying fit is developing the passion for it. Call it a "vision". It kind of tends to take care of all other aspects of being fit. Think about it. Calorific restriction is pain. Training are pain. More pain more gain. From the outside, it is completely opposite from what our body tells us to do.

The trouble is that the passion becomes a self-feeding only after achieving certain level of fitness. Until then, it is all pain with little reward. I don't know how people do it, there is no rational explanation, other than temporary craziness. Which is another form of passion, taken to the level of obsession, that takes them across the first couple of years.

[mtpockets]

To me staying fit is a lot more than just lifting weights. I do a ton of cardio, but not the elliptical or treadmill thing, if that is your thing have at it. I hate that stuff, find it boring AF so I do fun things, stuff I enjoy like Hiking, Cycling, Backpacking, snowshoeing, skiing, canoeing etc... you get the pic. Nutrition is the key to staying lean I love to eat, luckily my activities allow me to do that to some extent, gotta stay away from the junk though.

My one tip would be do fun cardio things you enjoy!

[radrd]

Modify to work around injuries. You will have them and you can't work through them anymore, so you have to work around them and program rehab exercises. And don't neglect conditioning.

[supramax]

... what are your best tips, taking everything into perspective, to staying fit in your 40s and beyond.

Interesting question. To start, I suggest building a fitness base by creating a short comprehensive exercise routine that you're able to do everyday, before you do anything else.

[norsedanebro]

To me staying fit is a lot more than just lifting weights. I do a ton of cardio, but not the elliptical or treadmill thing, if that is your thing have at it. I hate that stuff, find it boring AF so I do fun things, stuff I enjoy like Hiking, Cycling, Backpacking, snowshoeing, skiing, canoeing etc... you get the pic. Nutrition is the key to staying lean I love to eat, luckily my activities allow me to do that to some extent, gotta stay away from the junk though.

My one tip would be do fun cardio things you enjoy!

That's good advice.

I also don't like treadmills cardio.

I enjoy running, less so in the winter, and I ride a bicycle almost daily and enjoy longer rides in the summer.

At the moment I am working too much for an active lifestyle.

[Payton1221]

To me staying fit is a lot more than just lifting weights. I do a ton of cardio, but not the elliptical or treadmill thing, if that is your thing have at it. I hate that stuff, find it boring AF so I do fun things, stuff I enjoy like Hiking, Cycling, Backpacking, snowshoeing, skiing, canoeing etc... you get the pic. Nutrition is the key to staying lean I love to eat, luckily my activities allow me to do that to some extent, gotta stay away from the junk though.

My one tip would be do fun cardio things you enjoy!

I do structured cardio at times, but if I've had a busy day like yard work, small carpentry project in the garage, etc., that constitutes a decent calorie burn and I will sometimes substitute it for actual cardio that day . . . especially if I'm tired But I agree, do something fun.

[GrouchyUSMC]

One day a week should be off, and one day should be focused on recovery cardio and mobility work. This lets you train hard the other 5 days of the week.

[clive]

To be honest I've never lifted heavy and I've reach my age without any serious joint problems and maintaining the muscle I built over the years.
Being consistent with training is the key, there are times when I don't feel in the mood to lift but I force myself past it and usually end up with a great workout!

[startingat56]

OP, you need to separate this out to these two things ...

1) You are lifting for mental and physical health and well being (lifestyle)

2) Dieting is for competition and/or aesthetics


Don't compromise #1 because you are frustrated by not being successful at #2

[coachcalande]

Squat, everything else is gravy!

[supramax]

Squat, everything else is gravy!

I'd rep you for making me realize what to do with the last 1/2 pound of mushrooms I have, but I'm on spread. My nutritional yeast/mushroom gravy is loved by everyone.

Anyways, I agree that squats, particularly staying in the ATG phase of primal squats, is really important.

[DustinTheHuss]

As Tom Brady promotes: pliability. I have a vibrating roller and I need to use it more often, but it really, really helps. Plus his book The TB12 Method covers the rest of it. Now I didn't get the same results just using bands, but they do protect you from injury as I just hurt my back returning to weights. I'll still stick with weights though. I just won't put a bunch of 45 lb plates on the sled. My bad.

The roller does help with the tightness, though.

[supramax]

As Tom Brady promotes: pliability. I have a vibrating roller and I need to use it more often, but it really, really helps. Plus his book The TB12 Method covers the rest of it. Now I didn't get the same results just using bands, but they do protect you from injury as I just hurt my back returning to weights. I'll still stick with weights though. I just won't put a bunch of 45 lb plates on the sled. My bad.

The roller does help with the tightness, though.

For sure, fitness is a combination of flexibility (inc. mobility and stability), strength and endurance. Don't stop using bands, either.

[drkelly74]

You are probably going to need to get used to slightly smaller portion sizes.

[TheResistance]

I work on posture flexibility balance muscles fascia mobility agility coordination and physio prescribed exercises and prehab.

My tip is get to know your body intimately, so you change tack as necessary and avoid doing too much of something that may damage your body whilst doing things to prevent age related decline.

[Bando]

What I find the most challenging is losing weight. It's so slow and its different than what it used to be. I don't know if its metabolism or being less active overall, probably a combination, but I find it really difficult to lose weight. I've lost about 5kg over 2 years and added significant muscle mass. I'd like to lose 5kgs more.

Chris Aceto wrote a book called "Championship Bodybuilding," he's considered by many to be the best nutritionist in the industry and consulted with Jay Cutler among others.

I read the entire book and over and over his advice is to "stay active." He wrote it before FitBits where you can actually track your activity.

You can literally track and adjust your activity level these days to like a hundred calories. That's my recommendation, keep moving and track the calories you're burning, adjust as needed.

[supramax]

Chris Aceto wrote a book called "Championship Bodybuilding," he's considered by many to be the best nutritionist in the industry and consulted with Jay Cutler among others.

I read the entire book and over and over his advice is to "stay active." He wrote it before FitBits where you can actually track your activity.

You can literally track and adjust your activity level these days to like a hundred calories. That's my recommendation, keep moving and track the calories you're burning, adjust as needed.

I'd rather chew on broken glass than count calories. For sure, though, activity is the key to a healthy life and I think my "building a fitness base by creating a short comprehensive exercise routine that you're able to do everyday, before you do anything else" is key to that. When you have a reserve of fitness, you look for fitness opportunities throughout the day.

[keyboardworkout]

Date women half your age.

[MrCarrot]

The key thing for me was tracking and recording calories and macros. I now eat whatever I like (within reason) but can gain and lose weight at will, by adjusting portion sizes.

[clive]

Eat less food. That is all.

More, eat the "right" food and don't get fat! If you can build some muscle mass it can actually help regulate the body fat to a degree. I know I burn off calories easily and have to eat quite a lot to retain my weight.

[work0utguy01]

I'm 39 and have gotten back to decent shape since a slipped disc and nerve damage 5 years ago.

I lift weights and do cardio, but I don't lift really heavy anymore. I do use excellent form, which I didn't in my 20s.

What I find the most challenging is losing weight. It's so slow and its different than what it used to be. I don't know if its metabolism or being less active overall, probably a combination, but I find it really difficult to lose weight. I've lost about 5kg over 2 years and added significant muscle mass. I'd like to lose 5kgs more.

Anyway, to the question, what are your best tips, taking everything into perspective, to staying fit in your 40s and beyond.

Have you tried Intermittent Fasting at all?

[xTeTe]

Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.

[clive]

Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.

I totally agree, alcohol is the downfall of many men!