Lifestyle

Over 35? 10 exercises to boost your metabolism

If you're over 30, you know how difficult it can be to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Metabolism is the process by which food is broken down into energy for your body to use. As you age, though, your metabolism starts to slow down. This happens because as you get older, your muscle mass decreases and your fat tissue increases. The more muscle tissue you have in your body, the faster it burns calories.

The more fat tissue you have, the slower your metabolism is at burning calories. This means that as we age our bodies become less efficient at burning calories and storing energy as fat for later use. But these exercises will help you boost your metabolism and get in shape even in the 30s!

Running Lunges

Running lunges is a great way to burn calories and build strength.

To do this, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides. Lunge forward with one leg, lowering your body until the knee of your back leg nearly touches the floor (don't let it touch). Then push off with that foot, returning to starting position as you switch legs in midair and land on the other side of the room with both feet. Repeat for 20 seconds; rest for 10 seconds; repeat 3 times total.

Mountain climbers

Mountain climbers are a full-body exercise that can be done anywhere, even in your office or at home. They're an excellent calorie burner and can be done with or without weights.

Mountain climbers are also great for warming up before running or other cardio activities, since they engage multiple muscle groups at once, including the legs and core muscles (which help stabilize you as you move). If you want to add some intensity to your mountain climbers, try adding weights like dumbbells in each hand or holding onto a bar above your head while performing the exercise!

Sumo squats

Sumo squats are a great way to build strength in your legs and butt. They also help you burn more calories than regular squats since they require more muscle activation in order to pull off the movement properly.

To do sumo squats, stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out at 45 degrees, and arms relaxed at the sides. Bend your knees as if sitting down on an imaginary chair behind you (or bend forward at the waist if no chair), keeping your feet flat on the floor throughout the exercise.

Hindu pushups

Hindu pushups are a great exercise for your abs and chest. The Hindu pushup works the chest, shoulders, and triceps. You can also do it with your knees on the floor for a less intense version.

To do this exercise, get into a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your toes resting on the ground. Slowly lower yourself to the ground until your elbows are bent at 90 degrees, then press back up to start position.

Lower yourself to the ground, but keep your elbows bent. Your body should make a straight line from your head to your heels. Repeat as many times as you can (the more advanced variation involves doing this in an L-shape).

Lunge with a twist or side lunge with twist

• Lunge with Twist: Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides, and hands on hips. Take a large step forward with one foot, bending both knees 90 degrees as you do so. Lower the back knee until it almost touches the floor or mat; then return to starting position by pushing off from that leg's toes. Repeat 10 times on each side for one set; do two sets total.
• Side Lunge with Twist: Stand straight with arms at the sides and legs together (feet pointed forward). Step out to one side into a lunge position, keeping both knees bent 90 degrees; then twist toward that same side so that arm reaches overhead while still holding onto the opposite shoulder for balance if needed.

Step-ups

Step-ups are a great exercise for lower body strength and stability. They can be done with dumbbells, a barbell, or a bench. The step-up will target your glutes (butt muscles) as well as the quads (thigh muscles).

Step 1: Find an elevated surface that's roughly knee height--a bench or box works well here--and place one foot on top of it. You may want to use some sort of padding underneath your feet if you're going barefoot because this can be hard on the soles of your feet if there's no padding beneath them!

Step 2: Place all of your weight onto that same foot now that it's on top of the elevated surface; then lift up off of this foot so only one remains planted firmly in place while raising yourself up with another leg until both knees are bent at 90 degrees and parallel with each other at hip level.

Plank walkouts

Plank walkouts are a great way to increase core strength, build up your lower back and improve your balance. The plank is one of the best exercises for building core strength because it engages every muscle in your body. By working out in this position for longer periods of time, you'll see results quickly!

Another benefit of plank walkouts is that they help build up your lower back muscles (which are important for posture). If you have bad posture then doing this exercise regularly will help correct it because it forces those muscles into action so they become stronger over time.

The last thing worth mentioning about planks is that they're also great at improving balance - something many people struggle with as we get older!

Crab crawl (also known as the "curl to press")

The crab crawl is an exercise that works your entire body, but it's particularly effective for strengthening the core and improving flexibility in the hips.

It also helps you to burn fat while building muscle, which is what we want when we're looking to boost our metabolism!

The basic crab crawl involves lying on your stomach with arms stretched out in front of you and legs extended behind. Then raise both hands off the floor as high as possible while simultaneously raising one knee off the ground (keeping both hips on the floor). Perform 10 reps for each side before switching over to do another set with opposite limbs raised first (e.g., left hand/right knee). Add some resistance by placing a weight plate or dumbbell between both hands before lifting them off from their starting position on top of one another at chest level.

Skater hops, alternating legs to switch sides (advanced version only)

Skater hops are a great exercise for building muscle and burning calories. The move involves alternating your legs as you hop across the floor, making it more of an intense workout than just jumping up and down.

To do skater hops:

• Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides. Bend the knees slightly and push off on one foot to jump high enough that both feet leave the ground at once (but not so high that you lose control).
• Land softly with both feet together in a wide stance, then immediately jump again as soon as possible with alternate legs--first right leg then left leg--to switch sides quickly before landing back on both feet. Keep moving like this through as many sets of reps as desired or until fatigued from working out!

Fire-feet drill

The fire-feet drill is a great way to get your heart rate up. It can be done with any number of people, but it's especially effective in pairs. One partner will stand with feet together and arms at their sides while the other partner holds onto their ankles. The standing person then lifts their feet off of the ground and turns them out so that they are parallel to each other at about a 90-degree angle. They then hold this position while their partner rotates them around in a circle (like they're running on fire!). When one round is completed, repeat for another round or two before switching positions!

This exercise is great because it provides strength training benefits without being too heavy on cardio--the turning motion keeps things interesting by engaging different muscle groups throughout each rotation. If you've got kids who love chasing each other around outside, this might be just what you need after dinner instead of watching TV!

For those of us who are over 35 and looking for a way to get in shape, these exercises are the answer. They're easy to do, but hard to master--which means they'll give you an awesome workout that will leave your muscles burning and help build muscle while also helping burn fat!

You can do these exercises at home or at the gym, but they're all great ways to build strength without relying on machines or equipment (which is especially helpful if you don't have access).

Now that you know what exercises to do, it's time to get started. Don't wait until tomorrow or next week - start today! Remember that even if your schedule is packed with other commitments, there are still ways to squeeze in these moves. If you need help to get things right, don't forget to contact Rita as your Health and Fitness Coach. 

by Rita

What You Did In Your 20s Won’t Work In Your 40s For Weight Loss

Here’s the truth: as you get older, your body changes. That means the approaches you took in your 20s to lose weight may not work anymore. It’s not that they don’t work — they do. But they don’t work as well. It’s like getting a new phone. The old one worked just fine, but it was slow and clunky compared to the new one.

The good news is that it's never too late to begin the journey of weight loss. But if you're over 40, you'll need to approach it differently than you did in your 20s. In today’s blog, I will share several steps to still lose weight in your 40s.

As we age, our bodies change in many ways. You may be more active or less, but the way you approach your weight loss changes too.

In your 20s:

You're more likely to have an active lifestyle. Weight loss is all about eating less and exercising more.

In your 30s:

You're more likely to realize that food is not the problem — it's what's going on inside your body that makes it hard to lose weight. You may find yourself struggling with chronic fatigue or hormone imbalances. For these reasons, you'll need to pay attention to your health as much as losing weight.

In your 40s:

There are a lot of things in your 20s that you can’t do in your 40s. You can’t stay out till 2 a.m., you can’t drink as much, and you definitely can’t eat whatever you want.

Your metabolism slows down as you age, so eating fewer calories won't automatically lead to weight loss. You need to eat less AND exercise more than when you were younger. You might have more muscle mass than when you were younger, so even though you weigh the same as when you were 20, your body fat percentage is higher (and thus makes it look like you're fatter). Your body doesn't burn fat as efficiently anymore because of reduced insulin sensitivity and lower levels of growth hormone (GH) — both of which are hormones released after eating carbs or exercising (which helps with fat burning).

As a result, if you are trying to lose weight when you are in your 40s, you may have to try some new strategies to achieve success. Here are some tips that can help:

1. Eat small meals throughout the day to help maintain your blood sugar levels and keep hunger at bay. Skipping meals can cause your body to store fat instead of burning it off for energy. Try eating five small meals a day so that you never go hungry or have low blood sugar levels. Remember to Eat breakfast everyday. It may sound obvious, but many people at this age skip this meal because they're on-the-go in the morning--and then they eat too much later in the day when their blood sugar gets low from skipping breakfast! That's why it's so important: eating something small but nutritious helps keep hunger at bay until lunchtime arrives without making you feel heavy or sluggish afterward like carbs do after lunchtime snacking does!
2. Try eating more protein and fiber-rich foods, they will fill you up while providing important nutrients and vitamins. Protein is a building block for muscles, skin, hair and nails. It's also important for immune system function and hormone production. Protein is a better choice than carbs for energy because it takes longer to digest in your body which means that you'll feel full longer after eating it! The National Institute on Aging recommends that people over age 50 get 1 gram of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight each day--that's about 65 grams for most men and 50 grams for most women who are active at least 30 minutes a day five days per week
3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water helps flush out toxins from your body and keeps things moving through your digestive system. "When older people aren't drinking enough water, they often suffer from dehydration and low blood pressure," says Dr. Steven Kipnis, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of preventive cardiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Also, water can help reduce hunger pangs and keep you from overeating.
4. Exercise regularly. Exercise is an important part of any weight loss plan no matter what age group you fall into, but it is especially important for those over 40 years old as it helps build muscle mass which burns more calories than fat does at rest (even if it doesn't appear that way). It also improves circulation so that oxygen and nutrients can reach all parts of your body more easily, helping you recover faster from workouts or daily activities such as walking up stairs or bending over.
5. Choose nutrient-dense carbohydrates over empty calories. When you're trying to lose weight, it's important to choose nutrient-dense carbohydrates over empty calories. Nutrient-dense foods contain a high amount of nutrients and vitamins in relation to their calorie count. This means that they are low in fat and sugar, but high in fiber and other beneficial vitamins and minerals. Nutrient dense carbs include whole grains such as brown rice or quinoa; fruits like berries (blueberries!), oranges or apples; vegetables like broccoli or kale; legumes like lentils or kidney beans; nuts/seeds like almonds or chia seeds - these are all good choices! You can also try adding some spices such as cinnamon which will help stabilize blood sugar levels so you stay fuller longer between meals! On the other hand...empty calories refer mainly towards processed foods that are high in sugar & fat but low on any nutritional value whatsoever! These include cakes/pastries/pies etcetera along with fizzy drinks/sodas etcetera too - avoid these at all costs!
6. Eat healthy fats to boost energy and immunity. As you age, your body loses its ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin. This can lead to weight gain and diabetes. Fat stimulates the production of leptin, which regulates appetite and tells us when we are full. Fats also help you feel full longer than protein or carbs do because they take longer for your body to digest. Choose low-fat dairy products or non-fat yogurt instead of full-fat versions. Choose low-fat options whenever possible. Cook with olive oil, canola oil and other liquid vegetable oils instead of butter or margarine when possible. Your brain needs healthy fats for optimal health; these include omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, walnuts and flaxseed oil; monounsaturated fats from olive oil (and other foods like avocados); saturated fats from coconut oil and grass-fed beef plus cholesterol found in egg yolks and butter/ghee (clarified butter).

With these tips, you will be able to lose weight even in your 40s. Remember that your body is different from when you were younger and so it may take some time for things to click. But if you keep at it and stay motivated, then eventually everything will fall into place!

Regardless of what stage in life you currently are, remember that the weight loss journey takes discipline and guidance. No age is ever too late. 

Ready to start the change? Click here to book your discovery call and watch our free masterclass on weight loss for women with Rita today.

by Rita