The other side of 40

THE LIFE of our bodies is like a roller coaster ride, rolling along smoothly in our twenties, speeding up through life’s twists and turns in our thirties and then showing signs of wear and tear after 40.

Fat levels increase because of unhealthy and irregular eating habits and our hurried lifestyle leaves no time for exercise. Drinking and smoking don’t help the process and progressive use of over the counter medication expands the problem. Your middle begins to spread and joint pain becomes part of your wake up routine, a reminder that father time is making inroads. Financial pressures cause stress, sleep deprivation and the onset of middle age ailments, diabetes, high blood pressure and the silent killers – strokes and heart disease.

Truth is most can be avoided and in most cases even reversed by simply exercising 30 minutes a day three to four times a week. If your excuse is “I don’t have the time to exercise”, then consider the time you may be spending at the doctor’s or simply labouring under the burden of “I just don’t have the energy for this”. A wise alternative is to make the time and earn the rewards. Regular exercise rids your body of excess fat and corrects unhealthy practises, bringing your body back into shape and reducing the onset of middle age ailments. During my 10 years in the boxing gym and 30 years of weight training, I speak from experience when I say that the best place to get back into shape is in the gym. Road running exerts strain on the leg joints and burns away not only fat but muscle as well. In both running and cycling, the amino acid stored in your body from protein digested earlier is quickly used up early in the workout and then the body uses fuel from the muscle itself instead of burning fat in your system. Fact is brisk walking is more beneficial for weight loss and provides excellent cardio stimulus.

The gym provides a secure environment and a variety of different exercise platforms such as weight training, circuit training as well as classes such as spinning, aerobics, boot camp, cross fit as well as yoga and Zumba. These are all beneficial and assist with weight loss but the most beneficial method is weight training. Controlled weight training replaces lost muscle mass whilst at the same time toning your body and burning fat. It is especially effective on the over 40 age group in both men and women. The benefits are improved health, increased strength, weight loss, improved sleeping patterns, stronger bones and most importantly a boost to your confidence. From my experience as champion body builder, drug free activist, motivational speaker and personal trainer, I urge you to join a reputable gym.

*This is the first of a series of articles on personal health matters. You can contact me at martin@drugfreetraining.co.za or Martin de Wee on YouTube.