When you look at celebrities the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kate Hudson rocking their stunning physique well after 40, you feel that the gap between your appearance and theirs is practically insurmountable. As if these moms are exempt from the changes that strike when you hit this milestone in your life. 

The key is to remember that every woman is different and that you have the potential to bring out your finest physique and feel invincible in your own skin after 40. What’s necessary is to create a strategic plan to conquer your fitness goals, focus on health and wellbeing, and above all, be patient with your expectations. 

You don’t have an army of nutritionists or personal trainers at your exposal like the listed celebrities do, so you need to do your best with what you do have: your own potential, hard-earned knowledge, and a few time-tested tips that apply to us all. 

Amp up your metabolism with the right foods

Moms, listen to your bodies, and you’ll discover indispensable cues that can help you figure out precisely what you should ditch from your diet and what you need to introduce to elevate your energy levels, improve your mood, and of course, stay on the right track with your fitness goals.

For instance, certain foods help boost your metabolism, such as vitamin-packed citrus fruits and dark leafy greens, whereas lean proteins such as chicken breast or turkey are key to help you feel full for longer. 

Nourish away your menopause symptoms

The dreaded m-word typically occurs in every woman’s life around and after the age of 45. The more you learn about your body during this period of change, the greater your capacity will be to stay fit and healthy. One of those common challenges includes tackling typical menopause symptoms, from hot flashes, migraines, all the way to depression and weight gain. 

In addition to building a healthy, wholesome diet and staying active, moms can learn more about and introduce menopause supplements into their lifestyle, to stay nourished and banish those symptoms. From natural remedies such as ginseng and turmeric, all the way to probiotics, you have a wide array of options that can significantly improve your efforts to improve your physique and your overall wellbeing. 

Stay consistent with physical activity

As a mom, you do your darn best not to miss a single dance recital or soccer game, and this commendable trait of yours can actually be useful in how you tackle your own health goals. Consistency is essential in all of your endeavors, because a week of healthy eating or a month of going to the gym won’t make up for months of no activity whatsoever. Instead, plan out your fitness efforts and schedule your meal-preps as well as your workouts to be able to keep up with what your body needs.

Keep stress at bay

Stress is an integral part of parenthood, but that’s no reason to simply roll with the punches and feel constantly exhausted with worry or agitation. In fact, moms that actively work on reducing their stress levels also contribute to their hormonal balance, they sleep better, and they have more energy on the whole. More energy and less stress will in turn provide you with ample motivation to train, eat well, stay resilient to those sugar cravings, and feel beautiful every step of the way towards your brand-new look. 

Make the most of recovery

Rest days, as every professional athlete will tell you, are key to maximizing your fitness results. However, they shouldn’t be your excuse to sit idly at home – try to see them as an opportunity to practice active recovery, which is a term for incorporating mild activity into your rest days. 

Think: walking, light yoga, stretching, or taking a casual swim instead of complete passivity at home. Keeping your metabolism active even during rest days allows your body to keep burning calories and developing lean muscle even while you rest.

Diversify your fitness routine

When you lack the motivation to get outside for a run or you feel exhausted for a standard aerobics class, your body will benefit greatly from a bit of imagination in your workout schedule. You can look to the latest fitness trends that appeal to you, be it trying some yoga, barre, or swimming.

Different routines help activate your muscles differently, so they pose a new challenge for your metabolism, and always keep you on your toes. This element of surprise is a great way to give your body that much-needed boost to burn more calories and grow stronger and more vital every day.

Say no to those vices, moms

Did you know that alcohol has calories? Even more importantly, in addition to increasing your caloric intake for the day, it has a negative impact on your health and wellbeing, which should be the primary reason for you to leave it out of your menu. Of course, the occasional glass of wine for a special occasion is not an issue, but succumbing to those vices daily can play havoc on your metabolism and your health.

Moreover, remember that your sugar cravings, salty snacks, overindulging in calorie-dense foods, and smoking are all habits you should ditch. As you can see, it’s often more about what you don’t do for yourself that will impact how your body reacts to your lifestyle after 40.

Perhaps your body might provide more resistance towards your standard, run-of-the-mill jogging routine, but you will soon get to know your body’s preferences and potential well enough to improve your strategy. Simple tactics such as the ones listed above often work wonders for moms in their forties and beyond, because they focus on ensuring your overall health while you strive to improve your physique – so you can get the best of both worlds and feel amazing in your own skin at all times.

Mia Taylor is  33 year old blogger who writes about beauty, fashion and travel. She had always been passionate about fashion and over time she had developed a style of her own.  Mia loves to mix and match and get inspire girls with her advice about outfit and accessories.  She loves telling a story about her travels, providing beauty tips with readers.

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