To many women, hitting the big 4-0 already seems like a major milestone. Others think that it is somewhat a transition – or an introduction – to rolling down the valley of old age. While forty is just a year away from thirty-nine, there’s no denying the fact that hitting this milestone means that one can expect certain changes to happen physically and mentally.
While age is a factor that can’t be controlled, you can certainly control the way you live your life. Here are some healthy practices and lifestyle choices that you can do to make the most out of your roaring forties.
1. Don’t Skip Breakfast
Gone are the days when you can get away with skipping breakfast every morning and still be fine throughout the day. It’s time to leave this unhealthy habit behind along with your thirties.
Apparently, nutritionists believe that breakfast greatly helps in maintaining a healthy weight and in keeping the calorie-burning metabolism up. In fact, a study shows that women who had a big breakfast each day reduced their weight by 21 percent in a span of eight months. Meanwhile, only 4.5 percent of weight was reduced among women who had little breakfast every morning.
2. Get Your Body Moving
Who says middle-aged women can’t be active anymore? If you haven’t had an exercise routine ever since, the forties is the perfect time to do so, especially since this is the time when muscle mass starts to decrease and fat deposits begin to pile up.
There are plenty of daily exercises that you can do to keep your health in tip-top condition, such as burpees, squats, and even just a thirty-minute walk in the park every day. If possible, you can mix aerobic exercises with strength training to help strengthen your bones. If you are unsure of an activity, especially for those who have a current medical condition, you can always seek your doctor’s advice and guidance.
3. Stay on Top of Your Health
As age progresses, a variety of illnesses also await the chance to strike. Always stay on top of your health by regularly visiting your doctor and by taking some essential health screening tests along the way.
Starting at age forty, you are now advised to get a mammogram every one to two years. This screening procedure is done to indicate a possibility for breast cancer. A diabetes screening is also essential for women in their forties as they are at an age where the risk for type 2 diabetes is high. Websites that sell diabetic test strips can help you with this job. Other screening tests that you can get include blood pressure and cholesterol measurement, a bone density test, and a skin check.
4. Learn to Control Your Stress
Apparently, stress makes people age faster, and it is the last thing that women need by the time they hit forty. Although stress is an inevitable part of life, you can always learn how to manage and control it. Not only does this keep women in an emotionally healthy state but also keeps their heart and breathing calm, which is especially helpful for people who have lung problems and may need medical oxygen sensors to breathe properly.
5. Don’t Forget about Yourself
The forties can put a lot of pressure on a woman. There’s always a lot to attend to – your family, your parents, your career. Amid the hustle and bustle of it all, don’t forget to pamper yourself every once in a while. Whether it’s taking yourself on a date or going out for drinks with girlfriends, do something that you enjoy every time life’s pressures kick in.
While nourishing the physical state can keep your health at its prime, looking after your mental health is also essential in making the most out of your life – no matter the age!
