Almost all of my clients are middle aged and came to me because they started to notice declines in their physical fitness and health.
Their doctors have been on their case about their high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.
They have been carrying more fat around their waist than they used to and their energy levels are not up to par.
At this point, most of them are really starting to feel the effects of middle age.
But the truth is, all of it is reversible and you don’t have to accept a decline in your health just because you have entered your middle aged years.
Step 1: Give your Metabolism a Boost
At the route of optimal blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids lies a healthy metabolism.
Let’s start with blood sugar.
In order to become more insulin sensitive and therefore improve your blood sugar, you need to improve your aerobic capacity.
If your doctor told you that you have high blood sugar or a high A1C – this is a prime indication that you have reduced insulin sensitivity and are unable to store carbohydrates in their healthy form, that of glycogen.
This is accomplished through low intensity cardiovascular training.
I’ve written about this at length and it’s called Zone 2 Training.
It’s a type of cardio whereby you are burning fat as your primary fuel source.
Furthermore, it causes your cells to become more sensitive to insulin, thereby improving your body’s ability to store carbohydrates as glycogen and not spill over into your bloodstream causing high blood sugar spikes.
A world renowned diabetologist named Gerald Shulman has conducted studies on this and found that a single bout of exercise can reverse the abnormal pattern of carbohydrate storage in insulin resistant individuals.
When you become more aerobically fit, your body will also begin to rely on fat as its primary fuel source and this will contribute to you losing that stubborn belly fat that started after you hit age 40!
All in all, implementing this optimal form of cardio called Zone 2 will be the ticket to all things metabolic improvement.
You’ll also see drastic reductions in your blood pressure as your body begins to upregulate its nitric oxide production as an adaptation to the cardio.
Nitric oxide dilates your blood vessels and causes them to relax which equals lower blood pressure.
And it’s not just transient! The adaptation is there to stay which means your doc will be more than pleased with you once you return to his office with perfect blood pressure.
Learn more about my blood pressure management strategies here.
Step 2: Implement a Strength Training Routine
You lose 8% of your muscle mass per decade after age 30!
This process is a function of age and is called Sarcopenia.
Muscle loss leads to a whole variety of issues such as reduced insulin sensitivity, increased body fat, and decreased bone mineral density.
But the great news is that you can slow this muscle loss down drastically by implementing a strength training routine.
Strength training is especially important once you hit your middle-aged years and it can be done in a safe manner.
Unfortunately many of my clients have had bad experiences with strength training because they worked with a trainer that didn’t know what they were doing and they got injured.
However, if you work with a qualified professional and are performing safe exercises that are proper for YOUR unique body, then you have nothing to worry about.
Start with full body exercises and use lighter weight when you are first beginning!
Then as you get stronger, you can gradually build up.
Bottom Line
Middle age doesn’t have to be a scary thing.
You just need to take control of your health and start being more proactive about the strategies you implement.
You won’t be able to just naturally maintain a great physique anymore and eat whatever you want like you did in your 20’s.
Our bodies change as we age and that is completely OKAY!
But the great news is that you can completely mitigate all age related declines by simply following the two strategies in this article.
I’ve helped tons of middle aged individuals who are at the top of their professional line of work and I’d be happy to help you too.
Take a look at my coaching opportunities and if you have any questions I would be happy to answer them in the comments below or in a private email.
Contact: jakob@rozefit.com
I look forward to hearing from you, cheers.