Best Workouts for Women over 40

When one reaches the age of 40, there's always a tendency to let go - to stop caring about how you look and if you’re even in shape. You think you have better things to worry about, don't you? Wrong! This is the time when you should pull up your socks and sign up at the nearest gym for a few workout sessions every week. As a matter of fact, it really isn't all that hard to lose weight when you're in your 40s. No matter what you think, staying in shape and losing weight could be as simple for you as it is for a twenty year old. All you need is a go getter attitude and a will power that won't take things lying down. Have you taken the pledge to lead a healthier lifestyle today? Then you need to gear up. This is quite a journey you're embarking on. At this age, what makes the difference is how you treat your body because your metabolism has obviously slowed down.  So you'll have to handpick exercises and craft a workout regime which would benefit you. Don't forget, your muscles are just as old as you and if you don't use them enough, they're going to become inactive. What would have worked even ten years ago, might not yield the results you want now.  But don't wallow in self pity because all hope's not lost. There are certain moves that have been designed specifically for people over 40. Here's a list of five of them.  Take a look and decide for yourself - 1) Try out weight training As you enter middle age, your muscles are weakening and aren't probably as toned as you would want them to be. That's exactly what weight training is for. It can help you build up your muscle mass from within and very soon you'll have toned muscles. Weight training would also help build up your metabolism and increasing muscle tolerance.  Simply lifting weights won't do. Anyone can do that! You should be pushing yourself to the extent where you're challenging yourself everyday. Each day, make sure you push yourself a bit more than you did the previous day. That should do the trick. 2) Try out yoga Yoga is probably the safest and most effective form of working out. If you think that the gym is a bit too extensive for your taste, then you could start practicing yoga. The best part about yoga is that it comes with a hundred different benefits and losing weight is just one of them. Yoga would help you enhance your blood circulation and would leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated by the end of each session. Did you know that practicing yoga could have an impact on your mental well being too? It would certainly calm you down and help you work on your breathing. 3) Try something new Now that you're 40, most of the workout regimes you read about must make you go "been there, done that". Then it is probably time to try out something new. Who said working out had to be boring? Or that you would have to stick to the same exercises that have been around since time immemorial? You could always go for the unconventional.  Maybe you could join a salsa class or even contemporary dance. That would surely uplift your spirits and help you stay fit. Dance can be quite a vigorous form of working out if you practice it regularly. That way, you can actually enjoy what you're doing and very soon, working out wouldn't seem so much like a burden any more. 4) Go for cycling The joy of feeling the cool breeze brush against your face as you whizz past traffic is unparalleled. Coming back to the health benefits of cycling, this would certainly help you shed fat from your thigh and abdominal regions. If you missed the flat tummy you had when you were younger, you need to try cycling now. But you should keep this in mind. At the age of 40, your joints and knees aren't that strong. Overdoing it  may injure your knees. If you already have problems in your joints, it is better to try something else. Otherwise, go for it. There's nothing else quite like it! 5) Take a dip, literally! Swimming is probably the best exercise that you can include in your workout regime. This is safe and effective. If you're having joint problems, swimming would help you strengthen your joints and work on your weak points. You could spend a few hours at the pool every day and you'll see the difference soon enough. The best part is, this won't even seem like working out after a while. In fact, you'll probably look forward to it after a while. Well, they don't say "40s are the new 20s" just like that! This is a brand new stage in your life, the golden ages. Your kids are grown up and are now established themselves. This would be the time for you to take your life into your own hands and do something for yourself. Who said you couldn't get back the figure you once had? The distant dream is now a reality, you only have to realize it.