Your percentage of power-generating muscle fibers drops as you age—which is too bad because they help you burn more calories, says John Higgins, M.D., a cardiologist at UT Health in Houston. Maintain them with weekly power workouts like plyos or sprints. SEE ALSO: Game Plan for Staying Fit Over 40
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Don’t Skip Rest Day
As you get older, it takes about 36 to 48 hours for your muscles to recover from training, says Higgins. (Teens can fully recover in 14 to 18 hours.) Splitting your cardio and resistance into alternate days can help: That will give your muscles enough time to rest and fully recover before you hit them hard again.SEE ALSO: 8-Week Slim-Down Diet
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Follow the 10% Rule
Don’t increase your total training volume by more than 10% per week. If you’re doing 10 reps of a 100-pound volume, for example, don’t lift more than 110 pounds the next week. If you’re running 10 miles a week, step up to no more than 11. This slow shift helps your muscles, tendons, and joints adjust to the added work, says Higgins.SEE ALSO: Fat Loss In Four Weeks
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Turn in Earlier
A good night’s sleep is key for more than just your beauty rest. It’s when you recover from training and is crucial for reducing the effects of stress hormones like cortisol, which is linked to higher levels of belly fat. “Go to bed between 10 and 11 p.m., when your melatonin levels are at their highest,” says Gino Caccavale, Hers technical adviser.SEE ALSO: The 28-Day Bikini Body Workout Plan
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Modify Your Menu
“Insulin can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to fat loss,” says Brant. Aim for more lower-glycemic-index (GI) foods such as lean protein, healthy fats, and high-fiber carbs. Pair higher-GI foods like sweet potatoes with lean protein like grilled chicken to lower their net impact on your body, she adds. SEE ALSO: These Are the Nutrients You Need for Better Health
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Roll With It
Get on a foam roller for a few minutes before your workouts to prepare your muscles for the movements to come, says IFBB figure pro Linda Stephens. Foam rolling helps increase blood flow to a given area while breaking up adhesions, improving your range of motion and making movements feel more fluid.SEE ALSO: 7 Moves for an Hourglass Figure
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Per Bernal
Cut Back on Cardio
Too much cardio increases the stress hormone cortisol while robbing your body of precious lean muscle, warns Caccavale. Shift your workouts to about 70% resistance training and 30% cardio— that’s enough to help maintain lean muscle mass, cut fat stores, and still keep your heart and lungs strong, he says.SEE ALSO: 5 Common Fitness Myths
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Per Bernal
Fight Gravity With Two Moves
The two areas that tend to succumb to gravity first as you age are your chest and your butt, says Caccavale. To help keep both parts pert, on days you’re not doing the workout on these pages target the glutes with moves like deep squats and lunges, and your chest with incline dumbbell presses and flyes. SEE ALSO: 12 Weeks to a Carved Out Core
Your percentage of power-generating muscle fibers drops as you age—which is too bad because they help you burn more calories, says John Higgins, M.D., a cardiologist at UT Health in Houston. Maintain them with weekly power workouts like plyos or sprints.
As you get older, it takes about 36 to 48 hours for your muscles to recover from training, says Higgins. (Teens can fully recover in 14 to 18 hours.) Splitting your cardio and resistance into alternate days can help: That will give your muscles enough time to rest and fully recover before you hit them hard again.
Don’t increase your total training volume by more than 10% per week. If you’re doing 10 reps of a 100-pound volume, for example, don’t lift more than 110 pounds the next week. If you’re running 10 miles a week, step up to no more than 11. This slow shift helps your muscles, tendons, and joints adjust to the added work, says Higgins.
A good night’s sleep is key for more than just your beauty rest. It’s when you recover from training and is crucial for reducing the effects of stress hormones like cortisol, which is linked to higher levels of belly fat. “Go to bed between 10 and 11 p.m., when your melatonin levels are at their highest,” says Gino Caccavale, Hers technical adviser.
“Insulin can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to fat loss,” says Brant. Aim for more lower-glycemic-index (GI) foods such as lean protein, healthy fats, and high-fiber carbs. Pair higher-GI foods like sweet potatoes with lean protein like grilled chicken to lower their net impact on your body, she adds.
Get on a foam roller for a few minutes before your workouts to prepare your muscles for the movements to come, says IFBB figure pro Linda Stephens. Foam rolling helps increase blood flow to a given area while breaking up adhesions, improving your range of motion and making movements feel more fluid.
Too much cardio increases the stress hormone cortisol while robbing your body of precious lean muscle, warns Caccavale. Shift your workouts to about 70% resistance training and 30% cardio— that’s enough to help maintain lean muscle mass, cut fat stores, and still keep your heart and lungs strong, he says.
The two areas that tend to succumb to gravity first as you age are your chest and your butt, says Caccavale. To help keep both parts pert, on days you’re not doing the workout on these pages target the glutes with moves like deep squats and lunges, and your chest with incline dumbbell presses and flyes.
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