Outfit & Fitness Tool Details:
Top: Yoga Crop Top (Styled Differently)
Bottom: Yoga Pants (Old), Similar here and here
Socks: Yoga Socks
Equipment: Stability Ball 65cm (Old); Similar here and here
As I shared in my post announcing the completion of my Certified Personal Trainer certification a few weeks ago, I’ve been spending a lot of time researching, testing, and selecting a signature workout method, that I believe addresses the common health, fitness, and wellness concerns of women 40 and over, and that could also be suitable for women of all ages. In today’s post, I’m sharing the workout method I’ve chosen, and why I’m convinced it’s the best workout method for women 40 and over.
As we age, hormonal shifts, the normal aging process, and lifestyle demands, require women 40 and over to be even more proactive when it comes to exercise and a healthy diet, because the inevitable loss of muscle starts to occur around age 40. Half of the changes we see in our bodies after age 40 are due to the normal aging process, and the other half is because we don’t get enough exercise, we don’t do the right type of exercise, and we don’t always have the time to workout. Women 40 and over experience the flip of lean muscle and fat, meaning there’s greater fat and less muscle, due to exercising less, and not following a balanced healthy eating plan. This decrease in lean muscle slows the metabolism, because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, and this loss of muscle combined with a less than healthy diet, leads to what’s known as the “Middle-Aged Spread.” This is a gradual, subtle weight gain that happens, and by the time you’re in your 50’s , you’re wondering, where did I get this body. So, what’s the solution…Based on my training, research, and personal experience, I personally believe that in addition to making simple and effective dietary changes, the solution can be found in the signature workout method I’ve chosen.
The signature workout method I’ve chosen is Barre, (pronounced bar). Barre is built on the foundation of ballet and dance conditioning, but you definitely don’t have to be a dancer for this type of workout, and it provides low-impact workouts that exercises the body in a balanced way. Barre works to improve strength, core stability, flexibility, and bone density, while also toning and shaping the body, creating long lean muscles to combat aging, and burning fat to help you lose weight in a healthy and balanced way, which is ideal for women 40 and over. The Barre method is a fusion of ballet, dance, yoga and pilates, and it incorporates low-impact, small pulsing movements with a lot of reps, and a focus on the entire body (arms, legs, glutes and core), while also emphasizing form, alignment and balance. You don’t need any special equipment for Barre workouts, as you can use your own body weight to sculpt long lean muscles, and you can use a stool or high back chair for moves that require something for balance. As you get stronger over time, for added resistance and balance, there are a few items you can add to your workouts, and those things will be addressed in a later post. If you would like to check out a very basic Barre workout I shared a few weeks ago, you can click the link here to view the video. I’m in the process of recording new and more updated Barre workouts that I will be sharing very soon.
Lastly, one of the main goals of my signature Barre method for women 40 and over, is to provide a holistic approach to caring for the mind, body and soul. My method will focus on getting and keeping the body fit, while also fostering a sense of relaxation and mindfulness to improve your overall health and wellbeing. I hope you found this post helpful and informative, and I hope you’ll join me on this holistic health and fitness journey for women 40 and over.
To shop the items in this post, you can click the links above in outfit & fitness tool details, or simply click the photos below.
Many thanks for reading!!
~Kristi
