How to Stay Fit and Stay Healthy

 Is It Normal to Lose Strength After 40?

There have been many misconceptions about aging and strength that have emerged over time. They have always felt like excuses to me as someone who has worked out my entire life, yet they are things I hear all the time. Here are a handful of the "LIES," as we'll call them, that I'd like to debunk.

• 1: As you get older, you naturally gain weight... WRONG!

Stop blaming your increasing love handles on the fact that you're getting older! In fact, of all the challenges, this one is the easiest to overcome. Four variables contribute to weight gain in middle age: Slowing metabolism, low testosterone, a bad diet, and a lack of exercise are all factors that contribute to a slowed metabolism. Take a look at the list. We have perfect control over two of the four components. It's time to quit blaming your growing love handles on your age. It's just a pretext. All you have to do now is make the appropriate food selections and consume with caution. Even if you make just one small alteration, you'll be able to prevent weight gain.

But there's another misconception to debunk when it comes to strength...

• 2: As you become older, you become weaker naturally... WRONG!

I'll demonstrate how false this claim is. A group of middle-aged men (35-50) lost body fat and gained muscle over eight weeks, according to research from the University of Oklahoma. That's not all, though. Over the same time frame, the older men reduced more body fat and built more muscle than a group of college-aged men. So, let me repeat: none of this is unavoidable. Yes, you're vulnerable... but that doesn't mean it has to be your fate. The issue isn't getting older. (And every man who blames his poor performance on his age is making excuses.)

You are not obligated to believe these lies.

• 3: As you become older, you lose energy naturally... WRONG!

One aspect of regular life that affects you more than any other is the constant feeling of exhaustion. It's exhausting to be overwhelmed with tiredness every day. You're exhausted when you wake up. You yawn your way through the day at work. Then you'll spend the rest of the evening unable to keep your eyes open on the sofa.

And you are the one who has to pay the price.

You don't spend as much time with your wife as you used to. Spending less time with your children. Every activity is an uphill battle. You used to take any number of outdoor activities for granted... now you're lucky if you make it through the evening. When your lack of energy causes you to become less active, your energy levels begin to decline. It spirals out of control.

But here's the thing with the Energy Spiral, as I call it. It can both go up and down. The spiral turns upwards as you reclaim your energy and return to regular activity. More energy translates to even more energy. Then you'll be unable to keep your eyes open on the sofa for the remainder of the evening.

And you will be the one to pay the price.

You don't spend as much time as you used to with your wife. You're spending less time with your kids. It's an uphill battle in every activity. You used to take any number of outdoor activities for granted; now you're lucky if you make it to the end of the day. Your energy levels begin to fall when you become less active due to a lack of energy. It starts to spiral out of control.

But here's the deal with the Energy Spiral, as I like to refer to it. It can rise and fall.

• 4: Injuries will inevitably happen as you get older... NOT TRUE!

Remember how you felt in your twenties? Knocking on the gym's door. Lifting a lot of weight. Every week, huge advancements are made. It was as if you could eat whatever you wanted with no negative consequences. What happened when you were in your 30s? Change is inevitable. A niggle becomes a pain. Gains take a little longer to achieve. The fat clings to your body a little tighter than it used to. We conclude that we are not invincible. It is difficult to make progress. What worked for you as a 20-year-old adolescent no longer works for you.

It's quite normal. Your body changes with time. However, none of the programs have changed to reflect this. They expect you to give it your all, just as you did when you were younger... and when you don't, frustration sets in. You make an effort to work out more intensely. And for a longer time. Despite this, the outcomes remain stagnant. Your vitality begins to wane, and you quickly find yourself exhausted, frustrated, or, worse, wounded. It does not have to be this. You may avoid injuries with the appropriate program!

It's even worse than reaching a stalemate. It's not only a matter of switching things up or trying something new. It's all about motivation to the next level...

• 5: As we become older, motivation becomes more difficult to come by... WRONG!

It isn't your fault, of course. Life gets in the way when you're in your 30s. You've grown up. Your priorities shift with time. Your days are filled with the rigors of working on your career daily. On weekends and evenings, you devote your leisure time to your family. The appeal of going to the gym or sweating it out for hours on end has faded. Your motivation begins to waver. Your eating habits deteriorate. Life tends to get in the way. Although your priorities may have shifted, your body still requires attention.

As you can see, none of these problems are related to the body's physiology.

Our problems aren't physical in nature. They revolve around what we do with our bodies. Every male, including you and me, has the same issues. You might be going through one or more of them right now, or you might be experiencing all three. You may turn the clock back by challenging and resolving each of these challenges. Degeneration and decay do not have to be a part of your life.

I've discovered a program that can assist you in overcoming the lies we've all been given. Known as 40 Strong, I believe that if you give it a shot, you'll get the same results you did in your twenties.

When it comes to activity, 40 Strong is about you doing what you enjoy. This curriculum focuses on a variety of physical activity options. Longevity and long-term outcomes come from like what you're doing for fitness.

Because if you truly enjoy something, it will be difficult to give it up.

When it comes to explaining exercise and being active, I like to go back to children. The majority of youngsters around the world have one thing in common: they enjoy playing. Playing is a form of exercise. Kids have enormous power, strength, and agility as they run, leap, twist, climb, and move their bodies. We lose this skill as we become older. We stopped moving like that every day, not because we got older, but because we stopped moving like that every day, and many specialists in the field of strength and health misunderstand this point. This program focuses on reintroducing recess into your life and having that time every day when you can play in a variety of ways. You will regain energy, muscle, mobility, and confidence as a result of this, and your life will be forever changed.