Life begins at forty. While this may be a time when an individual reaches the peak of her career, it is also the time when your body begins to undergo major changes. You might begin to notice that no matter how much you exercise, you are now slowly but surely retaining fat. Hormonal and metabolic changes rule the day when you've already reached forty years old. Menopause almost always comes with weight gain. When you begin to lose muscle mass, your metabolism also slows down. This is an inevitable consequence of aging.

This does not mean, however, that staying fit at forty is not possible. In fact, there's every reason to keep your bodies toned and healthy during this time. Since your metabolic rate slows as a result of the hormonal changes in your body, reducing your caloric intake is the cornerstone of your weight loss program. Take note that what is highlighted is a mere reduction of calories. When you're over forty, going into any form of restrictive dieting or worse, crash dieting, is not only ineffective, it's also potentially dangerous. At this age, your body begins to lose bone mass and any form of dieting that limits your intake of nutrients could cause your bones to become more brittle. That could lead to osteoporosis or hip and leg fractures at the slightest falls.

Fitness for women over 40 entails eating healthy foods at the proper amounts, regular cardiovascular and resistance training exercises and stress management. The focus of your nutrition should be healthier foods that give you fewer calories. Thus, you should be consuming more fruits and vegetables and less of the cakes and donuts that give you more calories. Fiber-rich foods must also be included in your daily menu while protein from fish and lean meat will also do wonders in boosting your metabolism. Don't forget to drink your milk so you can meet your calcium needs everyday. Supplements might be needed if you can't drink milk for one reason or another. If you are a few pounds over the ideal based on your height, age, activity level and other factors, then you need to create a calorie deficit either by eating less or exercising more or combining both.

Fitness for women over 40 also requires exercise. However, cardiovascular exercises aren't enough. Since your bone and muscle mass starts to weaken at forty, you need to incorporate strength training into your routine. Weather you intend to enroll in a gym for a weight lifting program or do bodyweight workouts at home, resistance training is a necessary part of your regimen. This adds muscle mass which helps rev up your metabolic rate for a greater calorie-burn.

To complete your fitness for women over 40 routine, stress management is essential. The kids might have already moved out of the house but the responsibilities of moving up the corporate ladder might lead you to seek comfort from food. Women at whatever age are more prone to emotional overeating whenever stresses take a toll. Marital squabbles and divorce are also other stressors that need to be managed well. Setting aside time for yourself is important so you can stay fit and fab even when you're over forty.