How to Get Back in Shape After 40 Using a Holistic Approach

Written by: Stuart Carter,

Dip. PT, Precision Nutrition 1
C.O.O., The Fit Father Project

Written by: Stuart Carter,

Dip. PT, Precision Nutrition 1
C.O.O., The Fit Father Project

how to get back in shape after 40

Looking to get back in shape after 40? Using a holistic approach may be the best way to create and keep the body you crave.

It's crucial to look at all aspects of what makes you your current size.

Your beliefs, genes, and environment all affect your body weight.

Taking an all-inclusive line of attack will help you reach the healthiest weight for you.

Using a holistic attitude to get back in shape after 40 will be less difficult than focusing on exercise and calorie consumption alone.

Adjust your beliefs, behavior, and lifestyle, maintain physical fitness, stay positive, and eat a healthy diet.

To increase the odds of weight loss, join a formal weight loss program.

Committing to a fitness program will give you more accountability, which will encourage you to take action and stick to the challenge.

Here's what else you need to know — and do — to get back in shape after 40.

Learn how to increase metabolism after 40 with these top tips for busy men!

See the programs 38,000 guys over 40 are using to get results like these

How to Get Back in Shape After 40 Using a Holistic Approach

Beliefs Affect Your Weight

Have you heard people say that just looking at a cake makes them gain weight?

Observing high-calorie foods won't make you gain weight, but as absurd as it sounds, how calorific you believe the foods you eat does have an effect.

One study illustrates the point. People who were told the shakes provided during the experiment had a large calorie content put on more weight than subjects who drank similar shakes.

The difference? Those who assumed their shakes were designed for weight loss didn't pile on as many pounds, because they didn't expect to do so.

If you consume calorie-laden snacks and think you will put on weight, your beliefs might actually have an impact.

Thus, don't build guilt when you treat yourself to fattening foods.

Remorse about calories consumed won't aid weight loss. It could do the opposite.

Enjoy treats in moderation, and don't dwell on the calorie content, as it will strengthen the idea you'll get fat.

Your beliefs also influence weight loss in another way.

If you reason you can't help putting on pounds due to genetics, you're unlikely to maintain a healthy weight.

You won't put enough effort into losing weight because you don't imagine it will make a difference.

Examine what you think and decide whether or not it's helpful.

If it isn't, use constructive affirmations to change your view.

Above all, maintain a positive can-do attitude.

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Genes Influence Weight Loss

Genes can affect your weight, but this doesn't mean they will as they need not be switched on.

Your behavior and environment play a big part in whether they are expressed or not.

It's great when you can control your weight. If you are susceptible to weight gain, you just have to try harder to stay in shape.

Research shows that losing weight after you've gained and lost it several times gets more difficult, whether you are genetically predisposed to weight gain or not.

Your body struggles to maintain the size you've become, rather than assisting with weight loss.

Maintaining a healthy size requires vigilance, especially if you are predisposed to weight gain.

Just knowing you need to be on the ball can help you succeed, but you don't want it to evolve into an excuse.

See the program 38,000 guys over 40 are using to get results like these

Environment Has An Impact

The environment includes your living conditions, lifestyle, and the people who influence you.

If you stock your fridge and cupboards with healthy foods, you're on the way to creating a supportive environment.

Additionally, ensure your surroundings aid weight loss.

Display prompts around your home to inspire you to lose weight.

Written affirmations, photos of yourself when you were lean, or pictures of others who are your ideal weight can provide encouragement.

Listen to motivational speakers who know how to inspire people to be their best selves.

Your routine behaviors influence the shape of your body.

If you habitually snack on fattening foods in front of the TV, losing weight will be tough.

Change your habits to accommodate weight loss and your goal will be within reach.

Additionally, ask if your friends and family are willing to help. If they are, get them on board.

Tell them you aim to lose weight and ask them to be supportive. Offering you candy, for instance, isn't beneficial.

Tell them not to call you the next time they're going to that all-you-can-eat buffet!

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Exercise Helps More Than You Think

How much you need to exercise depends on your system.

If you've always been a healthy weight, staying in shape will be easier as opposed to being a yo-yo dieter.

Habitual dieters often need to make an extra effort to keep fit because their metabolism is slow.

They must also deal with altered hormone levels that tell their brain they need to eat more than they need.

Thirty minutes of moderate exercise a day might be all that's necessary, provided you're eating the right foods.

Experiment to discover your body's reaction to exercise, and try to determine whether you need more or less physical activity.

If you don't usually exercise, work up to 30 minutes gradually.

Also, have a health check if you think your physical condition might influence how much exertion you can undergo.

Use our resources to find the right exercises for you. We have tons of great articles and videos, covering all sorts of fat-burning exercises.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and try our free fat-burning workout.

If formal exercise isn't your thing, do yard work, go on hikes, or find some type of physical activity to do every day.

Diet Is Huge

The types of food you consume dramatically influence your weight.

The calories you need depend on your body size, weight, gender, age, activity level, and height.

Dr. Mozaffarain, a cardiologist from the Harvard School of Public Health, says calories needed to maintain weight can be roughly calculated by multiplying how much you weigh in pounds by 15.

But counting calories isn't as necessary as you might believe.

Foods that encourage weight gain include processed varieties as opposed to those recognizable as natural like fresh carrots.

Additionally, fried, fatty and sweet foods are often calorie-dense and can put in a dangerous cycle of eating and sitting.

Lean meats, fish, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats are recommended as part of a wholesome diet.

Junk food wreaks havoc on your endocrine system and gut biome.

Eating a poor diet will leave you feeling lethargic and have you craving more junk food.

Because food has been scarce throughout history, our bodies evolved to save energy.

The body releases hormones to either save energy when food is plentiful or use energy to find food when it’s scarce.

To avoid the cycle without counting calories, choose healthy whole foods and use the perfect plate method.

Half of your plate should be vegetables, one-fourth carbohydrates, and one-fourth protein.

Stuart Carter, Dip. PT, Precision Nutrition 1
C.O.O., The Fit Father Project

Stuart gained his Diploma in Personal Training & Sports Medicine through Premier Global, back in 2001. In 2018, he completed his Level 1 Precision Nutrition qualification.

Throughout his career in Fitness, Stuart has trained hundreds of clients, worked in almost every position in the industry, and ran his own successful training studio.

After a hiatus away from the Fitness industry, working in Corporate Management and Finance, Stuart returned to what he loves… Fitness! This return led to a chance meeting with Dr. Balduzzi, and a place in the Fit Father Project team.

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*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on how to get back in shape after 40.

Written by: Stuart Carter,

Dip. PT, Precision Nutrition 1
C.O.O., The Fit Father Project

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