Wellness in Your 30's
UmmHaya Salahuddin
They say the human body is at its peak
at age 25. As you grow older and get to the onset of your 30s, that is when
metabolism slows down, our muscles lose mass, bones lose density, strength and
metabolism declines, and body fat accumulates faster than ever. Physiologists
say that a woman gains an average of 22lbs between the ages of 20 and 65. Yet,
you don't have to be a statistic. Don't just sit back and embrace the physical
decline that is bound to happen sooner or later. The answer is to stay active
in your thirties, this is proven to slow down the natural processes of our body
and leave you feeling good about yourself.
From
20's to 30's
From her late twenties up to her
thirties, a woman spends more of her time with the responsibilities and
priorities that come with family and career. Often, it gets difficult to
squeeze in enough time to work out and stay fit until the day comes when you
notice those unwanted flabs. More than your physical appearance, you might
start feeling exhausted or lethargic most of the time or worse, you develop
health problems. While there is no fountain of youth, every woman can minimize
health risks as her body matures by taking time for age-appropriate exercises –
on top of adapting a healthier diet.
Basic
Exercise Program for your Thirties.
A woman in her thirties still
needs a good balance of aerobic, cardiovascular, and weight training exercises.
60 minutes of medium intensity exercise three times a week would be sufficient
in meeting your fitness needs. Yet, you don't need to do it "all in 60
minutes" you could break this down into 6 x 30 minutes sessions.
So how can you become
more active in your thirties?
It can be tough to make time in
your schedule for exercise when you’re in your thirties, especially if you have
a career, an active social life and a family to look after. The chances are
exercise doesn’t make it high up on your list of priorities when you have so
many other things to worry about. I
understand, you are tired, the children have run you ragged and the work just
never seems to end. However, it is definitely worth making time for exercise
while you’re still young and healthy, so that you can potentially avoid developing health problems as you
get older.
If you don’t get enough exercise
you could find yourself at greater risk of developing heart disease and diabetes, which you obviously
don’t want to get if you can help it.
You therefore have to find a way to
incorporate more exercise into your schedule. You may however feel as though you
don’t have enough time for exercise, but you only have to set aside an hour a
day for some kind of physical activity to feel the benefits. I will repeat you
don’t even have to do this hour of exercise all in one go and so you could
easily squeeze in a few lunges or sit-ups while you’re waiting for dinner to
cook and take the stairs instead of an elevator. As long as you get your body
moving and your heart pumping you should notice a difference, but you have to
ensure that you get more active regularly.
Thus, there is no point in creating a home gym with the
intention of using it every day only to find that your schedule doesn't make it
easy for you to do this. You might start off with enthusiasm, but soon find
that your job or family takes precedence over a workout in that gym. You
therefore need to find an activity you enjoy doing which you can actually
squeeze into your schedule, or which you want to do so much that you’re
prepared to make room in your schedule for it.
You might decide to get up early to
go for a brisk walk with your husband, this can double as a chance to reconnect
and exercise. You could also buy a
fitness DVD. In the end, it is up to you
what kind of exercise you do, but you have to be prepared to do it regularly if
you are going to be able to appreciate the benefits.
Wellness in your thirties is about
more than exercise it’s about the whole person.
We have to ask ourselves the hard
questions and be honest with our answers in order to be truly well in your
thirties.
·
Do you manage to complete all or
most of your tasks by the end of each day?
·
Do you have all the tools you need
to run your life, such as an effective schedule?
·
Do you delegate effectively?
·
Do you give time to people who don't
deserve your time?
·
Do you manage your home efficiently?
·
Do you put off handling things that
could and should be dealt with now?
·
Do you say yes to additional work,
knowing that you do not have sufficient time to complete the task?
·
Do you have a cut-off point each day
when your time becomes yours?
·
Do you need help looking after the
children so that you can spend more quality time with them?
These
questions seem simple and yet they are an accurate reflection of what can
potentially go wrong in the average day. Effective time management frees up
mental and emotional space, allowing you to act more effectively and
efficiently.
Set
about getting the basics right: time for work; time for family/social
activities; time for you.