Are your appearance, fitness and wellness important to you? Fighting fit at any age takes time and dedication, the game of life hasn’t changed-we’ve just got to master some new strategies.

It’s probably no secret that your late 40’s is the time when the most dramatic changes occur in your body. If you’re suffering from any of the symptoms below, you’re not alone. Let’s tackle them one hurdle at a time.

BEATING THE BLOAT

Does your abdomen have a life of its own?

As your body matures, the volume and quality of digestive secretions reduce. This makes the gut more susceptible to wind, flatulence, bloating and a sensation of heaviness.

Do you have a flat stomach on waking; then start to feel pregnant as the day goes on? One way to tackle this is to eat a simple breakfast; avoid multigrain, or smoothies with too many ingredients. Eating a group of different grains in a cereal such as muesli, is often too difficult for your body to break down. This may lead to partially undigested food products finding their way through the intestinal tract, causing unwanted reactions. Smoothies with a number of components such as fruits, fats, vegetables, proteins and seeds-while very nutrient dense, are usually way too complex for the body to digest adequately.

Game changer: Eat simply by reducing the number of food groups eaten in one sitting such as; eggs and spinach, fruit and yoghurt or oats on their own.

Tone your tummy for improved health

Have you noticed a slight thickening around your waist line?

Hormonal changes such as lowered metabolic rate, peri menopausal changes such as oestrogen dominance and the fact that your body needs less calories as it matures, can very quickly lead to the deposition of fat around the middle.

Game changer: The BEST THING for reducing abdominal fat is exercise, particularly using weights. It’s also worthwhile to have an assessment done by a health professional. Having your hormone levels checked may indicate a need for supplements that balance oestrogens or improve metabolic rate.

Dietary advice is worthwhile too, determining what your body really needs and guidance about the most nutrient rich foods is very helpful. No point in lifting lots of weights and taking supplements if your diet isn’t right.

Buff bones for good health

Are you looking after your bones?

Did you know that bone strength and the laying down of calcium in bones reaches its peak by the age of 25? The prime objective in your late 40’s and beyond, needs to be prevention of bone/calcium loss. Unfortunately, simply consuming lots of calcium rich foods and supplementation does do much for bone regeneration at this age range.

Game changer: The BEST THING for bone strength and prevention of bone loss is weight bearing exercise.

Bones are a dynamic organ; if you don’t use them, you lose them. They are a living structure, just like muscle. Dietary factors have a significant influence on bone loss.

Here are 3 tips to building strong bones through diet:

Maintain optimal blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity

Avoid junk food which is high in phosphates, affecting calcium absorption.

Maintain a healthy acid/alkaline balance; a body that is too acidic may cause the leaching calcium from bones.

Exercise to regulate your body and stay healthy

What are you doing to get active?

The scientific evidence about the benefits of exercise is HUGE. Intense exercise has been shown to help prevent dementia and cognitive decline. In addition, exercise that focuses on increasing muscle strength and mass of the thighs greatly improves blood sugar levels. Exercise may also help to prevent breast cancer and has been shown to reduce menopausal symptoms; such as hot flushes, mood swings, anxiety and palpitations.

Game changer: Get moving by doing something you enjoy. Start with a walk, once you’re up and about, it will be easier to add layers to your exercise routine, with weight resistance or increased intensity. Feeling adventurous? Check out a fantastic gym ONEfhl.com.au in Subiaco or find more ideas to get your groove on at www.greengoodnessco.com.au

Are you over 45 and looking for support from a health professional in maintain your wellbeing?

Contact Subiaco Wellness Clinic to arrange a private consultation. Let’s discuss your individual health needs.