Everything I Do to Be Ripped at 40
Welcome, readers! This post is a little sneak peek into my life as a fitness trainer and everything I do to be ripped at 40! Before I get into it, I think it’s important to note that I am not saying everyone needs to do everything I do. After all, everybody and every body is different; this is what I do and what I have found works for me.
It’s also okay if you don’t want to be ripped at 40 (or any stage of life, for that matter). Everybody’s goals are different, and that’s okay!
A little bit about me – I have spent 14 years in the fitness industry where I have prioritized being healthy. That being said, my body has undergone many changes over the years due to having two kids, experiencing life-changing events and dealing with major stressors. Over that time I have had to learn to love myself whether I was extra lean and ripped or a little more “fluffy” and less defined. I’ve not always done this perfectly, but it’s been an ongoing journey for me!
And lastly, just because I started focusing on my health at a young age, it doesn’t mean that if you’re past 40 you’re too late. I have had many clients older than me experience incredible transformations that have empowered them to live their best life and to feel better than they ever have before! Wherever you’re at, young or old, the best decision you can make is the decision to start prioritizing your health TODAY. You’re worth it!
Mindset: A Firm Foundation
First and foremost, I take my mindset very seriously. Through continued investments in my own coaching and my own therapist, I have found a number of things that make an incredible impact in the way I live my life. Each of these tools help me to be not only more successful with my health, but also more successful and present in my relationships, my faith, and my general attitude toward life. Here are my essentials:
Daily quiet time routine: Every morning I wake up with enough time to complete my morning routine which includes a time of prayer, reading, deep breathing, and sitting in silence. This is absolutely non-negotiable for me as it sets the tone for my entire day, puts God first in my heart and mind, and empowers me to face the day with a cup full of God’s love and peace.
Guided meditation: Meditation is a great way to reset throughout the day, and I love to have a variety of guided meditations to turn to.
Mental health: I have continuously invested in my own personal growth and mental health through paying for my own coach and my own therapist. There’s always ways to improve and grow, and this continuous investment has helped me maintain a growth mindset and shown me areas that I can improve. I’ve experienced so many breakthroughs and mindset wins through these investments that have radically changed how I live my life! I cannot recommend this enough.
Stress management: As a recovering perfectionist, stress plays a HUGE role in my life, and knowing how to manage it is absolutely crucial. One of my favorite techniques is called Catch and Release, which I talk about in more detail here. I also give myself timeouts to practice deep breathing if I find myself feeling anxious or stressed. This break prevents me from spiraling out of control and letting the stress take over.
Screen discipline: I am extremely aware of the negative effects of screentime. I set boundaries with myself around my phone, including setting “screen free” times for the first 15 minutes of the day and the last 30 minutes of the day. This “unplugging” gives my brain a rest and allows me time to wake up and go to sleep with a clear mind.
Nutrition: It Starts in the Kitchen
After mindset, nutrition plays a huge role in my health. By fueling my body with the proper nutrition, I not only experience better physical results such as leaner body and more muscle mass, but I also feel so much better when I’m on my food game! I have less inflammation, I get better sleep, I have more energy, I don’t have brain fog or sluggishness, it enables me to manage my anxiety and depression easier, I have clearer skin, and it helps me manage my psoriasis. All of these things contribute to my overall health, not just the number on the scale.
What I eat in a day:
I aim to eat single ingredient whole foods 90% of the time or more, if possible. My main foods are chicken breast, ground turkey, white fish, eggs, egg whites, brown rice, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, olive oil, organic peanut butter, oats, lots of veggies, and some fruit. Fortunately, I don’t get tired of eating the same meals week in and week out so that helps me simplify my meal plans, but there are so many incredible recipes that use the same ingredients in a variety of ways to help prevent burnout!
As a business owner, wife and mama of two, meal prepping is an absolute lifesaver! By following this meal prep guide I am able prep an entire week’s worth of food for me and my family in just 75 minutes or less. When it’s time to eat, I just pull it out and go. No more wondering what to make for dinner, no more last-minute frozen pizzas, no more trying to remember what to get at the grocery store. Most of all, meal prepping helps relieve some of the mental load, leaving room for me to be a more present boss, wife, and mother.
Don’t forget the water! I aim to drink a gallon of water a day. Staying well-hydrated helps with my skin, digestion, muscle recovery, energy, and it helps my internal organs stay healthy and functioning. The human body is up to 60% water, so don’t forget to drink your water!
Finally, although I aim to get as much nutrition from food as possible, I do take the following supplements every day:
Multivitamin
Fish Oil,
B-12,
Vitamin C
Zinc
Vitamin D
Protein Shake
These supplements help boost my immune system and ensure I don’t have any vitamin deficiencies.
Workouts: Get Those Gains
First off, for all you women worried that lifting heavy will make you look like a man or get bulky, this is so false! Females do not have the same hormonal makeup as males, and it takes a LOT more for us to build up “bulky” muscles. You would have to train incredibly hard for a very long time and eat 99% clean for many years to get a physique like some of those Olympic lifters.
If being an Olympic lifter isn’t your goal, you will be just fine to do normal weight training.
I aim for at least 4 days of weight training per week for 45 minutes. For each exercise, I shoot for a range of 8-12 reps with a moderate weight. It’s important to stick to the same program for at least 8 weeks and progressively adding weight as you gain strength. I do some cardio after my lifting session or fasted cardio early in the morning before eating. I would recommend no more than 2 days per week of high intensity interval training (HIIT) as it’s generally a very strenuous workout for your body and you don’t want to overdo it. For your other cardio sessions, do long slow distance (LSD) cardio. This will give you the benefits of cardio training while minimizing the effect of fatigue or risk of injury.
The most important thing is consistency, so find a program you can stick to long-term, and then stick to it!
Sleep: The Secret Sauce
Finally, do not underestimate the importance of sleep! Your body needs at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night in order to fully recover and set you up for success for the next day. Adequate sleep boosts your mood, your immune system, and even how your body stores nutrients.
For me, I am in bed every night between 9 or 9:30pm, and I am asleep between 9:30 or 10pm. I wake up between 5:30 and 6am, depending on the schedule for the next day. I prioritize healthy sleep patterns by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day as much as possible. This steady routine allows your body to fall asleep faster and wake up easier! As I stated above, I also set strict boundaries with my phone, and make sure I do not use it 30 minutes before bed, as the blue light from the screen can disrupt your sleep patterns, and the activity of consuming media or social media can get my brain riled up.
Putting it All Together
If you are reading this and feeling overwhelmed, I want to encourage you by saying 3 things:
I am not perfect, and I do not do everything perfectly all the time. I’ve had to practice giving myself a lot of grace and cutting myself a lot of slack over the years.
I did not start out doing all of this. It took me many years to build up each of these habits and to find things that worked for me not only in getting me results, but in ensuring I can sustain it for the long-term.
Do not feel like you have to do everything I do. I exist in the fitness industry. I spend a majority of my personal and professional life thinking about, practicing, and teaching these things and the reality is most other people don’t, and that’s okay! Most people have a different career, other responsibilities, and they probably don’t have a home gym.
The important thing is to find what works for you that will help you reach your goals, and then adopt small habits one by one.
If you want to start feeling good in your skin and you’re ready to join the last program you’ll ever need, come talk to me! Warrior Fit Academy is a holistic, down-to-earth program for busy people like you who want to experience permanent transformation while skipping the yo-yo diet culture! Find me on social media or schedule a free discovery call with me today!
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