Blasting stubborn body fat in your 40s is no joke. It takes hard work, dedication, and following the correct fitness routine in order to work your way toward your fat-loss goal. Having an expert-approved workout at your fingertips can make all the difference in the world, so long as you’re consistent with it and make some healthy tweaks in your diet and overall lifestyle as well. We did the hard work for you and chatted with The Nutrition Twins®, Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT, members of our Medical Expert Board and certified personal trainers, who break down the best workout to lose body fat in your 40s.
The lifestyle habits you follow on a regular basis can have a massive impact on how fast you age and what kind of shape you’ll be in as you enter your 40s and beyond. Limiting the amount of alcohol you consume; sticking to a diet chock-full of healthy fruits, veggies, lean protein, and plant-based foods; and exercising regularly (a combination of aerobic and strength training) can all help you combat the bodily changes that come with getting older.
If you want to shed unwanted body fat, the below workout combines cardiovascular exercise with strength training. “The strength training is essential to build metabolism-revving and calorie-burning lean muscle tissue, while the cardiovascular exercise not only gets the heart in shape but burns calories as well, assisting in weight and body fat loss,” The Nutrition Twins tell us. “This workout routine focuses on three things that make a fat-burning workout successful: working large muscle groups, challenging your cardiovascular fitness, and varying intensities (some exercises are more intense than others in this routine and as you work harder/more intensely, you burn more calories, which means a higher rate of burning body fat).”
If you’re ready to get your workout on, keep reading for The Nutrition Twins’ ultimate workout to lose body fat in your 40s. Complete three sets of the below circuit. And when you’re finished, be sure to read about the 5 Strength Exercises for Women To Get Firm & Lean in Their 40s.
You’ll begin this fat-blasting circuit by performing 100 jumping jacks to get your blood pumping. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, and keep your arms by your sides. Then, jump up as you press your feet out and raise your arms overhead. As you come down, lower your arms and return to the start position.
“This is a great exercise for isolating the quadriceps and the glutes without the distraction of having to keep your balance if you’re doing lunges or walking lunges in the grass or on uneven ground,” The Nutrition Twins explain.
You’ll start by assuming a split stance and pulling your shoulder blades back. Maintain solid posture. Then, descend into a lunge, and pulse. When doing this exercise, think about squeezing your quads and glutes as you perform small, controlled pulses up and down. Be sure to keep your abs activated, and tightly squeeze them when you finish the exercise. Perform 40 pulsing lunges on each leg.
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Next up, it’s time for plank claps. According to The Nutrition Twins, “This is a twist on the traditional plank that requires a little extra balance and recruits a few extra muscles.”
You’ll begin by assuming a classic high plank position with your hands below your shoulders and your body forming a straight line. Press onto the balls of your feet, using your hands and tippy-toes as support. Activate your abs, and make sure your hips don’t sink in. “If you have a partner, with the top of your heads facing each other, make sure you’re close enough so that you can reach out and clap each other’s hand, but not too close so that you bang into each other’s heads,” The Nutrition Twins continue to instruct. “If you don’t have a partner, simply do this same move, and reach out as if you were clapping hands with someone.” Complete 20 hand claps.
The standing criss-cross crunch begins with you standing tall and tightly squeezing your abs. Using control, raise one knee up and across your body while bringing your opposite elbow toward that knee. When bringing your elbow to your knee, further contract your abs. Then, gradually lower your leg back down to the starting position. Perform the same motion on the opposite side. Complete 15 reps per side for 30 reps in total. If you’re a beginner and are only able to complete 10 per side, feel free to work your way up to 15 reps. And if 15 reps don’t challenge you, perform 20 or 30 per side.
“This isometric exercise works the entire body, including your core, legs, butt, lower back, arms, and shoulders,” The Nutrition Twins explain. “It gives your hips, chest, and shoulders a nice stretch as well.”
Begin this exercise by planting your hands on the floor with your fingers pointing toward your toes. Position your feet together. Lift your body as you contract your core muscles, and keep your body steady in a straight line. Once you’re lifted, squeeze your lower abs, and raise your left leg to 45 degrees. Then, lower with control, and complete the same motion with your right leg. Perform 20 kicks.
Last but not least, this workout to lose body fat in your 40s wraps up with some cardio—a jog! With a pace you can comfortably maintain while also pushing yourself a bit, jog for half a mile. Since you’ll be performing this circuit three times, don’t over-exert yourself!
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