You are in your 40’s and you are fabulous! The kids can finally do a few things on their own and even better, they can do a few things for you which is awesome! You are smarter, wiser and more confident than ever. You know where you are going and how you are going to get there. You have got it all together and want to keep it that way.
Taking care of ourselves in our 40’s is a little bit different than when we were in our 20’s and 30’s. Things begin to sag and our bodies start going through changes that are new and different. Alas, we begin our battle with time. While time will keep marching on, there are a few things we can do to help us stay at our best.
Here are 10 tips for staying beautiful and healthy after 40.
- Take a daily multi-vitamin. For many of us, our American diet is lacking in
important vitamins and nutrients. A daily multi-vitamin will help compensate for that. I personally can’t stand taking those huge pills so I found some great gummy vitamins that I like and take instead. I buy the generic store brands at either Walmart or Target and take them faithfully. My daughters are even willing to take them so I will keep on buying them. I have even found a joint strengthening chew that also works well.
- Exercise daily. It is vitally important that you has some form of daily exercise. Whether it is a walk in the park or a class at the YMCA, you need to get up and get moving every single day. “Move it or lose it” the old saying goes. You need also include some form of strength training in your daily exercise routine. As we age, our muscle mass decreases. The only way to combat this is to have a weight strengthening routine. Now you do not have to go in the gym and bench press 200 lbs with the guys. There are lots of videos on You Tube from simple to difficult for strength training–find a few you like and work them into your daily routine.
- Develop a healthy diet. Unfortunately, we all can’t eat those milk shakes and fries anymore. What we eat makes us who we are on the inside and out. Try drinking more water and incorporating a few more vegetables into your diet. Just a few simple changes can give you some great results.
- Adjust your wardrobe. Women in their 40’s shouldn’t be wearing what women in their 20’s wear. Somewhere between a mini skirt and prairie skirt is where you want to be. Within that window, it a lot of room for personal style. All because they sell that tank top and mini skirt in your size, doesn’t mean you should wear it. You want to buy clothes that fit you well and make you feel good all at the same time. Not sure about what clothing that you should have in your closet? CLICK HERE to find what types of clothing you should have in your closet.
- Know your numbers and family history. Take a trip to your family doctor and find out your iron levels, blood counts, cholesterol numbers, etc. Are you in a good range? What changes to your life style do you need to make in order to be in the good range? Find out at what age your mother entered menopause. Does anyone in your family have heart disease, etc. When we are aware of some of the health issues that our family members have, we can be on the look out for symptoms and possibly prevent some of them happening to us.
- Get an annual mammogram. This is vital!!! If you have not have a mammogram within the past 12 months, schedule one today. Breast cancer is something when caught early, is treatable and highly curable. Mammograms are mostly painless and only take a few minutes of your time and they can save your life.
- Get your beauty rest. Getting a good nights sleep is something that I have struggle with every since my youngest child was born. I do not know if it was all of the pressure of have three young children and trying to run a business at the same time but I have had insomnia for years. Last year, I switched family doctors and made some personal life changes and I am happy to say, my sleep has greatly improved. If you are struggling with this issue, get some help. Sleep is vital to our mental and emotional health. It is much easier to be nice and kind to others when you are not tired!!
- Wear sunscreen. While that sunshine feels so good, remember to put on some sunscreen daily. You can find moisturizers with sunscreen built right in them. I generally use the Mary Kay products but your local drug store has a great variety and selection. Find the one that works best for you and use daily.
- Surround yourself with positive people. Have you ever heard the saying that you will become who you hang out with. If you hang out with people that have poor attitudes, feel they can never get ahead or complain more than they praise, you may need to find a few new friends.
- Enjoy yourself with some personal time. I like to call this Me Time. Me Time is just a period of time during the day when you do something for yourself. As women, we are always doing things for other and for our own well being, a little time for ourselves it necessary. For some Me Time tips, CLICK HERE.
Taking care of ourselves is important. We only get one chance to do this thing called “Life” and let’s do it well! Do you have any additional tips on taking care of yourself after 40. Please share in the comment section below.
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Great article, i should show this to some people I know. xx
http://www.annanuttall.com
Thank you.
Great (and easy) common sense tips. Thanks for the reminders!
Thank you!
I love the positive people one. I spent too many years surrounded by the wrong people. Great tips! So glad to find your blog. Tracy from Blogbytracy.com
Thank you. I think positive people affect so many areas in our lives. It is a vital key to our health.
Love this post. I really do need to start taking better care of myself. Since turning 40 and having my youngest my body has gone through some major changes…namely my metabolism. Saving this to reread again 🙂
Same here. Things change but there are things we can do to combat the change. Thank you!
These are great tips, even in my early 30’s I’m starting to realize the importance of taking care of myself to become healthier.
Yes! The earlier you start, the better you will be.
Yes to #4! I’m in my early 30s and wearing the same stuff that I wore in my 20s already feels weird.
Our likes and interests change and that is OK!! It only gets better!
Knowing your family history is so important! I’ve stressed to some friends that they should really talk to their parents about how people in their family have died. It’s not pleasant, but it can really help you make better life choices.
I agree. It is all about choices~!
What a great post! I love that you talk about surrounding yourself with positive people! Something that is so hard to do, yet so important! Keep up the amazing work! Malibu Mama Loves Xx
Thank you!. Positive people can make the difference.
Great article but we’re was it 25 years ago? LOL. I’m close to 70 but follow most of these steps. I probably should have started years ago! Great article.
Thanks Marta. Yes, if I only knew way back then what I know now!!
I’m definitely learning the importance of a healthy diet and sunscreen! It’s so scary to think about how badly I’ve treated my body until now. I’m 31 and as I get older all I want to do is take care of this precious vessel. This post may be about beauty, but I think it also serves as a fantastic reminder to take care of ourselves for bigger reasons than beauty. Great post and thank you for sharing 🙂
Glad you liked it. It is so important that we take care of ourselves.
This is so right on! I just turned 40 a few months ago, and I’ve been re-assessing several things in my life. I do most of these things, so I know from experience they are excellent tips. What I should do is get a mammogram. Yea, I should get around to doing that lol
Yes, those mammograms are very important!
That’s great advice! I’m 41 and do all the steps you’ve suggested except get yearly mammograms. There are conflicting recommendations about that now, and some groups recommend that women actually wait until later (especially where there is no family history of mammograms). The reason is because there are a lot of false positives and the “remedies” can have far worse consequences for women than if they’d done nothing at all. Since I don’t really relish the idea of getting my boobs squeezed to a pulp or having to undergo unnecessary radiation, chemo, and mastectomy I discussed with my doctor about it and we decided it was fine to wait until 50. I still do my own self- breast exams though and live a healthy lifestyle. You can check out WebMD to see their discussions about the new mammogram screening guidelines.
Thank you!
I’m 40 in 4 years and I do most of this stuff now. Sadly I still dress how I did at 17. I’ve never had a job that I need to be suited and booted for, luckily.
time goes so fast. That is like an old folks saying but it is so true. Enjoy life!
I know what you mean! But when you adjust your wardrobe, you actually start to feel sexier and more beautiful because the clothes flatter you more. I tried it and would never go back to my old same-look-since-I-was-18 wardrobe!
There is nothing like great fitting clothes!
Things do change after 40, I find myself doing things more for my health than my vanity. When I was in my 20’s and 30’s, I would say to myself, “Do I look good?” In my 40’s I find myself asking, “Do I feel good?”.
Thanks for the ideas!
Becky
Yes, I agree. It is more about how I feel now than how I look. Life can be great if we make it so!
Great article. Funny how I was just eating my lunch ans putting all the vegetables to the side when I read your article. Lol! Guess I really have to start eating my vegetables. And I need to schedule that mammogram. Thanks for these great tips.
Your welcome! Glad you liked them. It is so important to take care of ourselves.