Total Fitness After 40 Quotes

“Improving your stability is perhaps the most important thing you can to reduce the likelihood that you will become another fall victim. And the great news is, doing so doesn’t require a lot of effort. Performing some of these home exercises a couple of times a week can make a huge difference. It can also just take a few minutes - in fact, you can even do them during the ads on TV, or as a quick morning/ before bed routine. Adding the more gym-based exercises into your routine will also play a huge role in your increased stability and strength.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Improving your mobility will do wonders for your enjoyment of life and your everyday functionality. Whether it’s gardening, DIY or playing with your kids in the back yard. Getting there is not that difficult. In fact, the three-part routine (foam rolling, dynamic stretching and mobility drills) that we’ve covered in this chapter takes just a few minutes to complete. Add it in as part of your warm up before your strength training and you will be amazed at how much more fluid, mobile and free you will feel - try it and see for yourself! You can also perform these three aspects as a separate routine to wake you up in the morning. Your heart rate will increase while you do this, so it’s a great jump start to the day.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Obesity is a major risk factor for the loss of mobility. An obese person puts far greater demands on his skeletal muscles than a healthy weight person does. High levels of adipose tissue (fat) have also been associated with reduced functional muscle ability and strength. Lack of flexibility and control over muscles is also more readily seen among overweight individuals.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Stretching Recommendations The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends flexibility exercises for all of the major muscle-tendon groups - neck, shoulders, trunk, lower back, hips, legs, ankles - 2-3 times per week. Spend up to 60 seconds on each stretch; if you can only hold the stretch for 20 seconds, repeat the stretch three times. Never bounce into a stretch. Perform dynamic stretches before your workout. Perform static stretching after your workout. If you are doing a separate stretching session, do a 5 minute warm up of cardio and dynamic stretches.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Next, do some dynamic stretching specifically to the body parts you will be working on. These could include arm circles, leg swings, trunk circles, bodyweight squats, or lunges. We will explore this further in the Mobility chapter. After the workout, you should do static stretching, which we shall explore further in the flexibility chapter. I also recommend using a foam roller to perform a self-myofascial release massage either pre and/or post workout. This simply involves placing the roller between the muscle group you wish to work and the floor or a wall. You then roll back and forth to apply pressure to the muscle.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Begin each workout with 3- 5 minutes of light cardio. If you don’t have access to an exercise bike or treadmill, you can simply jog around your garden/ outdoor space. Or jog on the spot for 60 seconds, perform jumping jacks for 30 seconds, followed by high knees for another 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“The only difference between a 25-year-old and 55-year-old is that the 55-year old’s body has had an extra 30 years to decondition itself. During this time, if he or she has not been doing strength training, his muscles will have atrophied. Yet, both the 25 and the 55-year-old require the same physiological mechanism to get stronger and build muscle. The 25-year-old and the 55-year-old both need to follow the same safety precautions, though the older person has a greater need to adhere to them.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Let’s say that you are doing the dumbbell curl with a weight that allows you to do 8 repetitions with good form. Each succeeding workout push yourself to perform an extra repetition without losing your good technique. When, after a period of weeks, you are able to do 12 reps with the weight that you started out doing 8 reps with, increase the weight slightly and drop back to 8 reps. You can continue progressing in this manner without limit.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“The American Council of Aging have identified the following 10 biomarkers of health: Muscle Mass Strength Bone Density Bone Composition Blood Lipids Hemodynamics Glucose Control Aerobic Capacity Gene Expression Brain Factors How many of those essential biomarkers of health do you think strength training benefits? Even if regular strength training improved 2 or 3 of these areas, wouldn’t you agree that it would be a worthwhile activity to engage in? Well, the fact is that strength training will produce marked improvement in ALL of these areas. That is not only remarkable, but also unequalled by any other activity. And that is why strength training needs to form the foundation of your health and wellness lifestyle.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Over time, as you train more, your exercise intensity may have to change for each of the zones. For example, beginner exercisers who go for a light jog may be in Zone 3. But, as they continue to work out, their body will adapt and their fitness improves, so that in three to five weeks that same jog will only put them in Zone 2. That means that you have significantly improved your aerobic fitness level. Using a heart rate monitor is an easy way to track the heart rate zone you are working in, and your improvements in aerobic fitness over time.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Beginner exercisers should not train in Zone 4 until they have built up their aerobic fitness level with around six months of training.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Zone heart rate training is based on exercise intensity and heart rate zones. There are five heart rate zones that are each based upon a person’s maximum heart rate. While it is impossible to precisely work out your maximum heart rate, there are a number of formulas to provide you with a close estimate. The most common formula for working out your maximum heart rate is to subtract your heart rate from 220. So, if you are 40 years of age, your max heart rate is . . . 220 - 40 = 180”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Strength training workouts will usually last between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on whether you are training designated body parts or your whole body.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“The starting point to constructing your workout program is deciding how often you will exercise. The current general recommendations for physical activity are 150 minutes of aerobic activity week at moderate-intensity exercise. That equates to about half an hour a day, five days a week. That activity should include doing a range of physical activities that incorporate fitness, strength, balance and flexibility. However, such activities as gardening and playing sport should also be included in your total exercise count. Including these types of activities will help to make sure that you are getting the proper balance between exercise and recovery. Alternatively, it is recommended that you do 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise on a weekly basis. On top of that, you should do muscle strengthening activity on at least two days per week.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“A trap that people often fall into is to put barriers in front of their ability to exercise. They do this by telling themselves that they must buy something before they can begin. It could be new shoes, gym clothes or a stopwatch that they have told themselves they need before they can start training. These are really just ways to procrastinate. The reality is that you don’t need any special equipment in order to get started on an exercise routine. Put the excuses aside, save your money, and just get started.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“When you first start working out, don’t go full out straight away. If you exhaust yourself straight off the bat, you’ll be adding fuel to the idea that you don’t like exercising. Take it steady and build up gradually, enjoying the training along the way. Exercise is movement. It’s not confined to the gym or a set block of workout time. It could be walking, swimming, playing basketball or any other activity that you enjoy that will get your heart rate up for 30 minutes.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“We are living in an out of control world. People are so busy nowadays that they hardly have time to think - let alone breathe - before they’re off to the next appointment, the next pick up or the next thing on their to do list. As a result, many people accept what happens to them as inevitable, as something over which they have little control, or as pure chance.They pile on weight, fail to stick to an exercise program or ditch their clean eating plan when the pressure comes on like waves that are being tossed about in an ocean of ill-disciplined self-indulgence and mediocrity.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Key Points As you age, your body naturally becomes less efficient. Changes you will go through include losing muscle mass, slowing of your metabolism, and producing less testosterone You have the power, through exercise, to slow down the aging process Exercise will improve your self - image and your self-confidence Regular exercise will make you physically and mentally stronger, improve your bone strength, body composition, coordination and balance Exercise will boost the efficiency of your heart and lungs and make you far less likely to succumb to age-related disease”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Cardiovascular endurance is another vital aspect of total fitness. It will help you to sustain aerobic exercise and is an indication of the health of your heart and lungs. The more cardiovascular endurance you have, the more efficiently your heart is able to pump oxygenated blood to your muscles.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Muscular endurance training, in which you use a lighter load for higher repetitions, will increase the health of your bones and joints. The reduced likelihood of muscular fatigue will also lessen your likelihood of suffering a fatigue related injury or accident.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Mobility is strength through the full range of motion of an exercise. Unlike flexibility, it relies on the muscle alone to produce the range of movement. So, a flexible person may be able to raise his straightened leg quite high with the assistance of their arm. A mobile person, however, will be able to manipulate their leg or other muscle without any help at all.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Strength training has been shown to improve emotional makeup and to promote better sleep. It also builds self-esteem and self-efficacy. Researchers are still trying to determine the reasons why strength training has such a positive powerful effect on the mind yet are unanimous that it is as effective as medication at relieving depression.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Your fitness program will make you physically stronger. If you are new to resistance exercise, you should be able to improve your strength level by as much as 40 percent over a 12-month period. That will not only offset natural age-related strength decline, it will provide you with the power to accomplish the tasks that many people who age struggle with. At the same time, increased levels of physical strength add to the confidence that is the hallmark of a well-adjusted healthy individual.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“The natural loss of muscle tissue that occurs with aging is accompanied by most people with an increase in levels of body fat. A person’s metabolism will naturally slow down as they age. This means that, even if they maintain the same caloric intake in their 50s as they did in their 30s, they burn fewer of them for energy and store more of them as body fat. In tandem with this is a general slowing down of activity as we age, meaning that we are burning off fewer calories.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“When you know, understand and apply the 7 foundations you will have the solution to the problems that plague many people in their 40s and beyond… Lost muscle and strength Decreased mobility and flexibility Lost confidence in their ability to train intensely Your body does change when you age, and in this book, you will discover exactly how it does so. More importantly, though, you will find out precisely how you need to adjust your training to compensate for those changes.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Blood vessels lose their elasticity, making the heart work harder to pump blood around the body Muscles, joints and tendons lose strength and flexibility Testosterone production plummets The metabolism slows down”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“Tuesday Workout – Lower Body and Core Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves, Abdominals, Obliques, Erector Spinae Summary Strength training will form the main foundation of your total fitness program. Make it your goal to perfect your exercise form, really feeling the working muscles and concentrating on moving through a full range of motion. Challenge yourself to progressively increase the resistance you are working with so as to make consistent improvement in your strength and muscle mass. Do these things week in and week out, and you will be amazed at how much stronger, more muscular, energetic and vibrant you will look and feel.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“You need to be training each of the following body parts as equally as possible: Pectorals Latissimus Dorsi Deltoids Trapezius Rhomboids Rotator Cuff Biceps Triceps Forearms Abdominals and Obliques Erector Spinae Quadriceps Glutes Hamstrings Calves”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“The strength that is developed in your muscles is underpinned by the other 6 foundations of total fitness: Flexibility Mobility Stability Agility Endurance Nutrition”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond

“No matter your age or ability now, you NEED to take up strength training and perform it consistently over the course of the rest of your life. It is never too late to start and, as soon as you do, your body and your mind will start to reap immediate benefits.”
― Nick Swettenham, Total Fitness After 40: The 7 Life Changing Foundations You Need for Strength, Health and Motivation in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond