Putting a Stop To Middle-Age Spread

By John A. Mays, MSEd

Fitness Together

More Weight Control, Nutrition & Exercise Articles

Putting a Stop To Middle-Age Spread

The period between the ages of 30 and 40 can be an exciting time of change, opportunity, prosperity and positive personal growth. But, at the same time, life can get complicated and busy as you start having a family and getting more involved in your career.

Before you know it, the growth that becomes the most present in your life is the spare tire that wraps around your mid-section.

Most commonly known as the middle-age spread, it is a compilation of the choices you make throughout your life in regard to the food you eat, your daily activity levels and the quality of sleep you log each night.

All three of these critical factors are tightly intertwined so when even one is lacking, it creates a snowball effect that can leave you feeling tired and out of energy, as well as in an unhealthy situation with additional weight in your mid-section.

Stand Up For a Healthy Belly

When you're a child, all you want to be is an adult. Then when you're finally an adult, all you do is reminisce about the good old days of your childhood.

To tackle your mid-section spread, it can be beneficial to pull from the past and revert back to your childhood days of running, playing and moving throughout your day.

The fountain of youth is strength training and active playing. But, as we get older, we stop playing for some reason because that's not what adults do.

Sprinting and playing sports is a fantastic exercise that is excellent for your health and your hormones, while strength training can give you the most out of your workout and maintain valuable muscle mass.

You should perform most strength training exercises standing up whenever possible. Even if you aren't directly working the core, you still have to stabilize the trunk and mid-section muscles when you are in an upright position.

It also is important to keep moving during your everyday life outside of your designated gym time.

If all you do is go to the gym an hour per day and the rest of the time you're sitting in the car, at work or on the couch, you're not going to be happy with your results.

In addition to working out regularly, daily non-exercise physical activity such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car in the spot furthest away from the door and taking regular recess breaks from your desk to walk or stretch, will help combat your middle-age spread and sedentary adult-life tendencies.