Losing weight over 40 can be a tricky process. For one, there’s the fact that your metabolism naturally slows as you age. And then there’s the issue of nailing down the best workout routine that will help you take inches off of your waistline while still protecting your muscles and joints from injury. Unfortunately, there are a few types of exercises that could put you at risk of hurting your joints and muscles. This is especially true when it comes to cardio. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still reap the benefits of a working up a good sweat with a workout. In fact, there’s one type of cardio personal trainers say you can do every day to shed pounds over 40: low-impact cardio.
To learn more about why low-impact cardio is the best choice for women over 40, we spoke to ace certified personal trainer Mary Sabat. She told us that not only will working this type of exercise into your day help you lose weight, but you’ll also never have to worry about injuring yourself. Find all of her expert insight below!
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Low-impact cardio like walking
When it comes to cardio that people over 40 can safely work into their workout routine on a daily basis, Sabat says choosing low-impact options is the best way to go. "This could include activities such as walking, jogging, swimming, or biking," she notes.
So, what makes low-impact aerobic cardio a good choice for those over 40? It comes down to the fact that these exercises are, well, low-impact, which means they won't put your body at risk as much as other types of exercise might. "These exercises are gentler on joints and muscles and are less likely to lead to injury than high-impact activities," Sabat explains.
But just because an exercise is low-impact doesn't mean it can't be part of a great workout routine to help you shed pounds at a steady rate. In fact, Sabat tells us that low-impact cardio is a great way to safely slim down while keeping your body injury-free. "Even though these are low-impact exercises, they can be done with a high intensity to help the client get the benefit of HIIT training but without the wear and tear of the joints and risk of injury," she says.
Want to add a bit of low-impact cardio into your everyday life? Sabat offers some recommendations: "To work it into one's routine, I would suggest starting off slowly and gradually increasing the duration and intensity of their workouts over time," she says. "Additionally, it would be beneficial to work in other forms of exercise such as strength training and stretching to provide a well-rounded routine." Got it!
