The stomach. Not only does its size determine how clothes look both on and off, but it’s also the simplest indicator of the body’s health.
Your waistline is linked to your risk of a host of cancers and lifestyle diseases like type-2 diabetes. However, when confronted by constantly tempting vices and distractions, marshaling its growth can be difficult.
And these distractions are not only ever-present but also ever-changing. As we grow older, the stumbling blocks evolve. But so do the solutions. Solutions that are simpler to achieve than you may initially imagine.
In Your 20s
A hectic lifestyle makes home cooking a time-consuming luxury most just can’t afford – especially with restaurants, takeaways and snacks providing a delicious, and swift alternative.
The Solution
Eating out regularly makes it difficult to track what’s going into your body, and you can easily slip into a calorie surplus, which adds weight. Meal prepping at home for the week allows you to track exactly what you’re consuming and also tailor a diet to your needs. Try batch cooking on Sundays and storing set meals in Tupperware will not only save money, it’s also a way to match meals to your day – high carbs for post-workout energy, high protein before bed for overnight recovery.
In Your 30s
Sleep is a luxury. Newborn children and impending work deadlines make the full eight hours almost impossible.
The Solution
Focus on quality, not quantity. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar before bed to try and ensure a deep and uninterrupted night when you hit the sack.
Try putting your phone down at least an hour before bed and plugging it in to charge away from the bed as well, so there’s no temptation to scroll through emails in the middle of the night. The blue light emitted from device screens halts the production of melatonin, the hormone that tells the body it’s time for bed. Work with your body clock, not against it.
In Your 40s
Juggling life’s duties of kids, work and some semblance of a social life leaves little to no time for a proper workout program.
The Solution
There is always a spare 20-30 minutes in the day to fit in a quick workout. This could be before bed or just after waking up. If that means doing a home bodyweight workout rather than using up two hours to trek to the gym and do weights, then so be it. But make that time sacred. Again, work in intervals and choose exercises like burpees that use multiple muscle groups for a greater calorie-burning bang for your buck.
