Body Glow-Ups for Women 40+
Current physique and bare face at 42 years young. I am proud of how consistent I’ve been with this routine!
Being single again after divorce had me realize there are few things in life that I HAVE to master.
First is money, second is health.
Because having both gives me the power to walk away from situations that don’t serve me. A lesson divorce taught me well.
For the past 3 months, I’ve embarked on a body glow-up, so I can look good, feel good and build a routine that can sustain for the rest of my life.
Here is a well-rounded plan that helped me drop 3% body fat, get compliments for my back muscles, increase my cardiovascular health, increase bone density and create habits that I can actually stick to. Bonus beauty tips at the end, so make sure you read until the end!
Strength Training
This is the MOST important component. After researching for HOURS, all roads lead back here. I didn’t choose to do Pilates in this round because it’s not as effective in building power (the fast twitch muscle fibers). Which is what we lose in aging. I hate to admit it, gym bros movements give the best bang for the buck.
3X a week Full Body Workout based on functional movement patterns (Squat, Hinge, Push, Pull, Rotation, Anti-rotation)
Each Session is an hour with 5-6 exercises
Progressive overloading each session
1 jump exercise, 3 sets X 12 reps - most effective way to increase bone density
I hired a female personal trainer to teach me form. It also alleviates my intimidation towards the gym.
Cardio
Research has shown that the typical HIIT classes, spin, long treadmill sessions raise cortisol in women. Which can make us bloat, hold onto fat, among many other side effects. We also genetically have more slow twitch muscle fibers (the endurance kinds), so doing long cardio sessions is redundant.
Therefore, I chose to walk to benefit my heart:
3X a week - 30 mins inclined walk on treadmill
8000 -10,000 steps a day
There’s another type of cardio: Sprints. They are good for increasing VO2max, the kind that makes your heart stronger.
2X a week - 30 seconds all out swim, Rest 2 mins X 4 sets
I chose swimming as it’s easiest on the joints
This was honestly HARD. Even though I only work 2 mins for each session, going all out is quite uncomfortable. I reward myself with sauna, but it’s not sticking. Towards month 2, I completely fell off. So I will have to think of another way to incentivize me going forward.
Nutrition
In order to do a body recomposition, most are suggested to do a slight calorie deficit. This depends on what your training experience, past dieting history is and if you’re already lean or not. I’ve tried this method many times in the past, and even though, it might have worked, it’s usually temporary, so this time around, I am looking for a slower, more sustainable approach:
First month: -200kcal a day - this made me really hungry.
Second month: eating at maintenance.
Third month: No longer track and intuitively eat.
Calories counting gave me education on what different portion sizes look like. Especially how much oil to use, how much does 100g of chicken looks like.
Cottage cheese chicken pizza wth 450 kcal, 40g protein, 20g of carbs
I shifted from purely wanting to be skinny to wanting to build more muscles. Instead of thinking what I should cut out, I focus on what I get to eat instead:
I found a lot of high protein, lower calories recipes on Instagram to try.
Intentionally bake healthy desserts as part of daily meal prep to decrease cravings.
My supplements stack is tailored according to my bloodwork results: Calcium, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Omega 3, Creatine.
Cafe once a day! Something I won’t compromise on. But I always try to skip the sugar and go for hot drinks (the Chinese in me).
Recovery
Our bodies grow when we are resting, not when we are doing the workouts, so this part is crucial in getting results. Also, we live in a hustle society that demonized rest, we deserve to just BE!
Sauna 2x a week - mainly to detox, but also shown to increase blood volume and increase tolerance for heat, getting ready for the hot flashes.
Sleep 7-9 hours: this was a HUGE shift for me. I was a flight attendant for 20 years, so I could never get this routine down. Now I sleep at 10pm every night with a wind down routine with sleep meditation and stretch.
Yoga and mobility once a week: Not only our muscles need to strengthen, they also need to lengthen to prevent injury.
Somatic Therapy
This one is rarely talked about. We hold a lot of emotions in our bodies, especially trauma that we’ve not processed. Divorce is a form of trauma. Stress affects our health in so many ways and while talk therapy is amazing for becoming aware of our patterns, our nervous system might not had the opportunity to process those baggages.
Dance can be a form of somatic therapy! I followed Youtube videos to shake it out as an after dinner activity.
Working with a somatic therapist. It was so healing when I could express my anger without being judged and guided to process them out of my body.
Embodiment sessions: Certified as an embodiment coach myself, I use my techniques to allow those emotions to purge. This is the biggest shift I see in my clients in as little as one session. We change when our bodies finally feel safe.
Beauty and Fashion
This is arguably the quickest way to see a change and feel good. Here are a few things I’ve been doing beyond the last 90 days to find a style that reflects ME.
A refreshing everyday makeup with my pastel sage colour as my signature look
Personal colour analysis: this one is a game changer. I now know what hair colour to dye, what colours of clothing work better for my specific skin tone. I was shocked to find out I have a COOL tone. I thought all Asians have warm tone, but apparently that’s NOT the case!
Makeup lesson: The last time I learned how to do my makeup was almost 20 years ago. Updating those skills help me enhance my features instantly!
Hairstyle change: This one is usually the first move women make after divorce. I totally cut my hair short when I got divorced 11 years ago, and I am embracing the bob cut now. Not only is it trending, it truly matches my personality.
Nails: I have resisted this for 10 years, now that I live in Vietnam, it’s so affordable and accessible that it’s a sin not to have them. I do feel a lot more put together with them on.
Fashion style: I really enjoy the classic clean girl aesthetic. Here is a little tip that I use to find your style
Look at your Astrology Rising sign and Venus sign. Rising sign is how you appear to the world, mine is Taurus, which does align to why I am so drawn to the timeless look. But I also feel it’s a bit bland, and this is how my Venus sign Gemini come in. It’s playful and fun, and I started to have cute earrings to inject a bit of personality.
Skincare: I use the most basic skincare but it’s effective. I incorporate Vitamin C and sunscreen in the morning, retinoid at night to keep my skin looking as good as it can. I also go for a facial once a month!
Voila! Here’s my comprehensive plan on how I take care of myself in my 40s and beyond. I have learned a lot with following this plan (and I wasn’t perfect by the way) and I will share the different nuances I’ve learned that I don’t see anyone share before!
Subscribe to My Youtube channel and stay tuned when the video airs next Friday.