The incredible benefits of natural fitness after 40

What do I mean by "natural fitness"? When people think of getting fit, many imagine they will become thin, have tight bodies, and have a ton of muscles, and that they have to do excessive exercise, and strictly follow low-calorie diets to accomplish their fitness goal, but in most cases, it does not address the natural part of fitness at all. While fitness may be a universal concept, it does not mean the same thing for everyone. Natural fitness refers to the right fitness for each individual, and getting fit naturally means choosing the right programs that fit you best according to your genetics, age, and current fitness level, without compromising health to achieve an "amazing physique". How about trying to achieve amazing health and strength for your age by embracing natural fitness as part of your lifestyle, rather than chasing the looks of an "amazing physique", commonly seen on social media, and that only a small percentage of people on the planet have the genetics for to achieve it naturally, without artificial "enhancements"? Natural fitness is choosing health and strength in the long run over the looks. Improved physical appearance will come to anyone embracing natural fitness anyway. Maybe not "an amazing" but certainly a nice-looking fit body.

What science has to say about the incredible benefits of natural fitness after 40

ScienceDaily:

"Our study shows that it's important for women to be active throughout mid-age to gain the most benefits for physical health in later life. Ideally, women should increase their activity levels to meet the guidelines by age 55." Read more at sciencedaily.com

National Library of Medicine: Physical activity and successful aging among middle-aged and older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Physical activity prevents the development of many chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke, dyslipidemia, cognitive impairment, depression, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, colon cancer, breast cancer, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and sarcopenia. Physical activity also increases longevity and survival. For middle-aged and older people, a dose-response relationship was found between physical activity and a decrease in mortality [38]. Compared with sedentary older people, physically active older adults were more likely to remain living independently. Physical activity in old age preserves the cognitive and physical functions. Read more at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Immediate benefits

• Sleep: Improves sleep quality
• Less Anxiety: Reduces feelings of anxiety
• Blood Pressure: Reduces blood pressure

Long-term benefits

• Brain Health: Reduces risks of developing dementia (including Alzheimer's disease) and reduces risk of depression
• Heart Health: Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
• Cancer Prevention: Lowers risk of 8 cancers (bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach)
• Healthy Weight: Reduces risk of weight gain
• Bone Strength: Improves bone health
• Balance and Coordination: Reduces risks of falls
• Emerging research suggests physical activity may also help boost immune function12.
  Read more at cdc.gov

After reading all this scientific proof about the Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults I am so glad I got back in the gym after a 17-year hiatus and I regret I didn't start earlier because I feel much better now. If you're curious about my experience of working out again, you're welcome to read this article too: What is it like to return to the gym at 48, after a long break of 17 years?

---