18 Oct Fit for life: tips for your 30s

If you were active in your 20s, you should continue to feel good and perform well physically in your 30s.
If you haven’t exercised much up to this point, this is when doctors really start stressing to get on an exercise program.
Either way, fit or not, your 30s are a time when you want to start getting more systematic about your fitness. By that I mean, start focusing on specific fitness/health goals and follow a routine to meet them. Here are some more tips:
* Women in their 30s can start losing bone mass gradually, so consequently they should concentrate on strength training. Lifting weights and-or doing resistance exercises such as on a functional trainer not only strengthens muscles, but bones as well.
* Get at least some aerobic exercise on a daily basis, even if it means taking a brisk walk. Consider getting a treadmill to workout in your home.
* Know that your metabolism can start to slow and weight gain will increase unless you start watching your diet and exercising regularly.
* This is the decade when people can become more susceptible to weight-related health problems such high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, but a healthy lifestyle can change all that.
* Men and women should incorporate more stretching and flexibility exercises as muscles can start to feel stiffer in the 30s.
* You should be able to do more than 35 sit-ups
* You should be able to do more than 25 pushups.
* Practice good health screening by getting a cholesterol test every five years, eye exam every two years and each year get a flu shot, physical (test for weight, BMI, blood pressure) and dentist exam and cleaning.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com