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We often hear that the 30s are the new 20s. Well, if we are talking about fitness over the age of 30 the situation might be different. Or… If you don’t have such concerns yet and you have already hit 30, you are lucky. I always had to be careful with what I ate, but since I hit 31 it has become really challenging for me to maintain fitness. Maybe you are in a similar boat. If so, then this post might help you. The fact that turning 30 can lead to weight-gaining concerns isn’t just my idea based on my experience. According to Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, Manager of Wellness Institute in Cleveland, the 30s are the decade when metabolism slows down for a number of reasons: the stress of career, marriage, and family. Luckily, according to Kristin and my experience, it is very manageable to stay fit over 30. There are other factors besides following a healthy routine regarding your dinner that are important. The next 3 dinner strategies for great fitness could be really helpful for you to maintain a fit body and a flat belly over the age of 30.

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1. Give time for fasting

First of all, let’s make it clear that a healthy-eating lifestyle that includes fasting does not make you starve.

The reason why I would like to emphasize this because originally fasting means that you go without food for a period of time, which typically lasts from 24 to 72 hours.

However, in this case, I would rather focus on intermittent fasting, which involves cycling between the times you eat which could range from a few hours to a few days.

A small study from 2007 investigated the effects of 12 hours of intermittent fasting on 40 healthy participants for one month. According to results in some cases, there was a decrease in the level of inflammation and other risk factors for having cardiovascular disease (1.)

Apart from the fact that chronic inflammation might be a cause of major illness, such as cancer (2.), intermittent fasting could help you lose weight (3.)

Fasting for 12 hours every day between 8 pm and 8 am could be a beneficial way for you to incorporate this tip to maintain your fitness over the age of 30.

SAFETY: If you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, or if you are pregnant it is very important to keep your blood sugar between satisfactory ranges. If you have any such conditions make sure you consult with your physician before making changes in your diet, as intermittent fasting can cause a sudden drop in your blood sugar level (4.).

Probably, if I was pregnant I would not fast longer than I sleep 🙂

2. Include these 4 ingredients into your dinner

SALAD GREENS, HEALTHY FAT, WHOLE GRAINS AND LEAN PROTEIN

In my blog post about the 8 tips to lose weight over the age of 25, I emphasized the importance of establishing a healthy lifestyle instead of just focusing on diet. The reason why I did that is that you have to be able to adjust to these eating habits in the long-run.

According to the Harvard Medical School, you should focus on your healthy choices for the long-term and the Mediterranean-type of diet actually ticks all the boxes.

Before you start to freak out, because you are trying another diet, hang in here for a second…

Although it is called diet, the Mediterranean-type of diet is actually more like a healthy lifestyle, that mainly involves the following ingredients:

• plenty of vegetables and fruits
• whole-grain carbs
• healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and olive oil
• lean protein from poultry, fish, and beans

So the second one of the dinner strategies for great fitness after 30 is to include the above-mentioned four ingredients.

If I completely look at my eating habits it actually does follow the guidelines of the Mediterranean-diet and I am doing great without feeling any kind of starvation. I also don’t consider myself vegetarian, as I do eat meat occasionally and the Mediterranean-diet gives a great option for non-vegetarians as well.

BOTTOM-LINE: Life can be great by eating healthy food and having a healthy diet which people following the Mediterranean-lifestyle know how to do.😊

If you are interested in the Mediterranean-diet, but you don’t know how to get started, the next video with Dr. Kim Foster might be a good one to watch.

3. Let the vegetables and fruits cover half of your plate

According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines half of your plate should be made of fruits and vegetables, while it is also important to focus on whole fruits and various veggies. There are many reasons why eating vegetables will support not only your diet but also your overall wellness:

• Most vegetables are low in fat and calories
• Vegetables are important sources of essential nutrients, such as: dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. 

The fact that veggies are high in fiber and low in calories will support your fitness over the age of 30 in the most effective way.

WHY?

Fiber helps you feel full – by the fact that it stays longer in your system – and eating less calories is a good way to monitor your weight.

The U.S Dietary Guidelines also suggest eating between 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 2.5 cups of vegetables, which should be approximately half of your lunch and dinner plates.

The above-mentioned 3 healthy evidence-based dinner strategies for great fitness proved to be the most beneficial ones for me as well.

In order to incorporate the above-mentioned dinner strategies for great fitness over the age of 30, you should check out the sets of the Abbio Kitchen Cookware, because they not only have good reviews but they also have regular discounts. Furthermore, Abbio not only has Kitchen Cookware but they also share recipes on their blog that you could try as well.

I hope this has been helpful to you 😊

Stay safe and healthy,

Eszter

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