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How to Achieve a Healthy Sex Life During Midlife

Sex Life During Midlife

When you’re thinking about your health, sex may not seem like a major focus during middle age.

Performance issues can often plague the experience and workday stressors take a lot more energy out of you than they did during your 20s.

That doesn’t mean you need to give up your favorite bedtime activity, however.

Despite what many people believe, sex can actually improve with age, especially for women.  A study referenced on Health found that women are more likely to enjoy sex in middle age because they’re more confident with their bodies and feel freer to experiment.

Men may have to worry about ED ruining the moment, but even they have been shown to be satisfied with their sex lives, up until their 90s according to The Telegraph.

Clearly, sex is not just for the young.

So what can be done to make your sex life during midlife more fulfilling?

Exercises

At any age, exercise is crucial for strengthening muscles and keeping our bodies in peak form. It can also be helpful in maintaining peak bedroom performance.

Weight-lifting

Need help between the thighs? Try working on the arms. Best Life recommends lifting weights, even small ones, two times a week.

Doing so will increase testosterone levels, which can likewise, increase sex drive.

But even if you don’t lift weights twice a week, do not give it up completely.

Best Life counts weightlifting as one of worst habits to neglect for people over 40 due to the loss of muscle mass known as sarcopenia. That’s why weight-lifting is key to keeping yourself healthy and sexually active as long as possible.

Kegel Exercises

Better sex requires help from all your muscles, not just the ones in your arms. In fact, squeezing your PC muscle, which runs from your pubic bone to your tailbone, can be a strong assistant in controlling your orgasm.

If you’re not in the mood for an entire workout, MindBodyGreen recommends doing a form of bathroom kegel exercise in which you stop the flow of urine before you have an empty bladder.

Your body will lift from the tight clench, benefiting your pelvic floor muscles.

Communication

Open communication is necessary for any relationship, whether that be romantic or non-romantic. Your partner and your doctor are two people that require direct, honest feedback from you about your sexual needs and dysfunctional issues.

Your Partner

You and your partner need to be on the same page when it comes to what you both enjoy in the bedroom. You’ve grown together and learned about each other’s personal preferences so it’s time to put that knowledge to good use.

This is one of the reasons sex gets better with age. Knowing and being able to give your partner exactly what they want can only come with time.

Not only that, having a comfort level with your partner encourages you to think outside of the box.

Try a little experimentation. Set up a dinner date or a lingerie night, or practice a new position. You and your partner have the potential to explore different avenues that can lead to higher satisfaction rates.

Yet, it’s important to speak honestly and listen attentively. You never know what you may come up with!

Your Doctor

We all know how embarrassing it is to talk to your doctor about your sex life. It can be emasculating and downright uncomfortable.

That doesn’t mean you should shy away from asking the serious questions regarding your sex life.

By having a consultation with your doctor, you can address any issues with pain or complications with medications. Be specific. Finding the source of the problem is only achievable through remaining observant and admitting the truth about what you’re experiencing.

Relinquish any fears you may have going in and, in the long run, it can benefit both you and your partner.

Benefits

By adjusting your workout routine and having a conversation with your partner and doctor regarding your individual needs, you’ll reap many rewards, in and out of the bedroom.

In fact, here are 10 advantages to having a meaningful sex life after 50:

1.) Improved Self Esteem

2.) Better Sleep

3.) Greater Life Satisfaction

4.) Higher Marital Satisfaction

5.) Fewer Symptoms of Depression

6.) Lowered Risk of Prostate Cancer

7.) Less Stress

8.) More Youthful Appearance

9.) Stronger Immune System

10.) Longer Life

If and when you decide to have sex during midlife, you are not setting yourself up for failure. You’re choosing a path that will ultimately improve your relationship with your partner,  strengthen your body, and ease your mind.

So don’t give up on love; just keeping making it!

For even more tips on maintaining a healthy body and outlook on life in your 40s and 50s, check out Beachbody. We’re here to help!

 

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How to Start Setting Goals in Midlife to Live Your Best Days

setting goals in midlife

How happy are we by the time we reach middle age?

Apparently, not much.

According to a survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), people are the most unhappy in life between ages 50 and 54.

During our so-called “midlife crisis,” these facts may be rather sobering.

You see, in this phase of life, we start to reassess the goals we’ve set for ourselves during our youth. Getting the dream job, marrying our high school crush, and having three kids may have all have been miraculously achieved–or not–in the span of  4-5 decades.

Regardless, this is a point where we have to ask ourselves if we’re on the right track in life or if we need to alter course.

It’s Never Too Late to Begin Setting Goals in Midlife

One way to do that is by setting new goals for ourselves. It may seem counter-intuitive to make goals so late in life, but we’re living a lot longer in the modern age.

Goals give us the incentive to keep going throughout our entire lifetime. Middle age is as great a time as any to create new purpose in our lives.

But why should we set goals in the first place? 

The journal Psychological Science lists a study that found that gaining a life purpose “lowers risk of mortality.” These findings were apparently consistent across one’s lifetime, including middle age.

And that’s a good thing because happiness actually improves after middle age. In fact, after our 20s, our happiness levels peak again at age 69.

Even more encouraging is that people are often happiest in life during their 80s and even into their 90s.

In addition to living longer, we also gain psychological benefits from setting (and achieving) goals. We become more motivated, responsible, and accomplished which can lead us to reach out to others in new ways.

We also become better acquainted with ourselves because as we pursue what we want, we discover who we are. We’re driven to act by desire and necessity, and this overall forms our identity in life.

Maintaining a purposeful, clear direction for our future is one of the many factors that contribute to one’s overall happiness and health. It begs the question — what kind of goals should we be setting in middle-age?

Retirement

As we near retirement age, our focus tends to be on how much we’ve accrued in savings so we can live comfortably long after we’ve stopped working.

Craft specific goals that dictate how much you want to earn prior to retirement so that you can enjoy the life you’ve always dreamed of.

It may seem challenging to gauge how much the latter part of your life will cost, but calculating an estimation can give you at the very least a better understanding of how much you need and how you should shape your goals to achieve those ends.

Hobbies

Trying a new hobby, like painting or writing, can be a big boost to one’s sense of purpose.

If you find that work gets in the way, then start making goals that make your hobbies a priority. Even if it’s just choosing to garden, you can organize a few hours a week for planting, feeding, and growing your passion.

Fit your favorite hobby into your busy schedule and you may find yourself feeling happier, and more fulfilled, as a result.

Health

When we’re younger, we’re always setting goals for our physical health. An hour a day at the gym, 30 minutes of weights, 45 minutes of cardio.

As the years progress, however, our dedication to our physical health and strict fitness routine can decline.

Don’t worry about getting right back on the horse though — take it one step at a time. Discover a weekly routine that works for your body and your schedule. Even a 20 minute walk a day can reduce your risk of heart disease.

What Are You Waiting for? Starting Setting Goals Today!

Choosing to make goals in middle age is a smart move, for our brains and bodies. It can extend our lifespan and increase our happiness. Plus, it gives us purpose in a time when many of us are looking for just that.

So start today…and benefit your tomorrow.

Did you know that a healthier lifestyle makes everything better? Read on to discover how embracing healthy habits will improve your sleep, energy, and weight goals!

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The Benefits of Exercise for Middle-Aged Men {Stats and Facts}

People think that your 40s and 50s are a time after your peak when your body starts to show signs of wear and tear. You see, by the time we’ve reached that milestone in our lives, we may not feel we have the energy or stamina to keep up with the younger crowd.

By all accounts, however, somebody who keeps up their fitness routine, eats well, and doesn’t smoke can maintain a healthy body and mind throughout their lives.

In fact, researchers are starting to realize that it’s not the number that tells us how old we are, but something else entirely. According to Time, “the concept of biological age, as opposed to chronological age, is gaining traction.”

In other words, it’s the way our bodies function, not the age itself, that determines how healthy we are. And the choices we make often affect how our body responds to this aging.

One of the best, and most beneficial, choices we can make is sticking to a daily workout schedule.

That doesn’t mean going to the gym for an hour as that becomes increasingly harder to do over the years. It means adjusting to a schedule that fits your needs and accommodates your changing lifestyle.

So here are just a few of the benefits that exercise provides during your 40s and 50s.

Benefits of Exercise for Middle-Aged Men

The 3 Benefits of Exercise for Middle-Aged Men

1. Better Living Later

A remarkable study began in 1970 by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the Cooper Institute in Dallas, comparing the health of subjects in midlife to their health records from 1999-2009.

What they discovered was that subjects who were considered the least fit in middle age suffered from serious or chronic diseases earlier in life than those deemed the fittest.

While this may seem daunting to those that are already healthy, the fact is that if you continue your routine throughout your life, you have a greater chance of living longer without the pain and stress of chronic illnesses.

Keeping up the exercise now serves as a preventive measure, helping you maintain your lifestyle for a very long time. It means doing the things you want to do longer; and who doesn’t want that?

2. Decreased Mortality Rate

If you’ve never been one for exercise, that doesn’t mean you can’t start later in life and still reap the benefits.

Harvard Health Publishing references a study that asked American men and women between the ages of 45 and 64 if they possessed these four important health traits and habits: consumed five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables, didn’t smoke, weren’t obese, and maintained regular exercise.

Out of the 15,708 people studied, only 1,344 possessed all four.

Fortunately, the study followed the subjects six years later and found that another 970 now possessed all four traits, increasing the amount to over 2000.

So what did this mean for their health? A 40% lowered death rate than the subjects who did not change their lifestyle.

So, not only can you live longer without disease, you can live longer, period.

It’s studies like this that continue to support the age-old adage — the sooner, the better.

3. Stronger Heart

Our heart is the vessel that pumps blood through our body, but we see our heart as so much more than that.

It’s a life-giving, love-bringing, warm-feeling organ that we associate with all the best aspects of ourselves and others. When we care about someone, we heart them.

You see, caring for yourself is caring about your heart.

A study done by Dietrich Rothenbacher of the University of Heidelberg compared the differences of a group of 312 patients, ages 40-68, who suffered from coronary heart disease against 479 volunteers identical in age and sex.

The subjects who described themselves as being active throughout life saw a 60% decreased chance of getting heart disease while participants who said they started becoming active after age 40 saw a 55% decrease.

And if you think you have to start running to get results like this, just getting up and walking can have amazing benefits for your heart.

So treat your heart to a little bit of exercise. It’ll thank you for it.

It’s Never Too Late

By altering our exercise routine, even just slightly, it can have powerful repercussions down the line for our quality of life, longevity, and even just our heart.

And for additional help, Beachbody offers tips, reviews, and recipes that will have you feeling better than ever. It doesn’t take much to make a difference for your health.

So get up, get moving, and get living!

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Middle-Aged Men’s Health: How to Get in Shape and Boost Energy

middle-aged men's health

As many men reach their middle-aged years during their 40s and 50s, they also realize that their “middles” begin to swell up a bit.

Whether it’s from a few too many beers, a lack of exercise, or just simply a slowing metabolism, these pounds and inches can creep in faster than many of us would like to admit.

And, there is no pleasant way to find out that you have begun to top the scales: Your pants don’t fit, the belt doesn’t buckle like it used to, or you go in for your annual physical and discover the numbers on the scale have crept up yet a few more pounds.

The good news, however, is there are ways to prevent the pounds from increasing and get yourself in the best shape of your life! This is all while boosting your energy and stamina.

In fact, the following are five great tips that will get you started on your road to the health and fitness you desire.

5 Tips to Improve Middle-Aged Men’s Health

Get A Physical

The first and most important part of any new physical regime is to get cleared by your doctor to ensure there are no underlying health issues that could put you at risk.

After your check up, you’ll have the confidence to move forward and start putting in the work!

Determine The Plan – Including Both Nutrition & Workouts 

As they say, weight loss is 80% in the kitchen and 20% in the gym.

That’s absolutely true.

While cutting calories is a solution, going to the gym and eating a diet you can reasonably stick with long-term is an even better one. Actually, there are many great programs that can offer guidance and support. Beachbody is recently rising to the top as one of the best.

Why?

Because it’s a reasonable plan that the average person can live with while also including support for both nutrition and workouts. The makers of this program realize that those elements go hand-in-hand to losing weight and being healthy.

Choose A Program That Fits Your Goals 

Select a program that aligns with your lifestyle and goals. Are you looking to lose 10 pounds or 100-200 pounds? Tone up? Lose fat?

It’s important to identify a workout program and, subsequently, a diet style that meets your specific needs and will help you reach your desired goals.

Beachbody has approved over 20+ workout programs at all different fitness levels. This assures that you’ll find something that works for you regardless of your current fitness level.

As your body gets stronger and in shape, you can simply advance to a more challenging level to continue pushing yourself to greater heights!

Make Your Expectations Reasonable

Aim to keep your expectations reasonable to stay the course.

For example, saying that you will go to the gym for 2 hours a day is unrealistic, especially if it’s been a while. You have work, family, and other life commitments to balance.

So, setting yourself up with something so unreasonable will set you up for failure, frustration, and discouragement.

Instead, select a Beachbody approved program, all of which have workouts lasting from 20 – 60 minutes and are usually done 3-6 times per week. This includes days for rest and recovery.

Many of these programs are doable in terms of effort and time. Have at it!

Learn to Control Your Portions

Many programs emphasize great, fancy workouts or extreme eating plans. Although this may work short-term, it’s not a sustainable way to live.

In other words, it’s not a good lifestyle change.

Counting calories is often a grey area for many dieters as every source says that people need a different amount of calories. Some say 1,800 for the average male, some say, 2,000 – 2,500 for an active male.

Others say 2,000 is standard for an adult male or female.

The conflicting information can be confusing.

Rather than counting calories, simply control your portions. Pour your food into premeasured containers till the food is even at the top, dump it onto your plate and eat.

In fact, measure long enough and you will be able to simply eyeball your food and know what a “portion” is.

It’s Never too Late to Start the Path towards Better Health

These are just a few tips for middle-aged men’s health that will help start you on your path to great fitness, even in your 40s and 50s!

Remember to stick with it. Results will not come overnight, but they will be worth the effort!