HER wedding to Ben Affleck was the talk of the internet, but more recently, Jennifer Lopez has been stirring fans into a frenzy over her arms.
At 53, the actress and singer has been showing off some seriously toned triceps, and she’s not the only one.
Michelle Obama58, and Jennifer Aniston53, are also proving that sporting sculpted arms at 50 is the ultimate way to look younger.
The good news is that you don’t need an expensive personal trainer to achieve the arms of your dreams.
Trainer and founder of the Results Wellness Lifestyle app, Cecilia Harris, 51, says there are a few simple things you can do to get rid of those dreaded bingo wings.
“Age-related muscle loss is something that is not talked about enough. It’s called sarcopenia, and I’m sorry to tell you, but it starts happening as soon as we turn 30.
“Since then, we started losing up to 3-5% of our muscles every decade, which may not sound like much, but it’s huge.”
So is it too late to get J.Lothe arms?
“Absolutely not,” says Cecilia.
“The great thing about our bodies is that they respond to lifestyle changes super fast, so adding movement to your life and changing little things can reverse muscle loss and tone those arms sooner than you think.”
use it or lose it
It’s simple: if you don’t use your muscles, you lose your muscles. The muscles of the arms are really very small.
Cecilia says, “This is good when it comes to an area we want to work on, because it means they can be strengthened with less effort than larger muscles like the butt.
“The first piece of advice I would give is don’t be afraid to lift things as you get older. Many women worry about hurting or hurting their backs, and while it’s true that we need to be careful, if we’re afraid to exercise or hold things that have a bit of weight, our bodies give up on keeping us strong. .
“So pick up those shopping bags and walk home holding them, and pick up those grandkids.”
feed your muscles
Protein is a key nutrient for keeping our bodies healthy and muscles strong, especially as we age.
“Common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight or achieve muscle definition is cutting out food groups or eating less, instead of focusing on what they’re eating,” says Cecilia.
“Protein supports our muscles and keeps energy levels high for a long time, which prevents snacking.”
But according to research, we’re not getting enough: 46% of adults in the US don’t get the recommended amount of protein*, while in the UK one study found that more than half of those over the age of 65 years did not consume enough. **
The RDA for women is 46g, although many experts believe it should be higher.
Cecilia says, “Try to have a serving of protein with every meal. A typical day might be: two eggs on toast for breakfast; chicken, vegetables/salad for lunch; and chili con carne with brown rice for dinner.”
Your protein guide
- Greek yogurt (18g protein per serving)
- Chicken (28g protein per serving)
- Lentils (9g protein per serving)
- Milk (8g protein per serving)
- Tuna (25g protein per serving)
- Kale (3.5g protein per serving)
- Avocado (4.6g protein per serving)
- Nuts and seeds (6 g protein per serving)
bingo wing training
“These moves are perfect for toning your arms at age 50,” says Cecilia.
Do 12 to 15 repetitions of each of the following exercises.
Take a 30-second break, then repeat a second time.
Try to do the entire circuit four times a week or choose one exercise a day.
If you don’t have access to weights, you can use full water bottles, shopping bags, or your body weight.
tricep dips
Ideal for toning your upper arms, tricep dips can be done using a chair.
Plant your hands on the edge of a chair or sofa and walk your feet forward, knees bent.
With your arms straight and your body flat against the seat, keep your elbows tight and bend them to lower yourself down.
Push your hands away and stretch your arms to get up.
bicep curls
Perfect for building inner arm strength. Hold the dumbbells at your side, arms straight.
Bend your elbow and bring it to your shoulders. Hold for a second and then slowly lower.
kneeling arm burner
Start on your knees and then bring your hands to the floor with your body weight forward over your wrists.
From here, as slowly as you can, lower your chest to the ground by bending your elbows. Once you hit the ground (or can’t hold it anymore), let your chest drop to the ground and release your hands.
Plant your hands down and push yourself back up to the starting position.
Wide Arm Circles
This can also be done with dumbbells in either hand for an added challenge. Stand tall with your shoulders back and your arms extended to either side of you.
Keep your arms as straight as you can and make small circles in one direction for 30 seconds. Reverse direction.
rows
This exercise targets our back muscles, but it’s important to target them because they connect to our arms and keep our posture strong.
Bend your body forward so you have a flat back. Extend your arms toward the floor, and from here, keep your elbows close to your body and bend your elbows to row your arms out to the sides.
Lower back to starting position and repeat. Use weights to raise it.
shoulder hold
This one is great for getting J.Lo-esque definition on your shoulders.
Stand up and tense your core. Hold the dumbbells at head height by bending your elbows.
From here, push the weights directly above your head, hold them at the top for one minute, then lower back down to the starting position.
Font: *Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging **Geriatrics
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