Marianne Vicelich
Goop founder and wellness guru, Gwyneth Paltrow recently turned 50 boasting incredibly glowing skin, an extraordinary lean and fit body, affirming “longevity, feeling and looking good is the beautiful evolution that happens when you start to age and recalibrate.”
Women in their 40s and 50s and beyond – with their exquisite, off-the-charts-toned bodies – are transforming our notion of mature woman’s figures and inspiring us to think about remaining healthfully vibrant for far longer than we ever have in the past. The expectations for women over 40 used to include the rude inevitabilities of a slowing metabolism and decreased muscle tone, but a new guard is showing us that the seemingly impossible is possible.
At 50, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lean physique is attributed to collaborating closely with celebrity mega trainer and fitness sensation, Isaac Boots who was also dubbed by The New York Times earlier this year as the ‘Breakout star of virtual fitness.’ His workout dance technique is a widely followed fitness regimen that burns fat, tones, and gets you to your best body. Paltrow has transformed her body via a vigorous flow of body resistance, dance conditioning and intense targeted repetition to fire up and boost metabolism. This intense workout burns fat, shaves off centimetres and has left her “feeling more fit than ever before, and has become an integral part of her mental and physical health upkeep,” says Paltrow.
“There are a few cruel tricks that Mother Nature plays on us, says Dr Santoro, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who specialises in aging. Women lose muscle mass as they enter perimenopause and menopause, and fat aggregates around their abdomen and hips. Women’s metabolic rate drops significantly in the 40s, by almost a quarter. The key to managing weight is to “decrease intake and increase output” meaning the single biggest factor in preventing lifelong weight gain is “lifelong activity.”
Most people will reach their peak bone mass between the ages of 25 – 30. By the time we reach age 40, we slowly begin to lose bone mass, and this can be significantly slowed through proper nutrition and the right exercise.
Dancing exercises work directly on the ‘bones in your legs, hips, and lower spine to slow mineral loss. They also provide cardiovascular benefits, which boost heart and circulatory system health and provide a stimulating mental exercise, biohacking the neuroplasticity of the brain,” says Dr Santoro.
“It helps you strive for good health and longevity, to stave off weakening muscles and receding bone. When we get into our 40s and 50s our goals shift – it is less about the centimetres on our waist or my butt needs to be higher – the goal shifts to ‘I want to feel good about myself and my body,’ says Paltrow.
Dancing is considered a somatic movement, and when music and movement combine, they function as a double dose of pleasure to the brain – music activates the brain’s reward centre, the orbitofrontal cortex, located directly behind the eyes, while dance stimulates the cerebellum at the base of the brain, which is involved in movement and coordination.
Because dancing requires coordinating your body, remembering and quick decision making, it helps your brain build new neural connections that keep it sharp and nimble. It also appears to strengthen the networks in the brain that help us focus.
The Takeaways
Consistency is key to reap the benefits of a dedicated dancing practice. With commitment the long-term results will be a lean and toned physique. If you work hard and pay attention you may just be able to hit the pause button on aging and don’t, we all want that.
Follow Isaac Boots on Instagram (@isaacboots)
