Having trouble losing weight in your 40s?
It goes without saying that as we age, losing weight becomes more difficult, especially for women. However, there are some essential behaviors that you can incorporate into your daily routine to burn calories and possibly double your weight loss.
40 is regarded as a significant turning point.
On a personal level, many people claim that once they reach their 40s, they truly “know” who they are and feel more at ease in their own skin.
Many people in their 40s who are still working have also reached a stable point in their careers.
Financially speaking, many 40-somethings have young families and may own their own homes.
There are many reasons why the 40s are the best decade yet for so many people!
There are, however, some unfavorable side effects as well, one of which is that metabolism naturally slows down, particularly for women.
You might be among the fortunate ones.
Although you might still be the same weight as you were in your 20s, most women discover that weight does gradually gain.
Over the course of a year, even half a pound per month adds up to half a stone!
Continue reading to learn the essential weight loss advice for women over 40 so you can maintain a slim figure well into your 50s (plus).
1. Take that Exercise!
Even though you may not want to hear it, if you don’t exercise or only exercise occasionally, it’s time to start.
Exercise is essential not only for weight loss but also to maintain joint mobility and protect your general health and well-being.
Exercise will help you tone up your body if you’ve noticed some flabbiness creeping up along with the weight. It also improves muscle tone.
Exercise revs up a slowing metabolism, so it’s crucial to include it in your daily routine if you’re over 40.
There are numerous exercise options as well.
You could sign up for a nearby class and give Zumba or spinning a try. Jogging is harder on the knees than power walking.
Swimming is a fantastic all-body workout.
Stop using the elevator or escalator and start walking more if you simply cannot bring yourself to exercise.
If you have never exercised before, starting with just a 20-minute walk each day will help you avoid gaining half a pound each month!
2. Cut the Carbs
If you enjoy eating white rice, pasta, bread, and jacket potatoes frequently, they may be contributing to your weight gain, especially if your metabolism has slowed.
Your kidneys begin to eliminate extra water as soon as you stop eating carbohydrates, which causes you to lose weight quickly — up to half a stone in a matter of weeks.
Your body switches to using fat as its primary energy source and stops burning carbohydrates.
A word of caution: a low-carb diet is still a fantastic way to lose weight even though the weight loss will slow down as your body adjusts.
3. Eat Dinner Earlier
Food digestion takes time in the body.
If you frequently eat a large meal late at night, you run the risk of it sitting on your stomach, disturbing your sleep, and causing you to gain extra weight because the food hasn’t been properly digested.
Try to eat dinner no later than 7 o’clock so you have time to work off your meal before bed.
Avoid eating large meals late at night as well.
There is much truth in the proverb, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”! Keep your dinner simple, consisting of an oily fish or lean piece of meat, a wholesome salad, and fresh fruit for dessert.
Save your larger meals for the morning.
4. Lift Weights
Lifting weights is an additional exercise, but it really aids in leanness!
Numerous studies, particularly this one conducted in 2017 at Wake Forest University, have demonstrated it.
It demonstrates that lifting weights (along with a healthy diet) causes people to lose more fat and less muscle than they would if they only did cardio.
Start with light weights and low repetitions and gradually increase them until you can handle heavier weights, such as those found in kettlebells and larger weight machines at the gym.
5. Have Eggs for Breakfast
Don’t ever skip breakfast, first.
Like a car, your body requires fuel to function properly.
Both its performance and its ability to jump-start your metabolism will suffer if it operates on empty.
You might believe that skipping breakfast will help you lose weight, but in reality, it will only slow down your metabolism and increase your propensity to snack in the middle of the morning.
Eggs make the best breakfast because they are satiating and low in calories.
Numerous studies have demonstrated how effective eggs are for weight loss as well.
According to this study, people who ate eggs for breakfast reduced their waist measurements by 34% more than people who ate something else with the same number of calories.
6. Load up on Apple
Apples are a great snack because they quickly quell hunger pangs and count towards your daily 5-a-day requirement.
There’s more, too. According to research, eating three apples a day may help you lose weight faster.
Over the course of the study, two groups of overweight women were compared.
Three apples were consumed daily as snacks by one group, known as the fruit group, while oats were the main snack food for the other group, known as the oat group.
As a result, the fruit group lost more weight than the other group, according to the findings.
7. Drink Water
Some extra weight is merely fluid retention.
You need to drink water to flush out extra fluid.
To help reduce bloating and cleanse your body of toxins and impurities, it is best to consume at least 2 liters of fluid per day.
A glass of water before a meal should fill you up and cause you to eat less food overall.
In fact, if you ever experience a hunger pang, drink a glass of water instead of reaching for the first calorie-dense snack you can find. This often helps to ward off hunger for longer, especially if you are close to your next main meal.