If you already touched 40 and started to feel the changes in your body like not losing enough weight like before despite of healthy diet and workout, then you should know that the metabolism of the body slows down with the growing age and it means that you have to make some slight modifications in your dietary habits and exercises to maintain the fitness level. It can be a little bit challenging as your body is reducing its stamina, but it is not difficult to maintain overall health. If you are going to follow a healthy routine because your doctor said so due to your weight gain problem then it will be physically more demanding. But it is never late for losing weight means you can still lose weight by creating a proper calorie deficit even with a slower metabolism. Here are some precautions which you should take in order to lose weight after 40.
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Get medical help
Whether you are recently taking up the healthy practices or already leading a healthy life, still you need to get screened for any possible health issue. If you are dealing with obesity, then a very low calorie meal plan can help you in losing 3 – 5 pounds per week. A very low calorie diet usually contains a daily intake of 500 – 800 calories and a medical supervision is a prerequisite for this meal plan since it can result into nutrient deficiencies, digestion related problems like nausea and diarrhea, gallstone formation, etc. Protein rich food items like shakes and bars can be used to prevent such situations by considering it as a meal replacement.
Menopause adaptations
This is the time when menopause is going to hit your body or maybe you already had it. It is becoming very difficult to manage the weight before, during and even after menopause. Weight gain during menopause can enhance effects of it like sleep deprivation, moodiness, irritability, bone and joint aches, hot flashes, etc. The main reason for this could be that many women modify their daily routines in this age like household chores, lifting laundry basket, carrying grocery bags which may affect their weight. Evaluate your daily routine to check whether if you have given up on those physically demanding activities and that is why you are putting on weight. If it is true then try to include those activities again in your life.
Live young
Reaching 40 is not like reaching 90 means you should live and feel like any young person. If you will feel yourself old then this mindset will be reflected by your body. Weight gain and menopause is a problem that can be solved in due course of time, but you should not let yourself negatively affected by it. Pamper yourself with new dresses, a new hairstyle, enjoy a massage session at the spa and go for a makeover. This will enhance your personality, removes the gloominess and fill you with positivity. The better you will feel about it before weight loss, the better result you will get.
Setting goals
Losing weight and achieving fitness don’t happen overnight. You have to work very hard for it and without a goal everything will fall apart. Go for small goals and gradually make a move towards larger goals. For example, walk for a mile three times in day at different times and then when you gain enough stamina go for weight exercises. In this way weight loss will feel like a habit for you instead of a burden.
Remain motivated
If you don’t have any health issues, but still you are not able to lose weight despite of your extra efforts and you are thinking of giving up then try to distract yourself by indulging yourself in your hobbies and interests. Rather than focusing on losing a fix amount of calories, try to take up healthy habits which will help you in the long run and keep you motivated.
Workout plan
Although, exercises are always beneficial to all age groups, but its benefits are greater for people over 40. Since, the muscle mass of the body, tends to reduce with age, which slow down the metabolism, therefore you should take up exercises which will increase the metabolism and slow down the loss of bones and muscle mass. You can follow a 35 – 40 minutes exercise routine three or four times a week and opt for an appropriate exercise according to your stamina. Walking is the best exercise as it refreshes your body, clear your mind, make you energized, easy for your joints and can be done anywhere. If you team up aerobics with strength training, then it will help you in building more muscle mass and burn more calories. Always remember to do warm up, stretching, cool down and again some stretching before and after a workout session.
Dietary modifications
A proper calorie intake is an important step towards weight loss, but you need not to calculate every time you are going to eat. You can note down your daily intake in a journal for a week or month. This will help you in zero down the calorie rich food you are included in your diet. You can then substitute those items with a most healthy version of them. The next thing you should do is to determine how much weight you want to lose per week. You have to cut off 500 calories to lose one pound in a week, but you should have enough calories so that your body doesn’t become nutrition deprived. A diet with 1200 – 1600 calories are appropriate for women over 40 and generally recommended during weight loss plan. Here is a simple equation to determine your daily intake of calorie
- If you don’t exercise, then multiply your weight goal by 10
- If you seldom exercise or involve in sports, then multiply your weight goal by 13
- If you regularly workout for 30 minutes or for an hour, then multiplies 15 to your weight goal to get your daily calorie requirement
When it comes to the selection of food, then try to fill your refrigerator with nutrient rich food especially fiber and protein. You can get them from fruits, veggies, dairy product, lean meat, soy product, seafood, nuts, legumes and seeds etc.