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Last Updated on April 5, 2024 by Steal the Style
Aging gracefully is easier said than done. Whether you’re just entering your 40s, are well acquainted with them, or can see them in your rearview mirror, you may wonder if there are changes you should be made to your nutrition and fitness routines to optimize your health and feel as vibrant and young as you’d like. Indeed, your metabolism has become slower, and so has your normal production of thyroid hormones (responsible for your metabolism)and growth hormone.
If you’re a woman, you’re producing less estrogen. Suppose you’re a man, less muscle-building testosterone. And ladies, I hate to break it to you, but burning energy can be even harder for you, as you naturally have a worse- muscle-to-fat ratio than your male counterparts.
However, that doesn’t mean that losing weight in your 40s is impossible. Contrary to the most inexperienced beliefs, with a well-planned routine, a little discipline, and a few smart steps, you can flatten your belly and get your younger body back in no time. Here’s how to recover get your best body as a busy midlifer.
In This Post:
Rethink the Connection Between Exercise and Diet
Not long ago, you probably could get away with eating just about anything you liked as long as you hit the gym a couple of times a week. Those times have come to an end. While some people may have no problem spending more time at the gym, they do not always put the same time into their nutrition. Poor food choices, skipping meals, and a few beers with friends can outdo physical activity.
While fitness is crucial, 30 minutes of hardcore cardio is going to help you burn 200 calories, tops- not enough to make up for a single cheeseburger. Research fails to show that a physically active individual is less inclined to weight gain than an inactive one. What’s more, since exercise makes you hungrier, there is evidence that working out can sometimes reverse or nullify weight-loss efforts. On top of that, following a healthy diet is normally easier than following a hardcore exercise regimen. So, stop stressing about skipping the gym and pay more attention to your plate.
Eat to Counterbalance Your Body’s Decline
Due to the natural process of sarcopenia, we all begin to lose muscle mass around age 30 at a rate of 1% per year- a process that only increases once you hit your 40s. On top of that, your metabolism gets slower, which makes losing weight even more difficult.
As our muscles lose mass, our metabolism slows down (according to research, the average person burns almost 200 fewer calories per day at age 45 compared to 25). So, what should someone in her or his 40s do? Well, following a diet rich in protein – the most satiating of the macronutrients, that will keep you fuller for longer and less tempted by between-meal snacks.
Like it or not, what you eat is even more important as you hit your 40s. Women’s diet requires more protein (meat, fish, dairy, nuts, and beans), carbohydrates (whole grains), fats (healthy oils), minerals and vitamins, and water. These foods have been shown to prevent diseases like osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Boost Your Fiber Intake
Fiber works wonder when it comes to keeping your weight at its best. Following a high-fiber diet will not only keep you satisfied for longer but also help you maintain an ideal weight. Also, high-fibre foods do take longer to consume and generate less energy, which means they have less calories for the same volume of food.
Expert nutritionists urge women to consume an average of 25 grams of fiber per day and men 38 grams per day – nuts, beans, whole grains, and brown rice are all good sources for this.
Be Picky with Your Protein
Obviously, not all protein is equally good for you. Most people assume “protein” means a big steak. While a good steak piece may contain a lot of protein, it may also contain a lot of fat – more than can be trimmed.
Instead, if you dream of looking in your 40s, try to build your diet around healthier protein sources: chicken, lean turkey, salmon, and plants. Protein powder or bars can be good, but they should be sugar-free (avoid those candy bars pretending to be health foods) and ideally draw on casein and whey as protein. Whey contains a mainly high amount of the amino acid leucine, which generate the protein synthesis that protects lean muscle tissue, thus keeping your metabolic speed at an optimal rate. On the flip side, casein digest slowly, over the course of several hours, to maintain blood sugar steady and keep us less hungry for longer.
Find a Form of Exercise You Actually Love
You might struggle with thinking of exercise in a positive light at all, let alone loving a particular fitness program – the chance is, you’re overthinking things. Your chosen form of fitness doesn’t have to be a popular one – or even an active one.
If you love swimming than going to the gym or for a long run, you need to go after what you’re good at and enjoy. Even 10 minutes of exercise is better than watching Netflix on the sofa – and if you love it, you’re more likely to do it regularly.
Home workouts also remain a viable option if you’re trying to balance working out while looking after your little ones. There’s no haste to the gym and back, and you can easily squeeze in your workouts in between your home life. And if you’re looking for ways to unwind and cool down after your workouts, you can always go out for a walk. Walking isn’t just relaxing, but it might be just the best way to burn fat while minimizing your body’s cortisol levels.
An ideal workout should consist of a 20–30-minute lifting session, followed by along relaxed walk afterward.