Diet for Women Over 40
Diet for Women Over 40
If you’re like many women over 40, you’ve probably noticed that it’s become a lot easier to gain a few pounds than to lose them. The foods that you ate without care in your 20s and 30s now stick to your body like glue, adding bulk to your midsection. The good news: The solution to a slim, firm body at 40-plus is no farther than your fridge. Research shows that, when combined with a little regular exercise, what you eat and when you eat it are your metabolic secret weapons for building muscle mass, the body’s prime calorie-burning tissue and a key driver of your metabolism.
From ages 30 to 60, you lose about 1/2 pound of muscle, but gain a pound of weight, each year. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so it helps boost your metabolism. As it diminishes, so does your metabolism — meaning that if you are still eating like you did in your 20s, you’re likely banking extra calories as fat.
Exercise can help you preserve lean muscle and increase your declining calorie-burn rate, but your children and parents are at ages that require extra care and time. Combine these obligations with a demanding job, and it’s tough to meet the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise and two strength-training sessions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
You’re also approaching menopause, which affects your hormones. As you age, your body fat percentage naturally increases, and, instead, of storing most of your weight in the hips and thighs, much of it reverts to the belly.
1. Eat less added sugar, processed food and refined grains (white bread, bagels, pasta, white rice, you know the drill).
2. Exercise More. Contrary to what your body may want to do, you must exercise more regularly as you age, not less!
3. Keep a food journal or use an app to track what you eat. As we get older, our metabolisms naturally slow down.
4. Take probiotics to aid in digestion.
5. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods high in omega-3s, along with garlic, turmeric, cocoa, tea and berries.
6. Eat more high-quality protein. Higher protein diets have been shown to help with weight loss.
More Details About Diet For Women Over 40
Increase the consumption of vegetables
You can prepare healthy snacks with them, for example jicama or chopped carrot with Chiles and lemon, or a dish of green leafy salad with tomatoes and asparagus can be an excellent choice for dinner. While the jicama contains compounds such as allicin, which has an anti-cancer effect and improves blood pressure, the carrot is a source of beta-carotene, which helps you maintain healthy skin and vision, help eliminate free radicals and are necessary to promote the formation of collagen.
Eat at least 5 servings of fruit throughout the day
Fruits are excellent sources of various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, such as guava, orange and mandarin contain vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and promotes cancer prevention. On the other hand, fruits such as strawberry, apple and watermelon contain compounds such as lycopene, ellagic acid and quercetin, which have been associated with reducing cancer risk, lowering blood pressure and controlling cholesterol levels as well the elimination of free radicals that oxidize and damage the cells of women after 40 years.
Add one serving of unsaturated fat daily to your diet
This type of fat contains protective effect against cardiovascular diseases. Choose one of the following options for each day:
Eat legumes three times a week
Legumes such as beans, lentils and soybeans are an excellent source of fiber and protein. Although soybeans contain more concentration, legumes generally contain phytoestrogens, a substance that simulates the action of hormones such as estrogens, which begin to decrease when the woman advances in her age. Soy also promotes the reduction of cholesterol and triglycerides, helps prevent cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. It is important for the body to take advantage of the benefits of soy that it is accompanied by a low-fat diet.
Consume the adequate amount of fiber and water per day
Fiber is a component of the diet that participates in the absorption of calcium. Women over 40 years old with a consumption of more than 30g of fiber present an inhibition of calcium absorption and in the long term this may favor osteoporosis. So the consumption of between 20 and 30 grams of fiber a day is the right one for them.
Remember to include 2 to 3 servings of dairy a day
Milk and its derivatives (preferably low in fat) contain calcium, a mineral that strengthens bones and helps prevent osteoporosis. It is also especially useful for relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, as well as those associated with menopause. You can also find calcium in fortified cereals, spinach, nopal, tortilla, among other foods.
Your primary goal should be making small, gradual lifestyle changes that you can incorporate into your daily routine and stick with over time. That’s the ultimate secret to combating over-40 weight gain. Try reaching out to a local health and fitness coach in your area, we recommend Renee Paul owner of Conceptual Fitness in Greenwood Village CO 80111.
Reach out to Renee directly here: http://conceptualfitness.omb11.com/welcome
