Over 40 years old and still wondering how to lose weight? While the body may seem to gain fat more easily in middle age, there are lots of things you can do to fight back against the dreaded middle-age spread. Follow these top weight loss tips for women over 40, and before you know it, you’ll be back on track to your ideal weight!
Workout Routine
Getting to a healthy weight is an important first step, but you can’t stop there. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 150 minutes of exercise per week for women over 40 in order to stay fit and active—and prevent extra pounds from creeping back on. For best results, your workout routine should be long enough to reach your target heart rate every time you exercise, yet short enough so that you don’t have time to lose interest or get bored; aim for 20-30 minute workouts split up throughout each day. You can also keep things fresh by trying different types of exercise or finding ways to challenge yourself in workouts. Taking your dog on longer walks than usual is one example; taking a Zumba class instead of regular aerobics is another.
Diet Plan
Diets
rarely work in a long-term sense, and they can often be really unhealthy. If
you’re looking to lose weight, it’s far better to focus on making smaller
lifestyle changes that will allow you to consistently shed excess pounds
without taking a toll on your health. It’s also important to understand that
weight loss is more complex than counting calories. Simply eating less food may
help you shed pounds quickly but won’t necessarily lead to long-term success
when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.
To avoid dieting pitfalls, follow these weight loss tips for women over 40
1) Eat
more frequently throughout the day.
2) Get at
least seven hours of sleep each night.
3)
Exercise regularly by participating in moderate activities like walking or yoga
at least three times per week for 30 minutes per session.
4) Cut
out processed foods from your diet as much as possible, since most contain high
amounts of sugar and fat (particularly saturated fats).
5) Avoid
eating too many carbs (especially simple carbs found in refined sugars), which
could make you gain unwanted pounds if consumed in excess amounts; instead, try
focusing on lean proteins like fish or chicken breast instead of red meat;
vegetables such as broccoli or spinach; and whole grains like brown rice or
quinoa rather than white bread or pasta products with refined flours.
Lifestyle Changes
The most
important weight loss tip you’ll ever receive is to make lifestyle changes.
This means eating smaller portions, exercising more, and getting good sleep.
Find a balance of healthy food and exercise to achieve optimal weight loss.
It’s never too late to start a healthier lifestyle.
If you’re
over 40, losing just a few pounds can help protect against metabolic syndrome
and help manage your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. At age 55, losing
about 12 pounds could reduce your risk of heart disease by 33 percent; at 65,
that number rises to 50 percent. The most important thing to remember is that
no matter what age you are or how much you have to lose — there is always time
to improve your health.
Supplements for Weight Loss
You don’t
have to spend a lot of money on supplements to lose weight. But taking vitamins
and minerals can be a smart move if you’re not eating a wide variety of fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains every day. And remember: If you take a dietary
supplement—especially one containing multiple vitamins—make sure your other
foods are healthy ones so you don’t negate any potential health benefits.
One study
found that women who took multivitamins lost more weight than those who didn’t.
The researchers speculated that multivitamin users may eat more nutrient-rich
foods, like low-fat dairy products, vegetables, and whole grains—all of which
help boost metabolism while suppressing appetite. As an added bonus:
Supplements often contain antioxidants (which reduce cell damage) and compounds
that might increase fat burning or reduce hunger by keeping blood sugar levels
steady throughout the day.
Reminders to Stay on Track
It’s crucial to stay motivated as you work toward weight loss. Try sending yourself reminders of your goals by using apps like Lift, Fitbit, and Apple Health. Set up notifications to go off when you’ve completed a certain number of steps or when you’ve met your goal for the day.
If you
want to keep track of your diet as well, download a calorie tracker app that
keeps tabs on what you eat throughout the day and then syncs that data with
other apps so it can be automatically entered into your tracking log. Here are
some calorie counting apps worth checking out Lose It! (iOS, Android) is one of
our favorite food-tracking apps because it's incredibly easy to use and allows
users to scan barcodes in order to quickly find nutritional information.
The free
version has all essential features but only lets you scan 100 foods per month
(which should be enough for most people). Paid plans start at $4.99/month if
you want unlimited scans and access to more advanced features. MyFitnessPal
(iOS, Android) is another great option—it's pretty similar to Lose It! but
includes more robust food options and exercise support while also offering
plenty of flexibility in terms of planning meals or creating recipes from
scratch. Plus, there's no limit on how many items you can scan per month!
Final Words
If you
are considering a weight loss program, do your research before signing up. With
so many programs to choose from, it can be hard to tell which one is best for
you. Do some online research and speak with your physician. The more informed
you are, the better off you will be in your weight loss journey. Good luck!
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