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How to lose weight after 40? Slimming for 40 plus women? If you are looking for these types of slogans, it means that you want to do something about your weight. See how to start losing weight, which is not so easy at a certain age.

Slimming after 40is not easy at all. Why? If only because metabolism slows down and our body naturally begins to accumulate. So if you want to lose weight, you need to know thatyou do not introduce a diet for a moment, but for life.You need to start eating he althy and getting enough exercise. What if you have already taken care of yourself, but are starting to gain weight as a result of certain changes in your body? In this situation, you need to cut down on calories, which can mean smaller portions.

Women over 40 get fat because the ovaries start working differently. They produce less estrogen and progesterone, their proportions to androgens change, and androgens, i.e. male hormones, promote obesity. They make fatty tissue accumulate on the abdomen, nape, neck, shoulders, back and arms. That is why women over 40 get fat, even though they have not changed their lifestyle.

Unfortunately - leptin also promotes weight loss, or in fact its reduced production. Leptin is responsible for suppressing the appetite.

The changes taking place in the body with age often mean that even people who have enjoyed a slim figure all their lives, in their forties gain extra pounds. Introducing lifestyle changes at this age to helplose weightmay seem difficult at first, but over time it becomesroutineand requires less and less austerities. It is worth fighting not only for a shapely figure, but also for a better well-being.

Losing weight after 40 - why does weight increase?

  • In womenthe extra poundsare often the result of hormonal changes during the menopause. The level of hormones such as estrogens, progesterone and testosterone is lowered, which is associated with an increase in the mass of adipose tissue. Reducing the concentration of estrogens also has a very negative effect on lipid parameters, as it promotes the increase in the level of LDL cholesterol called "bad cholesterol" and triglycerides, whileHDL 'good' cholesterol levels are lowered. Such changes may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
  • Menalso feel the effects of hormonal changes in their bodies. The decrease in testosterone levels is associated withdecreasing muscle massand increasing the level of adipose tissue.
  • Even before the age of 40, a natural recomposition of the body composition begins and the amount of muscle tissue, which is largely responsible for energy consumption, decreases.Resting metabolismbecomes lower, so it is natural that by consuming the same amount of calories all the time, body fat is deposited.
  • Very often with agethe amount of physical activity decreases.Long working hours are often combined with a sedentary lifestyle, and fatigue after returning home effectively discourages from engaging in exercise some sport. A small amount of exercise results in a low amount of calories burned, so again it is not difficult to exceed your needs by consuming meals.

Slimming after 40. What is it?

The basis for reducing excess body weight iscaloric deficit.This concept is the difference in the number of calories consumed during the day and consumed by the body. For example, if we burn 2,000 kcal a day and consume only 1,600 kcal, the deficit is 400 kcal. To work out how many calories you need per day to lose weight, first establish your Basal Metabolic Rate (PPM) and then your Total Metabolic Rate (CPM). The basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy used for basic body processes necessary for life.

The Harris and Benedict formula is most often used to calculate PPM:

PPM for women (kcal)=655.1 + 9.563 x weight in kg + 1.85 x height in cm - 4.676 x age PPM for men (kcal)=66.5 + 13.75 x weight in kg + 5.033 x height in cm - 6.755 x age

Total metabolism, in addition to energy used for basic life processes, also takes into account the amount of calories burned in everyday activities such as sports, work, and the number of steps taken.CPM formula:

CPM=PPM x physical activity coefficient (respectively: 1.2- lying person, 1.25- sedentary lifestyle, 1.5- low physical activity, 1.75 - active lifestyle, 2.0- 2.2 - athlete).

After calculating the total metabolism, you should reduce it by a certain amount of kilocalories to get the planned caloric deficit. Obviously, the greater the deficit, the faster the reduction process takes place, butbe careful, as too little energy supply can be dangerous to your he alth. Reasonable weight loss usually involves a loss of 0.5-1.0 kg of body weight per week. Burning 1 kg of fat costs about 7,500 kcal.

You can use our calculator:

Losing weight after 40 - what should the diet look like?

Goodreduction dietin addition to the caloric deficit, it should be based onbalanced meals . Appropriate distribution of macronutrients in dishes and their large volume prevent hunger, while various combinations of foods protect against deficiencies.

  • Vegetablesdue to their low calorie content and high fiber, vitamins and minerals should be present in every meal. The World He alth Organization recommendseating at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day . This is a great way to increase the volume of your dishes with a small amount of energy. Dietary fiber present in fruits and vegetables has a beneficial effect on the lipid metabolism, aslowers cholesterol . In addition, absorbing water, it swells, givesa feeling of greater satietyand regulates intestinal peristalsis. However, in addition to fiber, fruits contain a large amount of simple sugars, which means that people with excess body weight should be careful not to consume an excess of them.
  • Unsaturated fatty acids (EFAs)are another essential element in a nutritious diet. The human body is not able to produce them on its own, and they are essential for normal functioning. They play an important role in the hormonal balance and help maintain normal cholesterol levels. By the way, fats also allow the absorption of vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Unsaturated fatty acids can be multiplied into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fatty acids are present in olive oil or rapeseed oil. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, can be found in fish and seafood, oils, and plants such as linseed, sunflower and corn. Replacing saturated fatty acids, which are abundant in meat and animal products, with unsaturated fatty acids will certainly improve the he alth of a person on a diet.
  • SufficientProtein supplyis necessary to maintain muscle mass while losing weight. Fish, lean meats such as chicken or turkey, eggs and dairy products can be good sources of protein. For people on a vegan diet, legumes such as chickpeas, lentils or peas are great.
  • A great choice for people on a diet will bealsocomplex carbohydrates . Unlike simple carbohydrates, they do not cause sudden jumps in blood sugar levels and are a great source of fiber. Their sources include wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholemeal pasta or oatmeal.

Losing weight after 40 - additional advice

  • Drink plenty of water- man consists of almost 70% water, enough water is a priority in maintaining a he althy body. Drinking also helps regulate your appetite and get rid of harmful waste products from your body. Importantly for people on a diet,wateris a calorie-free drink, so it is a great replacement for sweetened drinks, which often turn out to provide more energy than diet meals.
  • Avoid alcohol- the harmful effects of alcohol on human he alth are well known, but not everyone is aware of how many calories it contains. One half-liter bottle of beer can provide as much as 250 kilocalories. It is disastrous for people who care about their figure, because alcohol drunk one evening can destroy the caloric deficit created throughout the week.
  • Introduce more physical activity to your life- training in the gym, fitness or other sports would certainly be a great choice, but of course not everyone will decide to do so. If you are far from such an advanced activity, try to start with something simpler. Regular walks or cycling are also good ways to increase the amount of calories you burn.
  • Eat regularly- Four or five meals at regular times of the day help regulate your appetite. It is also easier to prevent the feeling of hunger by eatingsmaller portions, and more often .
  • Wysypiaj się- Lack of sleep is one of the factors disturbing the hormonal balance, which often causes excessive hunger.
  • If you want to accurately count the calories you consume, but it is difficult for you to do it yourself, download the appropriateapplicationto your phone. There are many softwares available that require only selecting a food and entering its weight, and the amount of calories is summed up by itself.
  • For people who care about a very accurate assessment of the total metabolism, a great gadget can bewatch with the function of measuring calories burned . It determines this value on the basis of the pulse, weight and height of the person having it.
  • Discuss your diet with loved ones- Many people are concerned about how others will react to their lifestyle changes. Often times completely unnecessarily, as an ordinary conversation can explain a lot, aeven persuade others to fight for their own he alth. Joint weight loss adds motivation in moments of weakness. In addition, when you make your relatives aware of your plans, they may spare you additional temptations by stopping offering a piece of cake or going to fast-food.
  • Don't give up- I'm sure everyone will eat more than what was planned, but that doesn't mean that it's all lost. The beginnings are always the hardest, but it's worth getting motivated to survive them and get used to a new style of eating.

Slimming after 40 - what to avoid?

  • Avoid restrictive dietsthat promise to lose a lot of pounds in a short period of time. Such nutritional plans are extremely difficult to follow, and hardly anyone can withstand a long period of time while consuming extremely few calories. Even if you manage to hold on and see the results, unfortunately, the yo-yo effect usually occurs later and the kilograms come back after finishing the diet. In addition, this way you can easily destroy your body and lead to many deficiencies and dysregulation of the hormonal balance. It is worth focusing on long-term change of eating habits for the better.
  • Don't expect spectacular results right away. It is easy to get discouraged if you count on very quick body changes in a short time. The rate at which you lose pounds with a he althy diet shouldn't be drastic, but after a while you will surely see the difference.
  • Don't weigh yourself too often.Weighing every day is completely pointless as it is easier to see fluctuations in water level on the scale than the actual loss of kilos. Testing every two weeks or once a month is a good choice. It is also worth measuring your body with a tape measure, then you can see the effects of the reduction best.
  • Don't give up on everything you like. If diet is to become the new way of life, it would be hard to forget your favorite, less he althy foods forever. Eating something high in calories every now and then is not a bad thing, as long as it doesn't happen too often.

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