We all dream of having a slimmer body. It is baked in our DNA to want a better body and an attractive physique. This is becoming something of an epidemic thanks to the rapid growth of the internet and fashion magazines.
The truth is, anyone can get that dream body you admire in a magazine or Instagram if you put in some effort. Having a better body is within everyone’s reach, you just need to understand what to do about it. Unfortunately, the effort required to achieve this perfect body increases with age, meaning if you are over 40, you will need to put in more effort and make some lifestyle adjustments to get a better and fit body.
It doesn’t have to be that hard, as I am going to show you in this article and we are going to review 8 important strategies to get the process started.
1. Cut Down on Fruit Juices and Soda – Excessive consumption of soda and sugary drinks such as fruit juices can have harmful consequences on your body and weight in general. If you want to get a fitter body, you may want to start watching what you drink. Fruits juices are usually not healthy, despite many people including them in their daily diet. So, rather than fruit juices, consider fresh juices that have a high fiber content, such as prune, apple juice or lemon juice.
A certain study from Harvard found that sugary drinks significantly increase the risk of heart disease. In the study, the group that consumed high levels of a sweetened drink was 20 per cent more likely to develop coronary disease.
It is also important to note that zero soda or sugar-free drinks have also been found to increase the risk of having a heart attack and stroke, so it is best to avoid these too.
2. Reduce Your Carbohydrate Intake – Another important tip for women over 40 looking to lose weight is to reduce the intake of carbohydrates. As this depends on your body type, the amount of time you need to reduce your carbohydrate consumption will vary. Reducing your consumption of carbohydrate-heavy foods like pasta, bread, rice, and milk may help because they can cause high levels of water retention.
Carbs are usually stored in the body to provide a source of energy in the liver and muscles, but as each gram of glucose can hold up to 3 grams of water, reducing your carb intake can allow you to shed a few pounds of liquid. You will start noticing the difference in your weight in the first week of reducing carbohydrate intake. It is important to note that limiting your carbohydrate intake cannot have a significant impact on fat loss, rather it helps you lose the amount of water stored in the liver and muscles along with glucose.
This does not mean you should completely cut carbohydrates from your diet, just ensure that sure you don’t exceed fifty grams of carbs a day.
3. Drink More Water – Drinking plenty of water can help you have a better body in a number of ways. Water helps you keep your digestive tract healthy and skin young and supple. More importantly, drinking a lot of water helps you lose weight. This is because water fills up your stomach which reduces your appetite. This explains why you are advised to drink two glasses of water right before eating. This will cause you to eat less, as well as reducing the number of calories you consume.
A recent study has shown that people who start drinking two glasses of water before eating consumed up to 600 fewer calories in just a day compared to those who did not start with drinking water. According to researchers, drinking water before meals can stretch your stomach quickly and send a signal to the brain that you are full. Water can leave your stomach very fast when you have not eaten. With that in mind, make sure you drink plenty of water right before eating for this tip to work. Not drinking enough water can lead to feeling hungry faster, leading you to eat a lot.
Another tip is to drink two glasses of water when you feel hungry. Sometimes it is usually not hunger, it is just thirst. Consider also consuming lots of water-heavy food, like vegetables and fruits to help you maintain your perfect water balance.
4. Trick Your Mind to Eat Smaller Plates – Very often all you need is to train your brain into eating small amounts of food. Eating small portions of food can be enough to help you lose weight without having to go to the gym.
Just use smaller plates and let the plate control the amount of food you eat. Researchers have long found that this simple trick can help you cut the number of calories consumed by up to 800 per day, leading you to lose more than 10 pounds in one year.
5. Eat High-fiber Foods – While different types of foods can help you lose lots of weight without having to go to the gym, the most effective strategy is feeling full by eating foods that are high in fiber. Studies have found that fiber stretches your stomach, which triggers hormones at the satiety center. The satiety center comprises three sections that regulate food intake. So eating foods rich in fiber can help you reduce hunger which in turn will help you eat fewer calories as well as enhancing your overall health.
Fiber is known to contain no calories. When it comes to refined carbs, the fiber is usually removed so that your body can quickly digest it, which explains why you will feel hungry quicker when you consume refined carbs because they do not provide the feeling of being full.
Eating refined sugar can also lead to a spike in insulin levels. Insulin is responsible for triggering the absorption of sugar by the cells in the body. With that in mind, you should avoid consuming refined carbs, and instead eat a lot of unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
6. Utilize weight loss products to support your plan to lose weight – Sticking to a diet plan can often be a challenge, especially for women over 40, 50 and upwards. This can usually be because we can eat less and still not lose weight the way we did when we were younger. there are several natural supplements available that contain natural ingredients that can assist with shedding those unwanted pounds. We have reviewed some of the key products on the market and found many testimonials on how they have helped both men and women lose weight.
7. Stay Active to Keep Your Metabolism Buzzing – As you reach 40, your metabolism starts to take a natural downturn. This can be caused partly by your hormones since lower estrogen can also lead to a slower metabolism. At this stage, women over 40 usually start accumulating more body fat, particularly in areas around the waistline. Studies have shown that changes in hormones caused by menopause and peri-menopause can lead to changes in a better body composition, fat distribution as well as fat accumulation.
To fix this problem, it is important to stay active. Try a combination of cardiovascular and strength training. In terms of cardio, try something that offers a little impact, such as a boxing session or cardio dance. As you stay active, make sure you eat lots of fiber, between 25 grams and 35 grams a day and drink a lot of water throughout the day.
8. Lift Weights to Build and Maintain Lean Muscle Mass – Once you reach the age of 40, you begin to lose your lean muscle. If you are wondering how this affects your overall body weight, muscle is the major calorie-burning machine in the body, so when you start losing around 1 per cent of muscle mass per year, it can lead to reduced levels of estrogen.
This, in addition to a lethargic metabolism, means you will not be burning calories the same way you used to when you were younger. To help remedy this, you should start lifting weights or doing some strength training at least four times per week. Don’t worry, you will not bulk up.
The resistance training will help you rebuild the lost muscle as well as allow you burn calories and speed up your metabolism. It also keeps your body and bones strong and generally healthy.
You need muscle to build your bone structure, which in turn helps support your joints which ensures that you have the required motion range. If you have never performed any strength training, consider working with a personal trainer for the first two or three sessions so that you can develop a safe and suitable routine.
9. Keep a Food Diary – It is important to document your eating habits because once you reach 40 years of age, your appetite cues start to be affected. Hormones such as ghrelin, which is responsible for telling your brain when you are hungry, and leptin, which tells your body when you are full, start to fluctuate.
The receptors for hormones above do not work as they used to while you were young, and your body can start to become resistant to those hormones. Therefore, consider documenting your food consumption to help pinpoint changes in your eating behaviors and to understand your hunger cues better.
Once you start keeping a food diary, you will begin to see if you are consuming larger portions of foods or snacking throughout the day. In summary, there is no easy way to get fit, it takes discipline and determination to want to look and feel better. With the information above, you are now equipped to pull together a better body action plan and make it happen.
10. Discipline and Consistency – Master the art of self discipline when eating or following a diet or exercise plan. It’s easy to cheat when on these plans, but when you understand that the plan isn;t forever, it should encourage you to be disciplined and stay on track until you meet your target. Even when your diet or exercise plan ends, you can maintain your discipline by eating healthy foods and understakign a moderate level of exercise consistently.
Overall, maintaining a healthy all round lifestyle is the key to taking care of your health over the age over 40. Menopause, a slowing metabolism and the natural ageing process can all have an effect on our health as we get older, so the earlier your start the better. Although, these tips and a healthy lifestyle can make a huge difference at any age.
