7 Ways Women Can Lose Weight & Get In Shape After 40
O.K…as I write this post I find that I am spending a lot more time on this topic, mainly because it is a big issue for most of us and requires a lot of work to get to the level of health & fitness we want.
We all dream of having a healthy & fit body with unlimited energy. Right?
We want it more than anything, but still can't seem to attain it or keep it if we can.
Somethings gotta give!
So, here it goes……I am sure you have all heard that as you get older it is harder to lose weight, your metabolism slows down and when you hit perimenopause you will get the dreaded midlife belly.
Well, yes, yes and yes.
Your physical health does become more of an issue as you age. You gain weight from becoming less active and your eating habits & physiology (hormones) changing, which results in weight gain & retention.
You can overcome this area of struggle. The battle has not been lost.
However, it will require much more work and different strategies will need to be employed than when you were in your 20’s.
My weight started to creep up with the addition of my 3 youngest kids (35-40). At my current age of 45, I can make some health changes and bring it down 10-20 lbs, but I hit a plateau. You can read my story here.
Much more needs to be done in your 40’s to battle the bulge, such as:
Move Your Butt Every Day
You may have worked out 2-3 times per week when you were younger, but now you need to move daily.
It doesn’t need to be a crazy cardio session everyday, but some form of movement at varying degrees.
Try to keep a balance of endurance, cardio, muscle building and stretching. You can even blend your hobbies & pastimes with building your physical health.I suggest you find something you enjoy that will give you both mental health and physical benefits.
Make it fun and it will be less of a chore to get in your workout. ex. canoe, hike, swim, garden or dance.
Do what makes you feel good mentally and physically.
Build Up Those Muscles
Use it or lose it!
Weight training to build strong bones and muscles is a requirement as you age. An absolute must!
Muscle mass decreases as you get older and so does your bone density which leads to injuries, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, chronic pain etc.
You need to make regular deposits into both your bone and muscle banks. Think of it like a bank account, if you don’t put anything new in and take nothing out your account remains the same. However, if you don’t put anything new in and still make withdrawals your balance will drop until there is insufficient funds.
Be sure to build it up and at least put in more than you are withdrawing.
The great thing is that you can build both up with weight training and of course with a healthy diet.
For those unclear how this works, weight training puts constant stress on your muscles and bones resulting in them both becoming stronger.
Before you freak out saying I don’t want to look bulky and like a man, trust me when I say you won’t accidently bulk up if you don’t intend to.
You will be toned, lose weight and feel healthy. You need to have the “use it or lose it” mentality here.
Plan to add weight training 3 days a week to your fitness routine. You will get the added benefits of sculpted arms (my personal goal), confidence, endurance and energy.
Lower Your Calorie Intake
As we age into perimenopause our calorie intake goes down. This is due to our estrogen levels dropping, lowering our muscle mass and causing our metabolism to slow down. Therefore you need to consume less calories or you will gain weight.
A clear indicator that your calorie requirements are now lower is if you are maintaining the same calories as you always have, as well as physical activity and you start to gain weight or cannot get it off.
You need to make some adjustments. You may have needed 2000 calories when you were in your 20’s, but as you age that number may have decreased by as much as a few hundred calories.
We all know if you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight.
So, figure out with a free online calculator what your new calorie requirements are now during midlife and make adjustments to your diet.
Make Healthier Food Choices
The foods you choose to put in your body are just as important as how much you put in, even more so actually. Link to Eat to Beat Disease Book Review.
You need the nutrients for energy, avoiding or fighting illness, building strong muscles & bones and just overall health.
Most of us know the foods that are not good for us. We have been taught since childhood (sugar, over processed foods etc.) but more importantly we can feel and see the effects they have on our minds and bodies. Read here for Glucose Revolution Book Review.
Try to eat as many of the healthy food options as you can.
If you are unsure if something is healthy or not, stick with foods that are a single ingredient, have been grown from the earth and have not been overly processed.
Eating healthier food does wonders..it gives you energy, prevents illness, helps you lose weight and can suppress hunger preventing overeating.
Plus most healthy food options are already lower in calories and taste delicious.
Balance Your Hormones
As you enter perimenopause, your hormone levels change and roller coaster up & down like nobody's business.
Your hormones (estrogen, progesterone & testosterone) help regulate your appetite and energy levels, among other things.
If left unbalanced you may overeat due to cravings and have a lack of energy to exercise, resulting in weight gain. I am not even going to mention the perimenopause symptoms that will hit you like a tonne of bricks. That will be a whole other post.
A few ways to get your hormones balanced is with diet, exercise and sleep.
There are a tonne of great resources available that explain to you what is happening in your body at different times of the month and throughout your life.
You will be relieved to know that there are many great solutions out there to help balance your hormones having less of an impact on your health.
Improve Your Mood & Fight Depression.
This point is great following the section on hormones, because our mindset plays a very large role in our health & fitness levels and is greatly impacted by your hormone levels.
If you have mood & depression issues you will likely have less motivation, drive and energy to do what needs to be done, including eating right & exercising.
Which is ironic because eating right & exercise are proven to improve your mood. Go figure. It is a painful cycle to fall in.
Think of when you are feeling down, or sad. What makes you feel better? Snacking on chips or ice cream? Does your willpower dwindle and you no longer care and start over eating? Maybe a pot of spaghetti instead of one plate?
Your mental well being influences so many areas of your life, so you need to make it a priority to balance this area.
Develop A Strong Mindset
Mindset is very similar to the above mood & depression. However, to me mindset is more than pulling yourself up out of a funk.
It is overhauling the way you think all together.
A major factor in being able to lose weight and keep it off is your mindset.
mindSET! SET your mind to your real health goals.
Why do you want to lose weight? What are your real reasons? Dig deeper than fitting into an old pair of jeans or a bathing suit in the summer.
Once you know your reason, tie an emotion to it. Make sure to keep it positive.
For example, my reason for losing weight & getting in better shape is so that I am healthy and ALIVE when my kids are older and have their own children.
I don’t want to miss anything or be a burden. I want to be strong and live with vitality.
I want to be able to keep up and enjoy it all.
Now that I know my “why” the emotion that I attach to it is Love (for my family).
I tell myself… “I am building muscle and am stronger everyday. I feel fantastic! I feel like I did when I was 20 and will continue to until I am 100+”.
Don’t focus on your lack or what has gone wrong, even if you're in the middle of it still.
Change your mindset and your body will follow.
Losing weight and getting in shape in midlife is a daily task. I don’t always hit my target but I keep moving forward without being hard on myself and so should you.
Keep your eye on the prize, whatever that may be for you.
Consistency is key and it does get harder to get back into the routine the longer you are off…so get a partner to work out with and to remind you why you are doing this all.
I have my husband, my mother or 2 of my friends that I can go to for support. For you that may be a co-worker or maybe you hire a coach/trainer. It is easier to work with someone else, not only to keep you going but to celebrate your success with.
You may be targeting losing weight but the other side effects can be life altering for you as well. Exercise releases dopamine (THE HAPPINESS DRUG) and delivers confidence with your body changes.
Thanks for reading and please share an successes or struggles you have experienced now that you are over 40 down in the comments!