Losing Weight at 40

by Perry Permann

Losing weight at 40 is for many women a frustrating experience. Did you use to wear cute or form-fitting clothes? Do you have to shop for big sizes now? Many women at 40 have a hard time losing weight, it is emotionally challenging when the scale does not budge despite all efforts. In this article I give you three tips to make losing weight at 40 easier.

Losing Weight at 40- First Step

First, make sure you know how much weight you want to lose, and how many pounds per month your can lose realistically. Don’t rely on a “best case” scenario- and usually the faster the weight is lost, the easier it comes back. Aim for something like 1-2 pounds a week, or maybe 5 a month. It probably took you many months if not years to get to your current weight, so don’t expect to get it off within a couple of weeks.
Once you know your weight loss goals, it’s time for a plan.
Losing weight at 40 requires a plan, something you can set up for yourself and you are willing to follow. The plan should include when you will do which kind of exercise and what and how much you will eat every day. Make a weekly plan regularly, for example every Sunday. This is a good occasion to review your commitments as well: if you couldn’t follow your plan in the last week, you know you need to change something to make that happen.

Losing Weight at 40- Diet

Second, you need to watch what you eat. Get 5-6 meals every day, so your blood sugar level is as constant as possible. This will help you with cravings and you won’t feel hungry. Get a diet rich in lean protein, for example chicken breast, tuna or other low-fat fish. Have red meat only occasionally- it contains usually more fat than most people think. If you get ground beef, get it with 4% fat content.
You might have to rethink your nutrition. Basis of your nutrition should not be beef or fish with sides. Think like “I’m having vegetables or salad with a side of chicken”. Fiber-rich, low-calorie vegetables or salads should be the basis of what you eat and be the biggest part of what you eat for losing weight at 40.

Losing Weight at 40- Exercise

Third, include 3 types of exercise in your fitness plan. You need strength training, cardio training and flexibility training.
You do not have to join a gym for this. Many women at 40 do not like to go to a gym for various reasons, and it is not mandatory to join a gym for losing weight at 40.
Strength training can be done at home easily. You might start with an elastic band, and get two sets of adjustable dumb bells. With this minimal equipment you can do a lot of exercises which will build muscle. Muscles burn calories even when you do not use them (contrary to fat tissue). So building muscles helps you losing weight at 40.
Your cardio exercise should be based on training with varying intensity levels. Don’t go for the boring “fat burning zone”. Increase the intensity every 3 minutes to the maximum you can do for 30 seconds, and then cool down a bit and repeat the cycle. If you want to exercise at home you can get a treadmill, but jogging or swimming are great too for losing weight at 40.
For flexibility training you don’t need much equipment. A Yoga mat is great to give a little bit of a cushion and avoiding to slip on the floor. Yoga will give you a lot of flexibility- at 40 our bodies start to get tight. In addition, it can be very relaxing- and for losing weight at 40 you shouldn’t be stressed out.

Generally, losing weight at 40 can be done- put these tips to use and start going! The hormone system changes, the metabolism changes and the natural fat burning slows down. For losing weight at 40 consider a specialized program that takes these changes into account: