How to lose weight for a woman over 40 without harming her health at home. Principles of nutrition, physical activity, drinking regime

Reasons for weight gain in women after 40

Age-related hormonal changes contribute to the rapid growth of body fat. There is a decrease in the level of estrogen, progesterone and thyroid hormones, which reduces the rate of metabolic processes. The slowdown in the production of 'male' hormones does not occur so quickly, so the formation of fat folds often occurs according to the male type - in the arms and abdomen.

These changes are inevitable. But this does not mean that it is impossible for a woman to actually lose weight after 40 years.

Why is it difficult for a woman to lose weight after 40?

A secondary reason for gaining excess weight is a sedentary lifestyle. If you remember yourself at 20-30 years old, when running to the bus stop was not difficult and did not subsequently cause shortness of breath for half an hour. It is possible to notice the difference that now it is easier to get to the 3rd floor by elevator than to walk along the landing, in order to avoid malaise and the same shortness of breath. In combination with changes in the hormonal profile, this moment leads to excess weight many times faster. Therefore, it becomes more difficult for a woman to decide how to lose weight after 40 years.

Strict diets and intense cardio training at this age will do more harm than good to your health. Since during age-related changes and a slowdown in metabolism, it is more difficult for the body to cope with stress and remain in a comfortable state.

Lose weight without harm to your health: examinations and tests before losing weight

When deciding how to lose excess weight, women first look for advice in Internet sources or turn to a nutritionist. A competent specialist will create an individual nutrition program.

But since the main cause of obesity in older age is changes in hormonal levels, the nutritionist should first refer the woman to other specialists for examinations.

To exclude diseases that may influence the development of obesity, it is recommended to undergo:

Endocrinologist - ultrasound of the thyroid gland, blood test for hormone levels (T3, T4, TSH), glucose and insulin;
Gynecologist - analysis of hormonal profile (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone);
Therapist - ultrasound of the abdominal organs, biochemical and general blood tests;
Psychologist, psychotherapist - correction of eating behavior.

Only after making sure that the cause of excess weight gain is not an illness can you begin to follow the recommendations on how to lose weight for a woman after 40 years of age without harming her health.

Principles of proper nutrition for women after 40 years

At an older age, in order to lose weight, it is not enough to reduce the amount of food per meal. Short-term fasting will not bring benefits. Of course, such diets will help you lose a few pounds. But as soon as a return to normal occurs, the lost weight is gained back to a greater extent. In addition to this, exacerbation of chronic diseases is possible. Therefore, the main way out on the path to the goal of how to lose weight without harming your health after 40 years is to switch to constant proper nutrition

. To do this, you need to adjust your regime according to the following principles:

Low-calorie but balanced protein diet (at least 1-1.5 g of protein per 1 kg of weight). Eating a diet with a predominance of protein products will preserve muscle mass, then the body will begin to use up fat reserves.
Individual calculation and control of daily calorie consumption. To determine your norm, you can use special calculation formulas or contact a nutritionist for consultation.
Proper distribution of your daily calorie intake among meals - 1 breakfast (25%), 2 breakfast (10%), lunch (35%), afternoon snack (10%), dinner (20%).
Consuming at least 50% of the entire plate with plant fiber (fruits, vegetables, herbs) in each meal. In this case, intestinal function improves, metabolism accelerates, which leads to more comfortable and effective weight loss. Foods in any form are suitable as fiber - fresh, boiled, dried and freeze-dried.
Eliminating fast calories (sweets), reducing the consumption of “liquid” calories to a minimum - alcohol, coffee, sweet carbonated drinks.
Exception to the consumption of fast foods and semi-finished products.
Strict adherence to the drinking regime.

Classic diet

On a traditional diet, fasting is unacceptable. On the contrary, its menu is quite varied:

Day	Breakfast	Snack	Dinner	Afternoon snack	Dinner
Mon	Milk tea, oatmeal and hard cheese toast	Pear	Vegetable soup, chicken breast and tomato and basil salad	Yogurt with pieces of fruit	Stewed vegetables, fish from the oven
W	Buckwheat with green peas, coffee with milk	Milk pudding	Fish soup, bean salad, compote	Cottage cheese cake	Vegetable casserole with mushrooms, chicken cutlet from a steamer
Wed	Rice porridge, cocoa	Banana	Lenten borscht, carrot and cabbage salad	A piece of cheese and whole grain bread	Boiled chicken breast and broccoli
Thu	Boiled egg, toast with ham	Juice, oatmeal cookies	Celery soup, chicken salad with cucumbers	Curd casserole with dried apricots	Baked flounder, tomato salad and brown rice
Fri	Vinaigrette, coffee without sugar	Apple baked in the oven, fruit juice	Mushroom puree soup, salad mix	Yogurt with raspberries	Rabbit in sour cream, baked potatoes
Sat	Milk soup with vermicelli, green tea	Fruit salad	Pasta with seafood, compote	Bell pepper stuffed with rice	Turkey cutlet, boiled green beans
Sun	Cottage cheese casserole	Toast with soft cheese, green tea	Chicken broth, cauliflower in batter	Curdled milk	Veal meatballs, stewed cabbage

It's rare to treat yourself to a piece of low-calorie cake or chocolate. It is acceptable to include flaxseed and olive oils, nuts and dried fruits in the menu.

Drinking regimen during weight loss

As you age, drinking large amounts of fluid daily can lead to swelling, both internal and external. How can a woman lose weight after 40 years of age by drinking the 2 liters of water recommended by a nutritionist per day?

To begin with, we go through all the necessary consultations with specialists described above, and rule out diseases that provoke fluid retention in the body.

Also, to exclude edema, it is recommended to calculate the volume of fluid consumed and excreted during the day. A difference of up to 300 ml is considered normal.

Drinking regime means taking pure water, without additives. It is in this form that it improves digestion, nourishes the body, and removes toxins and waste. Moreover, you need to drink even when you do not yet feel thirsty. Since it has been proven that our brain receives a signal about the lack of water in the body already at the initial stage of dehydration.

Start with small steps

At FitСurves, we are not adherents of strict restrictions and hunger strikes - it is important for us to create a balanced and complete menu that will not make you walk around with a constant rumbling stomach. Choose foods you love. Prepare tasty healthy dishes, decorate them, serve them in beautiful and expensive dishes - enjoy your food, delight yourself with thoughts of a new body and a new life.

Follow these 6 rules in the process of losing weight:

Don't trust “miracle diets”

A month on buckwheat with kefir or giving up all foods containing fat can weaken the body and lead to serious health problems. Remember that for good health, beauty and longevity, our body needs a full range of macro- and micronutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber. The most effective diet after 40 is a balanced and nutritious diet;

be patient

A slower metabolism after forty does not contribute to rapid weight loss and you should understand this. The kilograms will melt away slowly, but this will be the sure path to victory. If you lose weight suddenly, there is a risk of weight gain after finishing the diet.

Eat regularly

The main key to losing weight is the speed of metabolic processes and regular meals. Skipping breakfast or lunch is a big mistake when losing weight. Long gaps between meals slow down our metabolism, making us hungrier, angry and emotionally unstable. As a result, we eat more and overeat at night, trying to compensate for what was not eaten during the day, which does not contribute to the weight loss process.

Drink enough water

Water accelerates metabolism, improves metabolic processes and saturates well. Regular intake of water in small portions promotes proper hydration and improves the functioning of organs. A sufficient amount of fluid helps you lose extra pounds. If you are hungry, drink a glass of water and only after 15 minutes start eating, this way you will not be able to eat more than you need. Read more about myths and facts about the need for water.

Don't control your weight

Once again: don’t expect quick results, don’t get on the scale and measure your volume every day. The weight will come off gradually, and lack of progress for a few days can demotivate you. Your main task is to get used to a new, active lifestyle and make it a daily good habit.

Choose the right workouts after 40

CrossFit or intensive training is not the best option for beginners in sports. Choose the optimal fitness areas for yourself and soberly assess your strength.

What physical activities will help you lose weight more effectively?

Stable physical activity will also help to avoid swelling when adjusting the drinking regime.

To create an individual training plan, a woman can contact a fitness instructor.

When restructuring the hormonal system, it is very important to begin physical exercise gradually if you have not previously engaged in sports.

Sample training program for women:

Morning exercises 10-15 minutes daily
2-3 times a week individual (group) training in the gym for at least 1 hour
Daily walks of 10-15 thousand steps
Cardio exercises 2 times a week (running, cycling, rollerblading/skating, swimming)
Once a week, do a stretching or yoga class.

Real changes after completing the training plan can be noticed within 2-3 months of training. The result will be consolidated closer to a year of training.

If suddenly a neighbor or friend tells you that she quickly lost weight only thanks to a morning jog, you should not repeat someone else’s experience in this matter. Since at an older age, it is recommended to approach the topic of losing weight without harm to health in a comprehensive manner - undergo the necessary examinations, adjust your diet and diet, and adjust beneficial physical activity. This approach will slowly but surely bring the desired result and turn it into a way of life.

Main stages of training

A competent sports activity should be built according to the following stages:

Proper warm-up. This is necessary to avoid sprains and injuries. Well-warmed muscles train better.
Direct exercises. This can be either regular implementation of complexes, or training on individual parts of the body: legs, arms, abs, back. In gyms, they usually choose the second option; there are separate days for pumping up the muscles of the arms and abs; the next workout is devoted to other muscle groups.
Stretching. Professionals strongly recommend not to neglect this stage; well-stretched muscles hurt less the next day. If your goal is to do the splits or become more flexible in general, stretch after a good workout. At this time, the muscle tissue is remarkably warmed up, pliable, and the risk of tears or sprains is minimal. If you don't have time for a full stretch, simply bend back and forth and from side to side to rest your abs and hamstrings, and stretch your arms.

Warm-up

If you neglect the warm-up stage, the next day you will be overcome with such strength that it will be impossible to get out of bed. This especially threatens women who have not been involved in sports throughout their lives. Warming up at home is not difficult; there are the following options for performing this stage of the workout:

Walk quickly around the perimeter of the room for a minute.
Run around the room a little, trying to touch your butt with your heels.
If you have a low bench available, jump over it.
Jump rope for a couple of minutes.
Do 10-20 deep squats, lower yourself down and jump up like a spring.

Some professionals recommend ending the warm-up with light stretching, aimed not so much at the muscles, but at the joints. To bring the joint capsules and muscles into working condition, you can do the following exercises:

Raise your left arm up and bend it at the elbow. We try to reach the shoulder blade with our fingers, the elbow looks up. Using the other hand, we press on the elbow so that it tilts slightly to the left. The fingers of the left hand lie on the shoulder blade. A feeling of stretching should be felt in the joint area. The pressure continues for 5-10 seconds, then we change hands. If you need to stretch the muscles on your sides, during the exercise lean slightly in the direction opposite to the joint being stretched. Pull the left handle, lean to the right, and vice versa.
To stretch the quadriceps located on the front of the thigh, you need to kneel. We take one leg with our hand and press the heel to the buttocks. Hold for a few seconds and change legs. You need to repeat the exercise 5-10 times.
Sit on the floor and stretch your legs forward. The back should be straight. Lean forward and try to reach your toes with your fingertips. It is advisable not to hunch over. If you can easily reach your toes, you can pull your toes towards you; you should feel a strong feeling of stretching in the area under your knees.
Lie on the floor with your stomach down, place your hands at chest level. Place your palms on the floor, straighten your arms and lift your body up as much as possible. Freeze in this position for a few seconds; when performing this exercise, you can feel the lumbar region well.

After a good warm-up, you can begin the main part of the workout.