At Fitness Fahrenheit we are firm believers in no excuses.
Genetics ain’t an excuse.
Degree of difficulty ain’t an excuse.
Lack of discipline ain’t an excuse.
Age shouldn’t be an excuse either.
Don’t settle for the myth that there is nothing you can do to prevent some oncoming bodyfat onslaught once you hit 40.
You can can can take control.
Today we’ll talk about what the relevant factors for losing weight after 40 are and what you can do to take control.
Lets get to it…
Why Losing Weight After 40 is Different
As people age, their metabolism slows down, and their body composition changes. This means that losing weight after 40 can be more challenging than it was in their younger years. Here are a few reasons why:
- Decreased muscle mass: After the age of 30, people start to lose muscle mass at a rate of about 3-5% per decade. This means that their body burns fewer calories at rest, making it harder to lose weight.
- Hormonal changes: Women experience a decline in estrogen levels during menopause, which can lead to weight gain, particularly around the midsection. Men also experience a decline in testosterone levels, which can lead to a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in body fat.
- Slower metabolism: As people age, their metabolism slows down, which means that they burn fewer calories throughout the day. This can make it harder to create a calorie deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.
Overall, losing weight after 40 requires a different approach than it did in a person’s younger years. It’s important to focus on building muscle mass, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep to support weight loss efforts.
Here Is Why You Tend To Gain Weight After 40
There is a wide variety of factors for weight gain after age 40. Some are genetic, some are the natural course of things, and some are because of lifestyle.
Hormones: One of the main offenders for weight gain is youour hormones, which begin to alter around the mid-30s and into the 40s. This change in hormonal agents, less estrogen for women and less testosterone for men, cause the fat in our bodies fat to shift to the middle of the body while abandoning other areas of the body you could care less about. That’s one factor you may get a little fluffier around the middle while other parts of you in fact get smaller.
Genetics: Scientists are discovering the particular genes that determine how many fat cells we have and where they’re stored. This is something we can’t actually alter and, if you take a look at your parents and loved ones, you’ll see those locations where your household may tend to save excess fat.
Lower Metabolism: There are a couple of things that occur to your metabolic process after the age of 40. First, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) decreases and, second, you expend less overall energy (TEE) throughout workout. Some specialists suggest metabolism can decrease by about 5% for each decade after 40, which implies you require about 60-100 less calories every 10 years.3 If you sit more, eat more, exercise less and continue climbing the stress hill in those years, you’ll probably need even less calories than that. Add to that the fact you burn fewer calories throughout workout and you’ve got yourself an equation for weight gain.
Loss of Muscle: Like our metabolisms, our lean muscle mass begins to decline after 40. Part of this that the motor units that comprise our muscles decrease as we age and that those motor units don’t constantly fire with the same regularity.
Nevertheless, the crucial takeaway here is this: The greatest factor in losing muscle is the lack of physical activity, which makes workout a vital element when it concerns avoiding muscle loss.
Now lets get into what you can actually do to start dropping that bodyfat. Here are some practical and very doable tips…
Consume Your Fruits and Veggies
This is one of those ones that’s kind of a no brainer. You heard you ma and grandma tell you a gazillion times to do it. They were right. Fill half your plate with them at every meal. Produce tends to have more nutrients and less fat and calories than meat, dairy items, or grains. And it might help you feel satisfied, even if you consume less. Fresh fruits, like apples and berries, are likewise excellent in place of high-fat or high-sugar treats.
Get Quality Sleep
You might find yourself tossing and turning at night, not being able to avoid naps throughout the day, or waking up extremely early in the morning.
Lack of sleep can directly impact your weight loss. Sleep problems can come from medications, underlying health problems, tension, and many other aspects.
If you’re having problem getting a complete night’s sleep, contact your medical professional initially. He may advise lifestyle tweaks or additional screening to rule out health aspects.
You can likewise try some little tweaks yourself, like cutting down on caffeine, spending more time outdoors during the day, or spending a minimum of an hour relaxing with your favorite relaxing activity before bedtime.
Also consider taking melatonin. It’s a naturally occurring substance in the body that helps regulate sleep and sleep patterns.
Increase Your Metabolism
Considering that your metabolic process decreases quickly in your 40s, it’s important to find natural ways to increase it through way of life and diet plan modifications.
One of the most important things to annotate in your diet plan is your protein consumption.
Protein gives your body energy and helps construct muscle to give your metabolism a jump. Plus, protein will assist you get better results from your fitness regime.
Females over 40 need to aim for 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day to combat muscle loss from aging.
Be sure you’re distributing your protein equally through your meals to give your metabolism a constant lift.
Muscle milk is a great choice that most gals love.
Take A Swim.
A great workout that you can contribute to your schedule is swimming.
The swimming pool is a great method to get your body into shape, regardless of age.
You can burn around 500 calories an hour swimming at a leisurely speed.
Upping your speed will allow you to burn even more calories.
Being over 40, low impact workouts are beneficial since there is no wear and tear on the joints.
Build Muscle.
People naturally lose muscle after 40, especially ladies after menopause. Now because muscle burns more calories than fat, this can slow down your metabolism and make it harder to melt those persistent pounds. You ought to make strength training a regular part of your fitness regime. Nothing to be afraid of, that lean muscle won’t have you lookin’ like the Hulk if you’re a lady.
== > We have a comprehensive guide on strength training for women here
Cut Back on Alcohol.
This one you probably already guessed. You should take a good look at your alcohol consumption if you do drink. Usually it won’t be alcohol alone that is the cause of a belly. But that “spare tire” does tend to be annoyingly hard to get rid of in middle age. A glass of beer or red wine is about 150 calories, and that can add up if you consume frequently. Plus, alcohol can make you hungry, so you may consume more while you drink.
Throw Out Those Salty Snacks
Eating saltier snacks makes you retain more water and increases bloating.
You will end up drinking a lot more to quench your thirst.
If you avoid the salty treats, you will put yourself on track for more weight-loss.
You won’t be as thirsty, and you will feel leaner in no time!
