Hello, beautiful people in 40s! With a handful of life experiences and with a blank page for new adventures along with you, this is the age to redefine yourself.
After all, the 40s are the new 30s. While your life can have numerous beginnings from here, you got to invest a little more time in your health and the body.
Because the amount of time you invest in your health today will help you in the coming years.
Just like we learned weight management in the 30s (the link), today I bring you some handy tips for weight management in 40s.
Because now you are in the fourth decade of your life, your body will actively look out for changes. And these changes may not be helpful.
Highlights of the changes in the body during the 40s
- Body metabolism will get slower.
- You will lose weight muscles every year. Statistics show you may lose muscles at the rate of up to 5 percent per year after 30.
- Your hormones will take a toll. Especially your reproductive hormones will start to fluctuate.
- Your bone density may fall down every year.
- Changes in sense of vision, hearing, smelling.
So yeah, you will find the starting of a lot of bodily changes. And these changes most often come with a heavyweight.
Reasons why weight management in the 40s is hard
1. The body becomes slow
We perceive youth as an active age. This level of activeness seems to go down with age. This can be due to the loss of muscles that slows down the body metabolism and hence makes it easier for the body to accumulate weight.
Again, you will find that the body is burning fewer calories during workouts in this age, another reason why weight management in the 40s becomes tough.
2. Not being restful
The 40s become a hub of stress. You have work to think about, personal life goals as well as coping with an approach to middle age.
All these acts together to put your mind in a constant stressful zone. The immediate result will be not getting enough sleep.
3. More prone to Type 2 Diabetes
You should know that around the age of 40s and above, your body might tend to become more insulin resistant.
This can higher the chances of getting trapped with type 2 diabetes. The resistance against insulin makes it easier for the blood to house more of sugar.
4. Hormones
The main reason for all the bodily changes in the 40s is particularly due to the hormones.
Although the hormones in men do start declining around the 40s, it is not as distinctly as in women. Women start showing menopausal signs from the 40s.
Menopause can come with irregular periods, trouble sleeping, hot flashes. [1]
5. Menopause & Weight Gain
The declining estrogen often makes it easier for the weight to accumulate around the hip.
Moreover, with hormones making tremendous changes in the body, you might find yourself giving up on physical exercises, eating more comfort food and making no changes in diet.
All these add up the difficulties in weight management in the 40s.
Diseases accompanying weight gain in the 40s
CardioVascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, Breast cancer, Colon cancer are the common diseases that accompany weight gain in the 40s.
5 Hacks for the better weight management in the 40s
- Get a suitable diet plan that takes your health concerns into account.
- Follow daily physical exercises that are not very complicated and yet effective. Cycling, yoga, jogging are always good choices.
- Don’t fall prey to the menopausal changes and stick to healthy eating and lifestyle choices.
- Take your stress off and embrace the 40s.
- Limit the alcohol consumption and build a circle of friends who are health conscious. The 40s can become intimidating sometimes, choose good friends to support you on your health journey.
In short, don’t make the 40s a year towards old age. Rather think of it as a beginning to a new start.
You are now experienced and mature enough to be able to craft your life according to you. So take the charge and be a fitter and healthier 40 years old.
Are you looking for a health mentor? Book your appointment with a Possible Nutritionist, today! Click here and get the first consultation for FREE!