Are you a woman in your 40s who needs to focus on healthy weight loss or maintain a healthy weight? As you age, your metabolism slows, so you must focus more on what you eat. While weight loss isn’t the be-all-end-all, optimizing your nutrition will help you transition into the next stage of your life. This article focuses on weight management and super-charging your lifestyle in your 40s.
Why is Following the Best Diet Plan So Important?
Weight gain is prevalent as you age. You lose muscle, which slows down your ability to burn calories, making weight maintenance more difficult. Equally as vital as weight loss is increasing disease immunity, keeping your blood pressure in check, and reducing risks of heart attacks, diabetes, cancer, and bone loss. If weight gain is a growing problem for you, then you need to prioritize weight loss, but you shouldn’t be too fixated on the number on the scale. Finding the best weight-loss diet could be a strategy that contributes to enhanced nutrition, wellness, and quality of life in your 40s. The best diet for your needs will help you achieve your ideal health outcome, whether that need is weight loss, feeling more energized, or improved mental health.
Suggestions to Plan the Best Diet for Women Over 40
Based on factors such as weight loss and wellness, the dietary suggestions below will enhance your quality of life in your 40s and beyond:
Focus on Vegetables
The best diet for women over 40 should consist of non-starchy vegetables (e.g., spinach, other leafy greens like spinach, cucumbers, onions, and cabbage). These foods can aid in weight loss and should fill the bulk of your plate. Starchy vegetables (e.g., black beans, peas, lentils) are carb and protein-rich foods that should take up a bit less of your plate due to their heightened calorie content.
Pros
Starchy and non-starchy vegetables are rich in fiber and other nutrients. Getting enough vegetables is a crucial component of extending your life expectancy.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Cons
Getting the right mix of veggies can be difficult.
The Bottom Line
Non-starchy vegetables help you lose weight. Alternatively, starchy vegetables give you protein to help build muscle mass and prevent muscle loss as you age.
Introduce More Protein
While you should ramp up the protein-rich foods in your diet after you hit 50, it’s best to get a head start in your 40s. Lean protein helps with weight loss since it aids your body in burning calories and increases satiety. Focus on lean meats, poultry, seafood, tofu, and eggs, while avoiding red meat and processed meats like ham, bacon, and cold cuts.
Pros
Proteins are filling and come in many forms. They help with muscle maintenance as you age.
Cons
Not all proteins are created equal-be sure to avoid processed and red meats.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
The Bottom Line
Introducing healthy proteins into your diet will be crucial as you enter your 40s.
Ensure You’re Getting Enough Calcium
Bone health is pivotal for women as they enter middle age. Getting enough calcium is the remedy to potential problems like osteoporosis. Low-fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and low-fat milk are all viable options. Aim for 2 to 3 servings of calcium per day.
Pros
Getting enough calcium optimizes the health of your bones. Many calcium-rich foods are also often packed with vitamin D and protein.
Cons
Too much calcium can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, and constipation.
The Bottom Line
Women over 40 will bolster their bones and muscle maintenance by finding the right dietary balance of calcium.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Embrace Heart Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are unsaturated fats and are entirely necessary for women over 40. Foods filled with healthy fat (e.g., avocados, nut butter, olive oil, fatty fish) contribute to weight loss because they make you feel full.
Pros
Healthy, unsaturated fats boost heart health and contribute to weight loss.
Cons
These foods still contain fat, so portion control is important.
The Bottom Line
Women over 40 must prioritize eating the right amount of “good” fats to optimize their long-term health.
Say Goodbye to Processed Foods
For the most part, processed foods lack viable nutrients, contributing to weight gain, cholesterol, and diminished heart health. Women over 40 should avoid the following foods:
- Potato chips
- Bacon, ham, hot dogs, and other processed meat
- Sugary drinks
- Fried foods
- Pizza
Pros
Cutting out these foods prevents weight gain. Removing processed products from your diet increases life expectancy.
Cons
Processed meal options are cheap, readily available, and convenient.
The Bottom Line
Women 40 and older must limit their intake of processed foods to prevent weight gain and increase life expectancy.
Welcome Healthy Carbs
We can’t say healthy food with “good” carbs (e.g., fruits, veggies, nuts, and grains) cause weight loss directly, but they help prevent weight gain. Also, good carbs provide energy and fight against diseases.
Pros
Healthy carbs are chockful of nutrients. They’re good for the brain, kidney function, central nervous system, and heart.
Cons
Eating too many carbs-even if they can help you stay healthy in moderation-can cause weight gain and elevated blood sugar.
The Bottom Line
Women over 40 should seek out healthy carbs to prevent weight gain and bolster their overall health.
Vitamin B-12 Will Support Optimal Brain Health
Women over 40 struggle to absorb vital nutrients like vitamin b-12, found in leaner meat, fish, milk, eggs, and fortified cereals. B-12 is essential to your brain function and red blood cell production.
Pros
On top of brain function, b-12 is crucial to blood and nerve health. It also prevents anemia, which can cause excess fatigue.
Cons
Too much b-12 can cause weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, and headaches.
The Bottom Line
Women over 40 must prioritize the healthiness of their brains and thus must ensure they receive enough vitamin b-12 in their diet.
Your Gut Health Must Take Precedence
Women over 40 can enhance the health of their gut as they eek closer to menopause by:
- Eating fermented foods (e.g., kefir, yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha)
- Introducing prebiotic foods (e.g., whole grains and certain fruits and vegetables)
- Following a plant-based diet
Pros
A healthy gut is conducive to sound mental health. You’ll also improve your immune system and heart health.
Cons
You might have underlying issues that hinder your healthy digestion.
The Bottom Line
Gut and digestional health and the foods that improve them are vital for women in their 40s.
Introduce Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Encourage Healthy Joints
Your joint health will be vastly aided by foods rich with anti-inflammatory properties, such as:
- Red peppers
- Canned salmon
- Cherries
- Turmeric
- Oatmeal
- Kale
- Walnuts
Pros
Joint pain and conditions like arthritis become growing problems in your 40s-making anti-inflammatory foods essential. These foods are nutritious and offer health benefits outside of your joints.
Cons
While these foods help arthritis and joint pain, there’s no cure for arthritis.
The Bottom Line
With sore joints, preventing weight gain and achieving healthy weight loss will be difficult. Thus, foods with anti-inflammatory properties are valuable elements in the best diet for women over 40.
Combine Healthy, Mindful Eating With a Workout Regimen
Whether on a weight loss journey or simply trying to maintain your physique, the best diet is only as strong as the exercise you get. While lifting weights and strength training will help (mainly to prevent osteoporosis and heart issues), light to moderate intensity is often enough to make a positive difference. Even brisk walking for 30-minutes daily can pay significant dividends.
Pros
Exercise, when paired with optimal nutrition, contributes to healthy aging.
Cons
Exercise can be intimidating and cause injuries if you aren’t careful.
The Bottom Line
Following the best diet is winning much of the battle. But you’ll do wonders for your overall wellness in your 40s by combining it with regular exercise.
Navigating Weight Loss: Additional Diets and Approaches
While the above suggestions provide a solid foundation, exploring other diet options and strategies can further enhance your weight loss journey.
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats, focusing on overall eating patterns rather than strict formulas or calculations.
General Guidelines:
- Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, and nuts.
- A good amount of whole grains, like whole-wheat bread and brown rice.
- Plenty of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a source of healthy fat.
- A good amount of fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
- A moderate amount of natural cheese and yogurt.
- Little or no red meat, choosing poultry, fish, or beans instead.
- Little or no sweets, sugary drinks, or butter.
- A moderate amount of wine with meals (optional).
Benefits:
- Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Supporting a healthy body weight.
- Supporting healthy blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
- Lowering your risk of metabolic syndrome.
- Supporting a healthy balance of gut microbiota.
- Lowering your risk for certain types of cancer.
- Slowing the decline of brain function as you age.
- Helping you live longer.
Food List Examples:
- Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for at least 3 servings of each per day.
- Whole Grains and Starchy Vegetables: 3 to 6 servings per day.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO): 1 to 4 servings per day.
- Legumes (Beans and Lentils): 3 servings per week.
- Fish: 3 servings per week, especially those rich in omega-3s.
- Nuts: At least 3 servings per week.
- Poultry: No more than once daily, choose white meat.
- Dairy: No more than once daily, choose low-fat options.
- Eggs: Up to 1 yolk per day.
- Red Meat: None, or no more than 1 serving per week.
- Wine (Optional): 1 serving per day for females, 2 for males.
- Baked Goods and Desserts: Avoid commercially prepared options, limit homemade.
The Mayo Clinic Diet
The Mayo Clinic Diet is a program designed to help you reshape your lifestyle by adopting healthy new habits and breaking unhealthy old ones. It focuses on changing your daily routine by adding and breaking habits that can affect your weight.
Key Phases:
- Lose It!: A two-week phase designed to jump-start your weight loss. In this phase, you focus on lifestyle habits that are associated with weight. You learn how to add five healthy habits, break five unhealthy habits, and adopt another five bonus healthy habits.
- Live It!: This phase is a lifelong approach to health. In this phase, you learn more about food choices, portion sizes, menu planning, physical activity, exercise, and sticking to healthy habits.
Core Principles:
- Emphasizes the best way to keep weight off for good is to change your lifestyle and adopt new habits that you enjoy and can stick with.
- The Mayo Clinic Diet makes healthy eating easy by teaching you how to estimate portion sizes and plan meals.
General Weight Loss Strategies
To lose 1 to 2 pounds weekly, you need to reduce your daily calorie consumption to 500 to 1,000 calories below the amount you’d need to maintain your current weight. For example, a moderately active person would calculate their weight maintenance calorie level by multiplying their current weight by 15. Avoid letting your daily calorie intake fall below 1,200 calories, since that could cause you to miss out on essential nutrients.
Foods to Prioritize:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa
- Good fats like avocado and nuts
- Lean proteins
Foods to Limit or Avoid:
- Refined grains
- Highly processed foods and snacks, including cured meats
- Added sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, refined table sugar)
- Sugary foods and drinks
- Fried foods and foods with trans fats or significant amounts of saturated fat
- Salt in excess of 5 grams per day
Meal Plan Ideas
It's a good idea to visit a dietitian for a meal plan that is customized to your age, preferences, lifestyle, medical conditions, and food allergies. However, here are some general meal plan ideas:
Breakfast:
- Steel-cut oats with fresh berries and ground flaxseed.
- Whole-grain toast with nut butter and a nutritious smoothie.
- Greek yogurt topped with fruit and walnuts.
- Egg white omelet with fresh, seasonal veggies.
- Whole-wheat toast with jelly, shredded wheat cereal with 1 percent milk, orange juice, and regular coffee with 1 percent milk
- Oatmeal (made with 1 percent milk), English muffin with light cream cheese, orange juice, and coffee with 1 percent milk
Lunch:
- Large mixed green salad with grilled chicken or fish.
- Whole-grain wrap with hummus, veggies, and lean protein.
- Lentil soup with a side of whole-grain bread.
Dinner:
- Baked salmon with roasted vegetables and quinoa.
- Chicken stir-fry with brown rice and plenty of veggies.
- Vegetarian chili with a side salad.
Snacks:
- A handful of nuts and seeds (low salt or no salt added).
- Fresh fruit, ideally local and in-season.
- Nonfat Greek yogurt and a small piece of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao).
- Whole-grain crackers with hummus.
- Raw veggies with a nonfat Greek yogurt dip.
Vegetarian and Vegan Options
When considering ways to lose weight, vegetarians and vegans should include whole foods and limit refined carbohydrates and processed foods. People should pay particular attention to packaging labels when purchasing meat alternatives, as many of these products contain added sugar and fat.
Good sources of plant protein include:
- Soy
- Nuts
- Beans
- Whole grains
Individuals following a vegan diet will need to find other sources of B12, such as supplements or fortified plant milks and cereals.
Meal Planning for Specific Dietary Needs
Dietary requirements vary. There is a range of approaches to weight loss that may benefit different people.