Healthy Habits for Weight Management in Your 40's

The beauty of being in your 40s is that you have the wisdom not to care a jot about what other people think, but you still feel young enough to pull off the latest fashion trends and have enough energy and motivation to realize your dreams. What’s more, career shifts or changing family dynamics could mean you’re in the enviable position of having more time on your hands to focus on your health.

Facing the Challenges

Although there are many positives to reaching your 40s, there can also be some downsides, one in particular, is the propensity for middle-aged spread. Reaching your 40s often brings a shift in how your body responds to diet, exercise, and stress. Metabolism naturally slows down with age, and muscle mass tends to decrease, making weight gain easier and weight loss harder. Additionally, hormonal changes, such as perimenopause in women and declining testosterone levels in men, can further impact weight.

Managing weight becomes more than just a matter of looking good; it’s about maintaining overall health and preventing chronic diseases. Unless dietary habits and physical activity levels are adjusted accordingly, weight gain is almost inevitable with age. But with focus and determination, it is possible to nip it in the bud. Here are six practical tips to guide you through.

1.Nutrient-Dense Foods

Older adults often need fewer calories but more nutrients, which makes it essential to eat nutrient-dense foods. But before you start adjusting your shopping list, you need to empty the cupboards of all those high-sugar, processed goodies like cakes, chocolate, biscuits and crisps. Taking temptation out from under your nose helps when the urge for something sweet hits hard!  Now you can concentrate on filling your shopping basket with foods that provide all the essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you need without excessive calories including:

Fruits and Vegetables – These are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals and fibre so they should be the cornerstone of your diet. Aim for a colourful variety to gain a broad spectrum of nutrients and fill 40% of your plate with veggies and 10% with fruit.  

Lean Proteins - Protein helps build and maintain muscle mass, which is essential for a healthy metabolism. It also helps to keep you feeling fuller longer. Ideally, protein should take up 25% of your plate.  Focus on lean meat, chicken, fish, beans, eggs, tofu, yoghurt and legumes.

Whole Grains - Choose whole grains over refined ones. Brown rice, quinoa, oats, millet, rye and whole wheat products provide more fibre and nutrients, helping to regulate blood sugar levels.

Healthy Fats - Don’t shy away from fats; choose the right ones. 10% of your food should be from healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil and coconut oil. Healthy fats are vital for brain health, hormone production and satiety.

2. Portion Control

It's important to eat the right amount of food for your weight and activity level, so even if you are making healthy choices you need to think about portion control, especially with the reduced calorie needs in your 40s. Top tips:

Use Smaller Plates: This simple trick can help control portions without making you feel deprived. Smaller plates can make portions look larger, tricking your brain into feeling satisfied with less food

Pre-portion Snacks: Instead of eating directly from the package, portion out a reasonable amount to avoid mindless snacking.

Understand Serving Sizes: Familiarize yourself with standard serving sizes and measure your food until you have a good sense of what they look like.

Divide Restaurant Meals: Restaurant portions are often larger than necessary. Consider sharing a meal with someone or saving half for later.

3. Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is about paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking. It’s a practice that enhances your enjoyment of food and helps you recognize your hunger and fullness cues, which can prevent overeating.

Eliminate Distractions - Avoid eating in front of the TV or computer, or while scrolling through your phone. Focus on your meal to better recognize hunger and satiety signals.

Chew Thoroughly - Take your time to chew each bite thoroughly, which aids digestion and allows your brain to register when you’re full.

Savour Each Bite - Appreciate the flavours, textures and aromas of your food, which can increase satisfaction and reduce the desire to overeat.

Listen to Your Body - Eat slowly and pay attention to hunger and satiety signals. Eat when you’re truly hungry and stop when you’re comfortably full, not stuffed.

4. Regular Exercise

Staying active is vital for maintaining a healthy weight and overall well-being. According to the World Health Organisation, all adults should undertake 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week. ¹

Incorporate Strength Training - Building muscle mass increases strength and boosts metabolism. Include weightlifting, resistance band exercises, or bodyweight workouts in your routine.

Cardiovascular Exercise - Activities like walking, running, cycling, swimming or dancing are excellent choices.

Stay Active Throughout the Day - Avoid prolonged periods of sitting. Take breaks to stand, stretch, or walk around, especially if you have a sedentary job.

5. Stress Management

Stress can significantly impact weight management by affecting eating behaviours and hormonal balance. Effective stress management techniques can promote better weight control and overall well-being.

Mindfulness and Meditation - Practices like yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises can reduce stress levels. These activities help calm the mind, improve focus, and support emotional well-being.

Maintain a Work-Life Balance - Organize your day to balance work, leisure, and personal time, Prioritize hobbies and social interactions.

Regular Physical Activity - Exercise is a great stress reliever and can help manage weight.

Adequate Sleep - Lack of sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and appetite. ² According to research inadequate sleep and poor sleep quality are associated with more food cravings and increased appetite. ³ Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.

Social Support – Sharing experiences with friends, family, or support groups can make challenges easier to handle and ease stress.

6. Nutritional Supplements

While a balanced diet should be the primary source of nutrients, certain supplements such as protein formulas can support weight management efforts in your 40s. Protein-rich foods have been shown to help reduce levels of ghrelin (known as the hunger hormone) and increase peptide YY, a hormone that helps to promote satiety and reduce appetite.⁴

If hunger pangs are your downfall and you don’t feel you’re getting enough protein from your diet a powdered collagen supplement containing pure protein such as Neutrient Advanced Collagen is the perfect solution as you can add it to hot or cold drinks throughout the day to keep your appetite under control. Its unique formula also gives you the added benefit of additional vitamin C, helping tosupport energy metabolism, plus heat-stable microbiome spores. Probiotic spores promote a healthy gut microbiome which may influence metabolic processes that support healthy weight management.

Editor: Alejandra Toro, Pshychologist, MSc Nutrition and Behaviour 

REFERENCES

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