How To Lose Weight for Women Over 40

So, your a woman over 40 and want to lose weight and are asking yourself "How?"

For many of us "seasoned" women over 40, it's hard to admit but our bodies just don't work like they used to in our 20's.

After 30 our metabolism slows and sometimes seems to stop completely. Add in the horrible hormonal changes and imbalances that can occur at this time of life and you have a cocktail for weight gain disaster that's very hard to control.

There is hope however, for those of us in this situation. With a few changes to your daily routine (or if you don't have a routine starting one) you can control the weight gain beast!

Who knows, you might just find that not only do you lose the weight but your mood and even sex drive can increase with some of these helpful hints to surviving your 40's, 50's, and even beyond.

Keep in mind that the tricks and tips that worked for you in your 20's and 30's just don't apply anymore, so embrace the changes your body is going through and let's explore some of the things we can do to jump start that metabolism a little bit and start shedding those unwanted pounds...

TIP 1: Drink LOTS of water.

Your body is made up of up to 60% water and your brain is around 78% water - that's a lot of water! When your working out this needs to be replenished consistently to enable your body to function properly.

Not only is this a benefit to your health, but also can help to give you that "full" feeling that will help curb your appetite. You should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day (64 oz.) to keep hydrated and give your body the tools needed to be healthy.

Stay away from drinks that are "dehydrators" such as coffee, sodas and alcoholic drinks as all they do is take more water out of your system. If you don't like the taste of plain jane water - spice it up by adding a lemon slice or my favorite is a cucumber slice. It makes a very refreshing taste and helps a person to drink more on a consistent basis.

TIP 2: Change to Graze Eating vs.3 Meals a Day

Traditionally our generation was raised to eat 3 meals a day - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. I don't know about you, but in the past when I tried to diet all I ever did was think about my next meal right after I finished the previous one. I was constantly hungry, grouchy, and tired (a dangerous combo for any diet... or relationship for that matter!) I didn't know it at the time, but these feelings were caused because I was feeling deprived and my blood sugar levels were like a roller coaster, either way up high or plunging to it's doom!

Then I discovered that eating 6 smaller meals a day was THE way to go. It is so much more healthy for the body as it gives a constant source of "fuel" for the body to function on, but also keeps your blood sugars level throughout the day.

A moderately active woman over 40 should be eating 2,000 calories a day. Do this by breaking it up and eating 6 smaller meals in the day. Make sure to have a portion of lean meat protein and a portion of carbohydrates at each meal. A good unit of measure for a portion is the size of the palm of your hand or your clenched fist.

TIP 3: Exercise at Least 30 Minutes a Day!

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that losing weight doesn't require any effort or work - it's simply not true. Especially once your in your 40's!

1 pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories per week. That means to lose 2 pounds a week (which is the ideal healthy weight-loss amount suggested by most doctors) you need to either cut out that many calories a week or start burning them by exercising... Now don't fall over and yell "Uncle" just yet - it's not as bad as it sounds!

Just by adding a 20-30 minute walk daily will burn 200-300 calories which is about 2,100 calories per week right there. Couple that with a sensible diet plan and you've got it made!

Make sure you incorporate the walking with some light weight training (on alternating days) - you'll be amazed at the outcome.

No, you won't start looking like the Hulk... that's not the kind of weightlifting I'm suggesting here. Simple low weight-high repetition or resistance band workouts will transform your body fat to lean muscle. That's because fat takes up 5 times as much space as muscle does so if your wanting to track your results don't use a scale but a tape measure! We all know that SCALES LIE!! :-)

TIP 4: Mind Over Matter - THINK THIN!

Simply put, if you THINK thin you'll ACT and RESPOND thin to food and exercise.

I KNOW that one of my best weapons in my arsenal for healthy living is my heard headedness... Just ask my husband, David and he can attest to the fact that once I set my mind to something it takes a miracle to get me to let go. Just don't tell him I admitted to it!

I keep telling myself I am a healthy, thin woman and that's that!! Sooner or later even my body will start to believe it!

Remember, it's all about a HEALTHY weight loss and getting your body strong no matter WHAT age or stage your currently at. Don't think your going to do this for a few days and wake up a super model... ain't gonna happen!

Take baby steps and don't go all out at once if your used to sitting on the couch eating potato chips all day... Your body and mind will rebel and you won't stick to it. If you can manage to add one or two small changes into your life at a time and let them become habits before moving on to the next challenge your much more likely to make it a lifelong change and a true success story!

To read more on weight loss, try my article The Skinny Mini Workout