9 Best Ways to Lose Weight After 40

Losing weight after 40 can be challenging, but it isn’t impossible. You may still shave off those stubborn pounds without beating yourself up! Here are 9 strategies that may help you get in your best shape and look your best.

RELATED: Bottoms Up for These Green Juice Recipes for Weight Loss

9 Tips for Losing Weight after 40 | Techniques to Shed Pounds

1. Build Strength

Between your work, family, and other responsibilities, you may not have free time anymore to do physical activities. However, you have to prioritize your overall health and your weight, specifically.

To begin losing weight after 40, concentrate on building and maintaining your muscle mass. This is because as you age, your muscles deplete by 3-5%.

If you have more muscle tissues, you also burn more calories, even when you’re resting. These will boost your metabolism and help you shake off unwanted weight.

One effective way to build muscle mass is by doing a regular strength routine. Keep in mind to target all your major muscles. Don’t just focus on one area of your body.

Tip: Include bodyweight exercises and weightlifting in your workouts such as squats and pushups. You may also do high-intensity interval training and aerobic exercises along with your strength training.

2. Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Revisit and make some changes in your drinking habits. Decreasing your alcohol intake can help you lose weight.

This is because alcohol has lots of calories. Some mixed drinks even have calories similar to a meal, except for the nutritional value.

Additionally, alcohol can affect your sleeping pattern, which is connected to your metabolism.

Alcohol also stimulates your appetite and makes you feel hungry. This means that when you cut down on alcohol, you also cut back on meals that go with your drinking sessions. You get to avoid making poor food choices and overindulging mindlessly.

Tip: If you can’t cut out alcohol drastically, you may do it gradually. Also, watch the type and serving size of your drink. Different beverages vary in their calorie content.

You may also opt for alcohol-free options as an alternative. In fact, there are non-alcoholic beers, with lower calories, available in the market.

3. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

One way to take care of your physical and mental health is by ensuring that you sleep well regularly. It can lower your risk of developing dementia and also plays an essential role in weight management.

However, it’s common for people over 40 to have problems getting sufficient sleep. This is normal for women as they enter the menopausal stage wherein they experience difficulty in sleeping.

If you’re not getting good-quality sleep, chances are you’ll gain weight. Plus, you might be too tired and tempted to just skip your strength training.

You need to have at least 7-9 hours of sleep every day. Getting less than this may increase your ghrelin — your appetite hormone, and lessen your leptin — your hunger control hormone. This may lead to food cravings, especially those that are high in sugar and fat content.

Additionally, a study shows that those who had five hours of sleep or less were at a higher risk of developing obesity. Consult a sleep doctor if, despite all your efforts, you still can’t get restorative sleep.

Tip: If you find it hard to sleep, consider changing your habits and sticking to a routine. You may also do a bedroom makeover, and make it an ideal sleep environment.

4. Get a Thyroid Screening

The primary responsibility of your thyroid hormone is to regulate your metabolism. However, about 5% of Americans aged 12 and older have hypothyroidism, a disease wherein your thyroid gland is underactive. This is more common among older adults, especially women.

If you’ve already been working out and watching what you eat but still don’t lose pounds, your thyroid may not be functioning well. Watch out for the following symptoms as you may have this condition:

• Weight gain
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Constipation
• Dry skin and hair
• Muscle weakness

Tip: You may treat your hypothyroidism with the help of artificial hormones. Seek a doctor to have your thyroid levels checked.

5. Avoid Greasy Food

You may have already heard of this tip before — and it’s because it’s effective in losing those fats. Fried food has lots of fat content which can result in weight gain.

As you enter your 40s, you experience physical changes, which can make it hard for you to lose some weight. If you binge on fried food, you’re giving your body a tougher job of losing excess fat.

Tip: Exchange your fried meals with oven-baked alternatives. For instance, you may try a classic baked chicken instead of a fried one. With this, you still get to enjoy the same food but with fewer calories.

RELATED: 10 Best Diets For Men (and How to Choose One)

6. Add Omega-3 to Your Diet

Omega-3 fatty acids provide several health benefits such as improved brain, heart, and skin health, and lower risk of depression. Additionally, incorporating food items that are rich in omega-3 into your meals can help you lose weight easily.

You may consider adding the following options to your diet:

• Nuts
• Avocado and avocado oil
• Flaxseeds
• Oily fish such as salmon

They may help decrease your appetite and hunger, increase your metabolism, and boost the number of calories you burn during a workout.

A study also reveals that omega-3 fatty acids can benefit women over the age of 40 during their menopausal stage. These nutrients may aid in lessening the intensity and frequency of your hot flashes.

Tip: Take 300-3,000 mg of fish oil each day to aid in fat loss.

7. Start Swimming

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swimming ranks fourth in the most popular activity in the US. It provides an entire body workout as it moves your body from head to toe.

As you work your body, your cardiovascular system develops as well, making your lungs and heart strong. Additionally, this full-body activity lessens your risk of developing chronic illnesses.

Since this workout uses your whole body, it’s an effective way to burn some calories without overusing your bones and joints. If you weigh 150 pounds, you can burn as much as 400 calories if you go swimming for an hour.

Tip: You may start once to thrice per week, swimming for 10-30 minutes per session. Afterward, you may gradually increase your duration, adding five minutes every week.

8. Increase Calcium Intake

If you want to improve your fat-burning potential after reaching 40, ensure that you’re getting enough calcium in your meals.

A study was conducted among obese adults wherein the participants were divided into two groups. Both underwent a 12-week diet program. Those with increased calcium levels lost more weight compared with adults with lower calcium intake.

Also, this mineral helps rebuild and strengthen your bones as you age. Add these calcium-rich foods to your diet:

• Dark leafy green vegetables
• Bread
• Almonds
• Dairy products
• Fortified tofu
• Dried figs

Tip: Instead of water, use milk when making cereals, oatmeals, soups, sauces, waffles, and pancakes.

9. Drink More Water

When it comes to losing weight after 40, your drinks are just as crucial as your meals. A study shows that those who consumed more water had a reduction in their calorie intake. Water also improves your metabolism, leading to an increase in the amount of fat that your body burns.

You lose water throughout the day primarily by means of urinating and sweating. Experts recommend drinking eight glasses of water every day to replenish the fluids in your body and to avoid dehydration.

Tip: Drink water before you eat to help lower your appetite.