As our bodies age, we go through changes. After 40, it can be easier to gain weight and harder to lose it. Multiple things can be the cause, anywhere from hormone fluctuations to lifestyle changes.
Lack of sleep, less physical activity, changes in diet, and stress are among the things occurring to those with busy lives. What can we do to jumpstart weight loss and reclaim our lives?
Eat Fruits and Vegetables
Two of the best things for our bodies come straight from nature: fruits and vegetables. Our bodies
can reap the following benefits:
- naturally high in essential vitamins and minerals
- high in fiber, which keeps your digestion strong and your body regular
- high in water and antioxidants, helping us detox the toxins in the body
- improve the overall function of organs and digestion
Vegetables are high in protein, helping with energy levels and muscle development. They help us to feel full longer, helping to minimize overeating. Fruits are a healthy snack alternative.
Doctors recommend making at least half of your daily meals from fruit and vegetables. The combined benefits of fruits and vegetables help us to digest and metabolize faster, jumpstarting weight loss for those of us over 40.
Get Enough Sleep
Hormone changes can lead to all sorts of issues including insomnia. Many of us don’t associate a lack of sleep with weight gain but they are intricately linked. 7 to 9 hours of sleep is ideal for maintaining equilibrium. Anything less can cause a massive rise in insulin levels, leading to food cravings all day long. On top of this, we digest and metabolize as we sleep.
Studies have shown that dieters who cut back on sleep over a 14-day period lose only half as much as if
they’d had a full night’s sleep. Another study showed that an extra hour of sleep per night was linked to
a loss of 270 extra calories a day.
Learn About Your Hormones
Estrogen dominance is common for women over 40 as estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate. This can cause a lot of weight gain around the midsection of body.
DIM is a natural supplement that can help us metabolize excess estrogen. Vitex, also known as Chaste Berry, is a powerful adaptogen that can greatly help to balance estrogen and progesterone levels and restore balance to hormone imbalance.
Manage Stress
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is a useful hormone that spikes upon waking to get us energized for the day. Unfortunately, as we age, stress and hormone changes cause our cortisol levels to spike at odd times during the day and ultimately, with enough consistent stress, our levels deplete with added stress and anxiety turning to fatigue.
This has an impact on the delicate relationship between the thyroid and the adrenals. Low thyroid function slows metabolism, leading to weight gain. For this reason, reducing stress is an essential part of weight loss.
Low impact exercise
High impact activity raises cortisol levels, which can wreak havoc on our bodies after age 40. It can even lead to an increase in weight gain. Low impact activity such as walking and yoga, however, reduces cortisol, helps with sleep, and hormone balance. It can reduce weight in a gentle yet effective way while restoring balance to the entire body.
All these elements can substantially jumpstart weight loss after 40 as well as improve mood, hormones, libido, and life!
