The basic principles of a diet for weight loss after 40 years. List of prohibited and permitted foods, an approximate menu for the week. Results and reviews.
Diet after 40 years is an indispensable element of lifestyle modification, which allows you to restore weight, improve your appearance and well-being. It implies the use of a large amount of fiber, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates.
Features of a diet for weight loss after 40 years
After 40 years, the concentration of sex hormones in women gradually decreases, metabolic processes slow down. To protect oneself from metabolic, gynecological diseases, lifestyle modification is recommended: physical activity, stress reduction, adherence to work and rest, healthy sleep, normalization of the psycho-emotional state.
At this time, it is important to closely monitor the quality of food, the way it is prepared and consumed. A diet after 40 allows you to improve metabolic processes, reduce weight, and normalize overall physical and psychological well-being.
Basic recommendations to follow when dieting after 40 years:
- Meal frequency … During the diet, it is important to eat no more than 2-3 times a day. Fractional nutrition is not suitable for a healthy woman, since it causes constant surges in insulin, which is fraught with insulin resistance with the subsequent development of diabetes mellitus.
- The diet … Servings are based on the principle: half a plate of fiber (vegetables, leafy greens), a quarter of protein and the same amount of healthy whole grain carbohydrates. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber are the basic elements of nutrition for any person, but it is important to observe the proportions when using them. To individually calculate the optimal amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, you can use a special calculator.
- Cooking method … During cooking, they choose grilling, baking, boiling, stewing. It is necessary to refuse frying in a pan until a dark crust forms. Such heat treatment of food products does not contribute to weight loss and adversely affects the state of the body as a whole.
- Drinking regime … It is an essential element of a weight loss diet. Normalizes the functioning of the stomach and stool, helps to get rid of extra pounds. Many women mistakenly believe that excess water can cause swelling. However, this statement is erroneous. Edema may indicate insufficient intake of protein and magnesium from the daily diet, as well as fluctuations in hormonal levels. The optimal amount of liquid can be calculated using the formula: multiply 30 ml of water by body weight.
- Calorie … The main amount of nutrients is recommended to be consumed in the morning. The last meal is no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime.
- Food diary … Daily note-taking disciplines, encourages diet and drinking. In the diary, you can enter the day of the menstrual cycle, general well-being, main meals and snacks, the amount of fluid consumed. This allows you to track and prevent overeating, helps to eliminate unhealthy foods.
In addition, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the list of permitted and prohibited foods in order to adhere to the basic rules of a healthy diet on an ongoing basis.
Read more about the 5 tablespoon diet
Approved products after 40 years
To successfully lose weight, fats must be included in the diet. Until recently, it was believed that fat is the main problem that leads to weight gain and high cholesterol. However, modern nutritionists point out that without the "right" fats, normal hormone production is impossible. This slows down the metabolism, promotes rapid weight gain.
The diet for women over 40 is replete with healthy fats, which are found in such foods:
- Unrefined oils: coconut, avocado, olive, mustard, cedar. For frying, it is better to use oils with a high smoke point - coconut, mustard. As a last resort, you can use refined olive. Sunflower oil is rapidly oxidized, contains a lot of omega, which can potentially cause inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. It is better to use it less often, for salad dressing.
- Wild caught fish: salmon, smelt. They contain essential omega-3, -6 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid, which are essential for the normal functioning of the brain, cardiovascular system, gallbladder and the whole body as a whole.
- Seeds: flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, chia, amaranth. To improve bioavailability, flax seeds must be pre-ground in a coffee grinder and consumed fresh within 10-15 minutes after grinding. Other seeds are pre-soaked to reduce exposure to phytic acid, which makes it difficult for the seeds to absorb nutrients.
- Nuts: hazelnuts, almonds, Brazilian, cedar, forest, walnuts. Nuts also contain phytic acid, so they must be soaked in water overnight or fried in a pan.
In order to saturate the body as much as possible and not feel hunger for a long time during the day, there should be a sufficient amount of protein in the diet after 40 for women. It is a building material in the female body, which can be obtained from such products:
- Bird … Chicken and turkey contain a large amount of protein and a minimum amount of saturated fat ("bad" cholesterol). This is the foundation of a protein diet: a low-calorie, nutritious food that is much better absorbed than red meat.
- Legumes … They contain a large amount of protein, B vitamins, fiber. They are used as an alternative to meat dishes by people who do not consume food of animal origin. It is recommended to introduce chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas into the diet. The record holder for protein content is soy, 100 grams of the product contains 34 grams of protein. To better digest the legumes, they are pre-soaked overnight with the addition of 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Whole Grain Products … Unlike refined white flour, bread made from whole grain raw materials contains much more protein, vitamins, and microelements. For baking, it is recommended to use rice, multi-grain, buckwheat, corn, chickpea flour. It is better to replace white rice with brown.
- Bone broth … A valuable product that is rich in collagen, essential amino acids. The broth is cooked over low heat for at least 12-14 hours, ideally a day. At the end of cooking, add salt, pepper, bay leaves, herbs, and other spices to taste. Perfectly heals and restores the gastrointestinal tract, helps to obtain valuable protein.
- Eggs … A rich source of protein with high digestibility. They also contain valuable vitamin D, B12, choline. Receptors for these substances are found in many organs of the female body, they must be obtained daily for the normal functioning of the reproductive system, good mood and well-being. In order not to provoke an increase in bad cholesterol, eggs are consumed no more than 2-3 times a week.
- Dairy products … We are talking about high-quality farm products that are made without the addition of yeast culture. A diet after 40 for weight loss involves the independent preparation of dairy products with bacterial ferment or the purchase of products from trusted people. One serving of quality homemade cottage cheese contains a daily requirement of protein (over 20 grams), as well as calcium.
- Greens … Also rich in protein. 100 grams of spinach contain 2-2.5 g of protein, parsley - 3.5 g. However, greens do not have enough amino acids, therefore, in order to get a full meal, it is recommended to combine it with legumes.
Important! After 40 years, the number of enzymes that are able to digest lactose decreases. Therefore, it is recommended to use fermented milk products from goat milk, which contain casein. This protein is absorbed slowly and blocks hunger for a long time.
In the diet of a woman after 40 years, a sufficient amount of fiber should be present, which affects the feeling of hunger. With a lack of dietary fiber, there are difficulties with digestion, hormonal fluctuations. Fiber is found in foods such as leafy greens, vegetables and fruits, dried mushrooms, berries, avocados, legumes, whole grains, and dried fruits.
It is recommended to consume at least 25-30 grams of fiber per day. Sources of dietary fiber should be as varied as possible. This substance has a direct effect on the speed and quality of food processing, and helps to normalize body weight. Prevents sharp jumps in blood sugar, absorbing peaks after eating sweet fruits, berries, dried fruits.
Prohibited foods after 40 years
Nutritional restrictions allow you to normalize your weight and find a dream figure. To get acquainted with the individual list of prohibited foods, it is recommended to pass a genetic analysis for the tolerance of a particular food.
A diet for weight loss after 40 years implies the exclusion of useless food from the diet: purchased sweets, food waste, soda, fatty sauces. It is also necessary to refuse such food:
- Sugar, simple carbohydrates … This is the first thing that is excluded from the daily diet. Such food saturates for a short time, after which the feeling of hunger increases several times. In general, carbohydrate intake, even complex carbohydrates, should be kept to a minimum. They can be obtained in sufficient quantities from vegetables.
- Juices … Not only purchased, but also freshly squeezed are prohibited for use. They contain a large amount of fructose, which causes a sharp increase in glucose and insulin peaks. Fiber must be present to cushion such a surge. Fruits contain both fructose and fiber, so it's best to go whole foods.
- Carbonated drinks … They should be excluded from the diet for good. They lack any natural, useful substances. In addition to having too much sugar, or worse, sweetener, this drink is rich in gases that can cause discomfort and bubbling in the stomach. The abuse of sweet water and junk food is a direct path to obesity.
- Alcohol … They are high in calories and adversely affect the functioning of the liver, which is also responsible for the process of burning fat. An effective diet after 40 involves the complete elimination of alcohol. When drinking alcohol, it is more difficult for a person to control portion size, and a tendency to overeat is manifested.
During a diet after 40 years, smoked meats, marinades, semi-finished products, fast food, spicy, fatty, fried foods, sugar, flour, oils are prohibited. They also minimize the consumption of nightshades, gluten, dairy products from cow's milk. Food is low-carbohydrate, gentle.
Important! It is recommended to minimize the consumption of red meat. Numerous studies confirm that the regular use of such a product is associated with numerous disorders of the functioning of internal organs, especially the gastrointestinal tract.
