Feel like your body changed overnight after 40? One minute, you’re in your 30s, and the next, you’re dealing with weight gain, low energy, and new aches and pains.
As we enter our fifth decade, our bodies face some real challenges. Muscle mass starts to decline, collagen production drops, hormones shift (especially for us women), and our metabolism slows. Recovery from workouts and injuries takes longer, too.
But here’s the good news: Your healthy days aren’t over. Simple habits repeated every day are the key to feeling (and looking) your best after 40.
- Hit 8,000-10,000 Steps a Day
Getting your steps in brings an amazing range of benefits. A short walk boosts energy as much as a cup of coffee. It counteracts the muscle loss and fat gain we see after 40. In fact, walking will actually genetically change your body to make it lose weight easier.After 40, walking cuts your risk of developing diseases, like cancer, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. It improves sleep, lowers depression, reduces anxiety, and increases self esteem!Plus, walking could add years to your life! An analysis of 11 surveys found that people who walk regularly had significantly lower mortality risks. To experience all of the amazing benefits listed above, shoot for at least 20 minutes of walking a day or 8-10K total daily steps.
- Drink 60-80oz of Water a Day
Simply drinking enough water has an immediate and protective effect on your body that can boost your health and help you keep excess weight off for the rest of your life. Getting enough water will make a massive difference in how you’ll feel, think, and function every day.Drinking 60-80oz of water each day will work to cushion and lubricate your joints. It will regulate your body temperature, nourish your brain and spinal cord, promote brain function, and boost your energy levels. Adequate daily water will promote cardiovascular health and aid in weight loss.Optimal hydration is also linked to many long-term benefits. Scientists are discovering how drinking enough water can lower the chance of stroke, help manage diabetes, and even potentially reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
- Eat 30-40g of Protein at Each Meal
Protein becomes increasingly important after 40. As we age, our bodies naturally lose muscle mass. Adequate protein intake helps to prevent this decline. We’ll experience more strength, mobility, and overall quality of life, simply by hitting our protein goals every day.Protein helps us build lean muscle, lose body fat, fight off infections and diseases, and even blunt menopause symptoms!Shoot for the optimal amount of daily protein, not the minimum amount required to survive. Start with your goal weight (135 pounds, for example). That number is how many grams of protein your body can benefit from. If your goal weight is 135lb, try to eat 135g of protein daily.For most of us, eating 30-40 grams of protein at each meal will ensure we’re getting all of the protein’s benefits. Here’s your cheat sheet of high-protein foods to help you hit your numbers. - Fill Up on High Fiber Foods
Fiber is one of the best nutrients that work for you after 40. Its benefits reach far beyond the gut. From your waistline to your heart, fiber works hard to keep you healthy, lean, and living long.Fiber is great for gut health, and it’s a crucial player in hormonal balance. As women, hormonal balance is critical for how we feel and how we age. After the age of 35—when perimenopause brings symptoms like hormonal imbalance, weight gain, and constipation—our need for fiber increases.Fiber regulates levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in many ways involving your digestive tract, liver, ovaries, and blood circulation.Your body, however, doesn’t make fiber. To gain all its benefits, you have to eat it. Slowly increase your fiber little by little (eat more fiber too quickly, and you can overwhelm your digestive tract) until you’re eating at least 30 grams of fiber from whole foods every day. - Stop Snacking
After 40, our metabolism naturally slows down. Whispers of past advice to eat 6 small meals a day, with promises of a boosted metabolism, might tempt you. But we know a lot more about blood sugar and weight gain than we did when this advice was commonplace.Each time you eat, your blood sugar increases, causing your insulin to increase too. Insulin is a hormone that, among other things, promotes fat storage. When we graze throughout the day, we’re keeping our blood sugar elevated and our fat storing hormone clicked on.Instead of snacking, stick to three or four solid, satiating meals a day. Take good, long breaks between meals to help your insulin levels decrease and allow your appetite to increase before your next healthy and filling meal. - Eat 30 Different Plants a Week
Plants are nutritionally magical! They’re the category of foods that contain nearly all our “superfoods.” They lower your risk of chronic disease, improve digestion, lower cholesterol, balance hormones, decrease depression and anxiety, and add years to your life!After 40, eating a lot and a variety of plants each week guarantees that your body is receiving all the micronutrients it needs to feel energized and healthy. Plus, you’ll look younger too! - Sleep for 7-8 Hours Each Night
Sleep is free, relaxing, and magically good for our bodies after 40. It’s the most widely-available and powerful health boost for humanity. Sleep is critical for emotional regulation and mental health. It turns us into productive problem solvers and better workers. Sleep makes weight loss easier and adds years to your life.If you want to improve your health and boost your weight loss, start with sleep. Reach your 7-8 hours every night by sticking to a sleep schedule, hanging blackout curtains, and lowering your thermostat at night. - Limit Alcohol
You’ve probably felt it—alcohol hits differently now than it did when you were 20. In fact, if you’re honest, you feel like crap when you drink.That’s because our bodies metabolize alcohol differently as we age. We have a lower tolerance, and the alcohol we drink makes any existing health problems much worse. It increases our blood pressure and worsens ulcers.After 40, our drinking habits have to change if we want to feel our best. Limit your alcohol consumption to once or twice a week, max. Next time you’re offered a cocktail, reach for a mocktail instead (this one’s my favorite). Your metabolism, sleep, and waistline will thank you for it.
- Start the Day in Natural Light
Our bodies work on a circadian cycle that controls hormonal releases and declines throughout the day. surges and reductions of your hormones in your body follow your circadian cycle. After 40, intentionally guiding your circadian rhythm will help keep hormones in balance.To reset your circadian rhythms, sit outside in natural light for 15 minutes first thing in the morning. This practice is not only powerful for lowering anxiety and cortisol levels, it will also help to improve your sleep. Realign your body with the rising and setting of the sun. - Weight Train 3-5 Days a Week
Strength training regularly improves sleep, reduces blood pressure, improves heart health, reduces anxiety, and lowers your risk of developing some cancers. It’s a powerhouse of a workout, great for both men and women. But, us girls over 40 benefit the most.Regular strength training helps blunt the effects of declining estrogen, reducing symptoms like mood swings, poor sleep, and muscle loss. Research shows that women who lift heavy weights at least three times a week experience improved bone density, which is crucial as the risk of osteoporosis increases with age.Strength training helps boost testosterone levels, increases confidence and body image, and reduces stress and anxiety. That’s why strength training is particularly effective at improving women’s libido!Moreover, strength training boosts metabolism, helping to counteract weight gain that often accompanies hormonal shifts. Start with this beginner upper body workout!
Manage the Midlife Midriff
As a Registered Dietitian, I’ve worked with thousands of women in their 40s and 50s, helping them lose weight, regain lost muscle mass, increase their energy, and feel their best. But I don’t just talk the talk. At 47, I’ve had to practice every step I’m preaching, guaranteeing that these steps work after 40!
Check out my before and after photos here!
Aging is inevitable, but you can take steps to look and feel amazing decade after decade. Join LEAN for a full-body reset and to learn exactly how to live in your 40s and beyond.
