Healthy weight loss after 40

As we age, our basal metabolic rate slows down, which can result in us slowly gaining weight over the years, even if we maintain the same eating habits. Despite this, we should take care to maintain a healthy weight and, if necessary, follow a weight-loss diet.

1. How to lose weight after 40?
2. What should your diet look like?

How to lose weight after 40?

How much should you eat?

First of all, we should start by determining the energy value, i.e. the calorie level that should be used to lose excess weight. A healthy weight loss diet should be based on a safe energy level for the body, which in practice means that the energy deficit should be around 300-500 kcal. So, a person whose requirement is, for example, 2300 kcal, should consume around 1800 kcal.

Avoid starvation diets

We avoid too rapid a reduction in calorie intake. A deep energy deficit can quickly take its toll on the health of a person following such a diet. Starvation diets quickly wreak havoc on the endocrine system, cause an increase in cortisol levels, and disrupt the natural mechanisms of appetite control.

Take actual physical activity into account

When calculating energy requirements, it is very important to accurately determine physical activity. Not only training, but also activity at work and at home. The calorie level will be completely different for people who do physical work and those who spend most of their time at a desk.

If we plan to introduce exercise during weight loss, we should take it into account when determining our energy requirements. Any physical activity supports weight loss, regardless of whether we suddenly start training under the supervision of a specialist at a fitness club or start walking three times a week.

What are the benefits of physical activity?

Introducing physical activity allows you to follow a diet with a higher calorie intake. In practice, this means that you have a lower risk of deficiencies associated with insufficient consumption of nutritious foods.

What should your diet look like?

The most popular model recommended by nutritionists is a balanced diet based on moderate fat consumption at 25-35% of energy intake. Proteins, which are very important in the regeneration process, should be supplied at 20-30% of energy intake. Carbohydrates usually cover 40-55% of calories.

It is very important to follow healthy eating principles. In the case of weight-loss diets, it is worth basing your menu on the DASH or Mediterranean diets, which are considered to be among the healthiest in the world. Your diet should include vegetables and fruit, lean sources of protein, oily fish and nuts, and whole grain products.

Once you have adopted a balanced, healthy diet based on a reasonable energy deficit and physical activity, you can consider introducing supplements to support the entire weight loss process. The most commonly used supplements during this period are health-promoting supplements, such as comprehensive vitamin preparations, omega-3 fatty acids, or adaptogens, which are designed to lower cortisol levels. In addition, many people use protein supplements, fat burners and pre-workout supplements to support their diet and training.

Healthy weight loss after the age of 40 is mainly a healthy, balanced diet based on a slight energy deficit, supported by appropriately selected activity and supplementation.