14 Ways to Shed Pounds After 40

Age Matters

If you’re over 40, you may have noticed that it’s easier to gain weight -- and harder to lose it -- than it used to be. Changes in your activity level, eating habits, and hormones, and how your body stores fat all can play roles. But a few simple steps may help you slim down.

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies

Fill half your plate with them at every meal. Produce tends to have more nutrients and less fat and calories than meat, dairy products, or grains. And it may help you feel satisfied, even if you eat less. Fresh fruits, like apples and berries, are also great in place of high-fat or high-sugar snacks.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Experts recommend a healthy morning meal like oatmeal or whole wheat toast with fruit. It can help curb that mid-morning hunger that leads you to grab something unhealthy on-the-go or overeat at lunch. Small meals or snacks every few hours can keep your appetite in check all day long.

Eat Less at Night

If you get most of your daily calories at lunch (before 3 p.m.), you might lose more weight than if you have a big meal later. But the most important thing is still what you eat, not

when

Cook Healthy Meals

A lot of extra fat and calories can come from the way you prepare food. Instead of frying food or cooking it in butter or lots of oil, try grilling, baking, or broiling. This is good advice at restaurants, too: Skip foods that are fried or that come in creamy sauces.

Don’t Make a Second Trip

You tend to be less active as you get older, and you may need a few hundred calories less than you used to. To lose weight, you may need to cut your calories back even more. Smaller portions and tracking your calories with a food diary or an app can help you eat less.

Pay Attention

When you’re busy with work, kids, and life, you can be tempted to grab food on-the-go or multitask through a meal. But you’re more likely to overeat -- and be hungry again soon after -- if you don’t focus on your food. Sit down for meals and tune in to what’s on your plate (not what’s on your TV or computer screen). That helps your brain realize when you’ve had enough.

Lay Off the Soda

If you drink sugar-sweetened coffee, tea, soft drinks, or energy drinks, switch to water or another zero-calorie beverage. Your sweet drinks have lots of added sugar, which can make you gain weight and raise your risk for diabetes.

Cut Back on Alcohol

Beer bellies aren’t always caused by booze. But a “spare tire” is common in middle age, and alcohol can have something to do with it. A glass of beer or wine is about 150 calories, and that can add up if you drink often. Plus, alcohol can make you hungry, so you may eat more while you drink.

Make Time for Exercise

Between desk jobs, commutes, and family activities, many 40-somethings don’t have a lot of free time to work out. But it’s important -- for your weight and your overall health -- to fit in at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate physical activity (like brisk walking or light yard work) every week. Pencil times in to your calendar, and make them a priority.

Build Muscle

People naturally lose muscle after 40, especially women after menopause . Because muscle burns more calories than fat, this can slow down your metabolism and make it harder to shake those stubborn pounds. Strength-training exercises -- lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises, like push-ups and squats -- at least twice a week can help you keep those muscles.

Relax, Don’t Stress

Stress can make you more likely to binge on unhealthy food, and it makes it harder for your body to break down fat. Try yoga, deep breathing, meditation, going for a walk, or reading a good book. Stress relief is different for everyone, so find what works for you.

Get Good Sleep

All kinds of things can mess with your sleep after age 40 -- health problems, stress , medications, and, for women, menopause. But people who don’t get good-quality sleep are more likely to gain weight. If you skimp on sleep because you’re busy or stressed, try to change your habits and settle into a regular routine.

Have Your Thyroid Checked

If you eat healthy and exercise regularly and still can’t lose weight, your thyroid might not be working like it should. This happens in about 5% of people, and it's most common in women and people over 60. In addition to weight gain, it can also cause fatigue, joint or muscle pain, and depression . Medications can help, so get it checked if you think it might be an issue.

Get Support

For many people, it’s easier to lose weight with others than to do it alone. You might enter a weight-loss contest at work, join a group on social media, or ask a friend to go for early-morning walks or classes at the gym. Other people who share your goals can help keep you accountable and cheer you on as you make progress.

What Happens When You Lose A Lot of Weight

What Happens When You Lose A Lot of Weight

When you’ve got pounds to spare, shedding them improves many aspects of your physical health and well-being. Weight loss can lead to changes in your personal life, mental health, your senses, and more. If you’re looking to lose some weight, want to lose more, or have just lost a lot and want to keep it off, check out some of the lesser-known rewards and other changes that come when those pounds drop off.

Better Sleep

Shedding extra weight may help you sleep better at night. Many people who are overweight have trouble sleeping. This is often because of sleep apnea , a difficulty breathing in your sleep that’s more common in overweight people. Weight loss can ease those breathing troubles. You might find that you’re more likely to stay asleep through the night. You may also feel more alert and well rested throughout the day.

Better Mood

Weight loss doesn’t just make your body feel good. It boosts your mood and mental health. In a study of obese older adults, 3 months after a significant weight loss, they reported less tension, depression , anger, and fatigue. And it went both ways. People whose moods were better dropped more pounds. Keeping a healthy weight lowers risk for depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. A good mood and a healthy weight go together.

A Different Taste in Food

Too much excess weight can dull your sense of taste. One reason for this might be that you've actually lost taste buds. Studies show that people who lose a lot of weight, especially after weight loss surgery, don't taste things the same way afterward. Sweet and fatty meals might not taste as good to you. So, you’ll naturally start to eat more healthy food and take in fewer calories.

Brain Gains

Studies connect obesity to troubles with memory, thinking skills, and overall brain function. A study in 20 overweight women suggests it works the other way too. Though it was a small study, it showed that after losing weight, the women did better on memory tests. Certain parts of their brain also became more active after the weight loss.

A Better Sex Life

People who are obese often report low interest in sex or that they just don’t enjoy it very much. Overweight men may struggle with erectile dysfunction . The good news is that losing the extra weight can help. A review of 16 weight-loss studies showed that when people lose weight, the quality of their sex life improves.

Reduce Your Health Risks

Obesity increases your risk for many health problems. Losing the extra weight can help eliminate those health problems or lower your odds for them. Weight loss can reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol. It can also slash risk for diabetes , heart disease, stroke, and osteoarthritis.

Cut Your Cancer Risk

People who have more body fat are more likely to get many types of cancer . Weight loss can lower your risk for breast, endometrial, colon, prostate, and other cancers. Even if you do get cancer, you’ll have better odds if you fight the disease at a healthier weight.

Loose and Hanging Skin

This is a less desirable side effect of major weight loss. If you've shed quite a few pounds, your skin can’t just bounce back to where it was before. You may have extra folds or flaps on your belly, thighs, arms, chin, or your breasts. You might not like the way they look. This excess skin can also be uncomfortable and even get irritated or infected. A plastic surgeon can perform an operation to get rid of the extra tissue.

Your Metabolism Slows

If you lost a lot of weight, it’s because you’re eating less. When you make a major change in the amount of food you take in each day, your body begins to process it more slowly. This can make it harder to keep losing weight after you've already lost some. You can give your metabolism a little help with more exercise, including strength training to build muscle mass.

Your Body Clock Shifts

Fixed meal times can help regulate the internal clock that keeps your body running on a 24-hour day. If you've changed when you eat to help you lose weight, you may also see changes in when you sleep and wake. If you want to keep losing, studies show that when you eat matters. For example, overweight and obese women may lose more weight when they eat a bigger breakfast and less at dinner even when the total calories for the day are the same.

Your Body Temperature Changes

Scientists have tied body temperature to obesity in men and post- menopausal women. (Menstrual cycles might help regulate body temperature in other women.) Data suggest that a higher body mass index is connected to higher body temperature. If you lose a lot of weight, you might notice yourself feeling cooler.

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