Fitness in your 40s feels a lot different from how it felt in your 20s. Not only does your body respond differently to physical activity, you may also be juggling a lot more responsibilities than you did back then.
For these reasons, many women in their 40s feel that trying to increase or maintain their fitness levels is like a losing game. The right weight loss programs for women over 40 can help you overcome this hurdle and finally achieve your body goals.
But with so many in-person and online weight loss programs for women over 40 out there, how do you determine the one that’ll work best for you? Let’s find out!
This article is for general information and isn’t medical advice. Weight-loss results vary, and calorie or exercise targets may not be appropriate for everyone. If you have a medical condition, are taking medication, are pregnant/postpartum, or have a history of disordered eating, you should talk to a qualified healthcare professional before making major changes.
While many programs promising sustainable weight-loss results exist, their efficacy and safety aren’t always guaranteed. As a result, we cannot, in good faith, recommend any commercially available weight-loss programs.
However, one study stated that the following characteristics of such programs may help jumpstart weight loss in users (1):
Therefore, any weight loss program that’s worth its salt will have these three main factors as top recommendations for sustainable, long-term success.
Yes, it’s objectively harder for some women over 40 to lose fat.
In one study, researchers pointed out the following categories of barriers to exercise for women (2):
This included aspects such as:
In this study, the women felt that working out took too much time away from:
Gender roles can also make it harder for women to participate in physical activities. According to an older study published in 2008, researchers stated that normative gender role responsibilities made it more difficult for women to be more physically active.
They claimed that gendered duties such as child care and housework made it harder for women to prioritize their own well-being. These obligations could even make the women living with chronic conditions ignore their well-being and safe-care to fulfill the demands and needs of others (3).
Some women may feel like working out is too tiring or complicated.
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A lack of support, specifically from spouses or family members, could make exercise feel like a chore or not worth it.
In addition to these factors, women in their 40s also have some physiological issues that can make it harder for them to reach and maintain their ideal weight. These include:
This is specifically in relation to declining estrogen levels. This hormone is largely known for its reproductive function, but it also affects non-reproductive functions in the liver, heart, muscles, bones, and brain (4).
Estrogen also plays a role in fat distribution. Once its levels start declining, it affects fat distribution. Instead of the body storing fat in the hips and thighs, it tends to shift to the abdominal area (5). This then leads to more fat around the belly.
Your resting metabolic rate refers to the number of calories your body burns at rest to perform basic, life-sustaining functions such as breathing, circulation, and cell production. This RMR accounts for 60–70% of the total daily energy expenditure (6).
According to experts, the rate of your RMR reduces by 1%-2% per decade as we age (7). If nothing is done to help combat this, this slow but steady loss compounds over time, which leads to huge losses by old age.
Also known as age-related muscle loss, it starts at the age of 30. If adults aged 30 and above do not actively work to maintain muscle mass, they lose 3-5% of their muscle mass per decade (8).
The more muscle mass a person has, the higher their resting metabolic rate. Therefore, failure to maintain or increase your muscle mass ultimately reduces RMR (7).
Read more: Weight Loss Plan for Women over 40: How to Shed Pounds Without Feeling Deprived
The above factors may stand in the way of weight loss in your 40s, but they don’t make the journey impossible.
Here are some tips on how to jumpstart weight loss after 40 in women:
Watch Your Diet
Many factors affect fat and weight loss (9, 10), but diet is the main one. Without a proper, sustainable diet in a calorie deficit, fat loss becomes an impossible goal to achieve.
To properly watch your diet, you need to do two main things:
A calorie deficit is when the body burns more calories than it is consuming. This is a requirement for fat loss.
Calories refer to the amount of energy in food or drinks. This energy is what your body needs to function properly daily (11).
The daily recommended calorie intakes for women aged 40 and above are between 1800 and 2200 (12).
However, this is just a general guideline. It would be best to calculate your own basal metabolic rate (BMR) and your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). BMR is the amount of calories your body burns daily in order to keep itself alive. BMR is based on an equation that takes your age, weight, height, and gender into account. TDEE is the total amount of calories you burn in a day. This number would give you your maintenance calories and from there, researchers state that a great starting point is to cut 500–750 calories (13).
For example, if someone currently eats about 1,800 calories per day and their estimated maintenance level (TDEE) is around 1,800 calories, reducing intake to about 1,300–1,550 calories per day may create a calorie deficit that can support gradual weight loss.
If you’re unsure how to effectively plan a low-calorie meal plan, check out our calorie deficit diet plan to lose weight for sustainable tips.
Reducing your calorie intake won’t give you the best results if the foods you consume don’t provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
Reduce the intake of or wholly avoid foods and drinks that are high in sugars, sodium, and trans fats. They are low in nutrition and high in empty calories, which can lead to weight gain.
A good diet plan for weight loss for females should instead be rich in whole foods, such as:
Your balanced diet only works if you follow it. However, busy schedules can make it difficult to stick to a nutrient-dense calorie deficit diet. This is where making meal prep for weight loss for females over 40 comes in.
Some tips for effective meal prep include:
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Increase Your Daily Physical Activity
While we acknowledge the above-mentioned barriers to fitness in women over 40, most can be overcome by determination and a positive change in attitude. Remember that you don’t have to rival bodybuilders to lose weight.
Getting about 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week can support your weight-loss efforts, especially when paired with consistent nutrition habits (14). These experts also recommend incorporating 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week into this routine.
Building muscle after 40 for females can help (15):
One study published in 2017 showed that older women aged 63-77 years were able to increase their muscle mass after just 4 weeks of progressive, heavy resistance training (16). If women in this age group can do it, so can any woman in her 40s.
Note that a quick 30-minute walk, some at-home guided workout videos, or joining your local community workout group can’t help you overcome some of the aforementioned barriers and achieve your desired goals.
As previously mentioned, estrogen plays a huge role in how the body stores fat. Ask your physician for a hormone check to ensure that your hormones aren’t standing in the way of your weight loss.
An estrogen test can be easily done through blood, urine, or saliva tests.
Once you know the level of this hormone, you can create and plan a more focused diet and exercise routine to better support your weight loss goals
Studies have shown that obesity and increased stress levels are directly correlated. While there’s no way to fully avoid stress, we can always work to reduce its levels (17).
Effective daily stress management practices recommended by experts and researchers include (18, 19):
Read more: Exercises For Women Over 40: Everything You Need To Know Before Starting Your Fitness Plan
Exercise, particularly strength training, is the best way to speed up your metabolic rate. However, it’s not the only option available. When you’re not exercising, you can work on your metabolism through:
For example, drinking 500 ml of water increased metabolic rate by 30%, a state that could last up to 60 minutes after drinking. Because of this, they see water drinking-induced thermogenesis as an important and unrecognized component of daily energy expenditure (24).
According to studies, as with increased stress levels, insufficient sleep has a direct correlation to obesity.
Researchers have stated that bad sleeping habits/patterns make losing weight harder by (25, 26):
By getting enough sleep every night – at least 7 hours – you help reduce the risk of the above-mentioned factors. This can help eliminate at least one barrier to fitness in your 40s.
There’s no ‘one size fits all’ answer to this. While some sources say that daily weigh-ins can be beneficial for weight loss, others say that weekly weigh-ins are better (27, 28). It’s important to remember that your body weight will fluctuate throughout the day due to water retention and a variety of other factors. Experts state that spending too much time on the scale can deter your weight loss. Some may find themselves obsessing over numbers. This contributes to increasing their anxiety and risking their motivation. If you fear you may obsess over the number on the scale, choose other weight loss identifiers such as: Some sources say that it’s hardest to lose weight in your 40s and beyond. However, these statements have little scientific standing. The consensus from experts is that losing weight becomes harder the more we age (29). This is due to a variety of factors. As people age, they tend to become more sedentary. This lack of daily activity, increase in stress, and poor eating/lifestyle habits can build up over time. Therefore, the sooner you start, the better. Waiting will require more effort and time. Your longevity and independence depend on it, so why not start today? It may help. As previously stated, hydration helps with water-induced thermogenesis. However, this brief increase in metabolism isn’t enough for belly fat loss. For long-term, effective, and sustainable results, stay hydrated, sleep more, exercise, reduce your stress levels, and reduce your calorie intake. It depends. Going to bed very hungry is unlikely to help with weight loss as it interrupts your sleep. As previously stated, lack of enough sleep contributes to weight gain and obesity. However, if you’re only feeling a little hungry and you’ve consumed your allotted calories for the day, then you’re likely fine. Being slightly hungry won’t negatively impact your weight loss.Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I weigh myself?
What is the hardest age to lose weight?
Does drinking water help lose belly fat?
Is going to bed hungry good for weight loss?
While many fat loss programs exist, the best weight loss programs for women over 40 are those that emphasize a manageable calorie deficit that includes a variety of nutritious food options, increased physical activity, and long-term behavioural changes, i.e. self-monitoring and goal setting.
Women over 40 shouldn’t be scared to take the step to reach a weight that feels comfortable for you. While many barriers exist, the biggest one is almost always your mindset and attitude. Start small, make minute changes, and over time, you’ll feel braver and stronger to fully go for your dream body.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
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