With age, metabolic processes in women's bodies slow down, and physical activity decreases. These and other factors lead to the formation of excess weight and fat under the skin, which accumulates on the heart, liver, and kidneys, disrupting their function. Cholesterol clogs blood vessels. As a result, the risk of stroke, varicose veins, osteoporosis, heart attack, etc. increases.
Therefore, it is important that a woman’s nutrition after 45 years is correct and balanced. This will help maintain health and a slim, fit figure.
Transformations in the body after 40
A diet for women after 45 years of age should take into account the changes occurring in the woman’s body. In particular, this applies to:
- reducing the production of progesterone and estrogens;
- increased blood pressure;
- headaches;
- hyperhidrosis;
- loss of muscle mass;
- increased bone fragility;
- depressive states, etc.
Also, many are faced with impaired excretory function and other problems.
Briefly about menopause, stages and signs.
Hormones are responsible not only for health, but also appearance and beauty.
Women feel this especially strongly during menopause, when their weight increases sharply and the amount of fat in the body increases. Is it possible to somehow improve metabolism and restore former slimness? Yes, if you understand the mechanisms of menopause. Menopause (menopause) is a natural process in the endocrine system associated with the decline of reproductive function. Gradually, the synthesis of the female sex hormone estrogen decreases. The process is accompanied by changes in metabolism, which affect appearance, health and mood.
Menopause is not an instant process. It takes years and lasts on average up to 5 years. Menopause consists of stages:
- premenopause. A gradual decrease in estrogen synthesis by the ovaries begins at 28-40 years of age. The period is accompanied by an irregular cycle, menstruation of varying lengths;
- menopause. On average, it occurs at 50-53 years of age. The ovaries turn off and stop producing estrogens. Menstruation stops. The body reacts especially vividly to such fluctuations in hormonal levels. The cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and nervous systems are affected;
- postmenopause. The final stage, which lasts until the end of life. There are no longer sudden mood swings, hot flashes, or sleep disturbances.
Weight norm, reasons for being overweight
Excess weight occurs for a number of reasons:
- slowing down metabolism;
- fast food abuse;
- sedentary, sedentary lifestyle;
- lack of physical activity;
- bad habits, etc.
To understand how to eat properly for a woman after 40 years, it is worth deciding on normal weight indicators. To do this, you can use a simple formula: weight = height - 110.
That is, with a height of 170 cm, the normal weight is 60 kg. With an asthenic body type, normal indicators are: weight - 115.
When indicators increase, nutritionists recommend reconsidering your diet and taking your health seriously. It is important to avoid fasting. You should lose kilograms gradually and correctly. Diet is stress for the body.
Contraindications
The diet is not recommended for use in the following cases:
- if diseases of the gastrointestinal tract have worsened;
- during colds and infectious diseases;
- with anemia;
- when treated with certain medications;
- with weakness and poor health;
- if you have liver or gallbladder disease.
Key nutrition rules
When creating a daily diet for a woman over 40 years old, it is necessary to adhere to a number of key rules:
- You need to drink 1500-2000 milliliters of pure water without gas per day. The main amount is consumed before lunch. Thus, it is possible to prevent swelling of the soft tissues.
- In the morning, immediately after sleep on an empty stomach, you need to drink 200 ml of clean water. You can add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the glass. Thanks to this, the work of the gastrointestinal tract organs is started and metabolism is accelerated.
- At this age, with insufficient physical activity, the body does not need a large amount of food. The optimal serving size is 230-270 grams. Or two female fists placed side by side.
- Meals should be frequent. The number of meals is 4-5 per day.
- The final meal should be no later than 2.5 hours before bedtime.
- You need to eat food at approximately the same time.
- You can drink 200 ml of water 30 minutes before meals. The composition will take up some of the free space in the stomach. As a result, the feeling of hunger is dulled, and satiety occurs much faster.
- The amount of fats and carbohydrates in the diet should be limited.
- The diet should include amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and protein. For this purpose, lean meat and fish, fresh seasonal berries, vegetables and fruits, herbs, and cereals are consumed, with the exception of rice and semolina.
- Cereals should be eaten before lunch. Preferably for breakfast.
- For snacks you can use low-fat cottage cheese and yogurt, cheese, nuts, dried fruits, vegetables, and fruits. Fruits and dried fruits are allowed to be eaten only in the morning. For breakfast or lunch.
Additionally, experts recommend using multivitamin complexes.
Include phytoestrogens in your diet
By the age of 40, the body begins to think that a woman will no longer reproduce, so hormonal support becomes less and less. The synthesis of estrogens, which affect all organs and systems, decreases. In addition to the already known maintenance of beautiful skin and hair, estrogen affects metabolism, regulates blood pressure and thermoregulation.
Synthetic hormonal drugs are popular. Medicine moves forward and with each new generation of drugs side effects decrease and the therapeutic effect increases. But still, synthetic hormones act quite aggressively. Natural phytoestrogens are obtained from food, so you just need to add foods such as:
- Flax seed
- Legumes (beans, lentils)
- Apricots
- Soybeans
These foods are also low in calories, so you don't have to worry about your weight. The effect does not occur immediately, but phytoestrogens have no side effects.
Important factors for losing weight
However, proper nutrition for women after 45 years is not enough. Maintaining your figure without a minimum amount of physical activity is unlikely to be possible.
To maintain shape you need:
- Spend as much time as possible outdoors. This doesn't mean you can just sit on a bench. It's important to move. This could be long walks, summer work in the garden or garden plot, cycling or swimming in the river.
- It is recommended to exercise several times a week. At this age, you can go to fitness, yoga, Pilates or the pool. In summer you can ride a bicycle.
- To keep the body in good shape, good quality sleep is important. You need to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. Additionally, during the day you can take a rest for 1-2 hours. You should fall asleep in the evening and wake up in the morning at approximately the same time. Weekends are no exception.
- Particular attention is paid to health status. If you feel unwell, you should seek help from a doctor. You should undergo a full medical examination 2 times a year.
The use of strict diets should be completely abandoned. It is much more effective to eat right. The body needs a complete, balanced diet.
The main taboos in food
In order not to gain weight and maintain health, it is important to exclude the most harmful:
- fatty, rich broths, too “heavy” first courses;
- fried foods, instead it is better to stick to boiling, stewing, baking;
- salt and sugar should be reduced to a minimum; there is enough sweetness and saccharides in fruits;
- reduce your coffee consumption to 1 cup per day, drink it weakly so as not to provoke hot flashes;
- reduce the amount of spicy and overly pronounced seasonings (pepper, turmeric, etc.);
- alcohol only on holidays - 1 glass of red wine.
It is regularly recommended to undergo preventive examinations with a gynecologist and other specialists, who can also prescribe medications to improve well-being or adjust the diet. You can make an appointment with them or get a qualified free consultation here https://45plus.rf/registration/.
The most suitable products for weight loss
Before creating a menu, a woman over 45 needs to know exactly which dietary products can be included in it and which should be avoided.
A weight loss diet should include the following components:
- Fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs. They are rich in vitamins, micro- and macroelements, and fiber. Vegetables contain a minimum of calories and at the same time have an antioxidant effect, protecting against the action of free radicals.
- Porridge. Cereals are healthy because they contain so-called slow or long-term carbohydrates. They eliminate the feeling of hunger for a significant time and provide the body with energy. Porridges are rich in vitamins and minerals.
- Nuts. Every day you need to eat 50 grams of any nuts. They are rich in Omega acids, vitamins, micro- and macroelements.
- Dairy products. Rich in calcium and lactobacteria, which help normalize the functioning of the intestines and the gastrointestinal tract as a whole.
- Sea fish. Rich in protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, iodine, potassium and other substances necessary for health.
- Seafood. These are natural aphrodisiacs that are rich in iodine and other components. Seafood has a positive effect on the digestive system and metabolism, accelerating metabolic processes.
- Meat. To provide cells and systems with protein, lean meats are included in the diet. The best option is chicken, turkey.
- Eggs. Rich in protein and fats. Consumed mainly before lunch.
- Beans. They contain vegetable protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. It is recommended to eat white beans.
- Vegetable oil. It is advisable to use olive oil. You can also add sesame, flaxseed and less often sunflower. Olive oil is added to salads. Additionally, you can drink a tablespoon to normalize intestinal function.
Sometimes it is allowed to eat dark chocolate in limited quantities. Allowed - 1-2 pieces per week.
Such products are useful. They don't make you better. Of course, with moderate use.
How to eat right to lose weight during menopause.
One of the most discussed topics on women's forums is: “How to lose weight during menopause?” Nutritionists answer that this is possible if you pull yourself together and follow simple recommendations:
- eat in small portions. To stabilize or lose weight, take food 4-5 times a day in small portions. The reference point is the volume of your palm;
- Half of the diet is vegetables. But not potatoes. Focus on beets, carrots, various types of cabbage (white cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli), pumpkin, carrots, and peas. During the season of cucumbers, zucchini and eggplants, introduce these vegetables into your diet. They are rich in fiber, minerals (potassium, magnesium), and perfectly satisfy hunger;
- "No!" fried. If you want a thin waist and fit into your favorite dress, then forget about fried potatoes and deep-fried pies. Only baked, stewed, boiled or steamed;
- focus on unsaturated fatty acids. There are many of them in flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, ocean fish, and olive oil. Even women of modest means can afford to drink 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily on an empty stomach;
- Replace meat and bacon with dairy products (cottage cheese, cheese, yoghurt), boiled eggs, and poultry.
Prohibited Products
A diet for women over 45 involves excluding certain foods from the menu:
- Alcohol. Alcoholic drinks remove moisture and vitamin C from cells and tissues, and also contribute to uncontrolled food consumption. As a result, body weight increases. You are allowed to drink a glass of dry wine once a week.
- Coffee. Drink consumption should be limited. Allowed is 1 cup of natural coffee per day without sugar, cream or other additives.
- Salt. It retains water in the tissues. It is recommended to replace salt with soy sauce or fish sauce.
- It is also necessary to exclude potatoes and carrots from the diet, which are high in calories and difficult for the body. They make you fat.
Chips, crackers, mayonnaise, fast food and other unhealthy foods should be prohibited. It contains carcinogens that contribute to the development of cancer. At the same time, such products are characterized by increased calorie content and cause a blow to the figure. People of any age group can recover from them.
What to do to lose weight during menopause.
- Keep count of calories. The method is very simple: you select products from the Internet or special applications on your mobile phone, add up their calorie content and create a menu. Ideally, it should not exceed 1200 calories.
- Maintain hormonal balance. Preparations with phytoestrogens can alleviate the condition during menopause: “Klimadinon”, “Inoclim”, “Remens”, “Feminal”.
- Maintain drinking regime. To combat hunger, drink at least 1.5-2 liters of water per day.
- To refuse from bad habits. Quit smoking and your appearance will improve. Nicotine negatively affects blood vessels, thickens the blood and increases the risk of heart attacks.
- Vitamins. Vitamins A, E, group B, and trace elements: zinc, potassium, magnesium, selenium help keep weight under control.
- Consultation with a doctor. An examination and consultation with a gastroenterologist or nutritionist will help you adjust your diet so that your gastrointestinal tract does not suffer, but you also do not gain excess weight. The doctor also selects a personal caloric intake based on your parameters and activity.
Sample diet for seven days
An approximate diet menu for weight loss for a week could be as follows:
| Day | Menu |
| Monday |
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| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday |
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| Thursday |
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| Friday |
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| Saturday |
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| Sunday |
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Tea in the menu can be replaced with cocoa without sugar. You can also eat other dishes. It is difficult to recover from such a set of products. Especially if you follow the recommended dosage.
How to lose weight correctly and effectively at home without harming your health
Consultation with a specialist. The first step on the path to an ideal figure should be a visit to the doctor. It is worth making sure that there are no diseases that provoke excess weight.
First, you should visit an endocrinologist to rule out thyroid disease (a common cause of weight gain after 40 years). It is also worth excluding diabetes mellitus, especially type 2, because it is characterized by an increase in the proportion of adipose tissue in the body. After laboratory tests are completed, the specialist will be able to prescribe a therapeutic diet.
Improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In the absence of chronic diseases that provoke excess weight, you should begin to correct your digestion. Metabolic processes in the body depend on diet: consume enough plant fiber and clean water throughout the day.
Attention! Fiber, although in itself is not a significant source of nutrients, is necessary for the body for the comfortable functioning of the digestive tract. It promotes the normal rhythm of peristaltic movements (rhythmic contractions of the intestinal wall), thanks to which its use helps to normalize the digestive processes.
Nutrition. You should not get carried away with strict diets after 40 years - they provoke sharp fluctuations in weight, which negatively affects your overall health. Losing up to 5 kg per month is considered safe. The best way to lose weight at home is for women over 30 to switch to proper nutrition.
Physical activity. Special exercises are needed to increase muscle mass and quickly burn fat. Regular physical activity can both reduce excess weight and make your figure more toned. And weight training allows you to increase the volume of muscle tissue, which will not only help you acquire the desired attractive figure, but also speed up metabolic processes (metabolism).
Advice from nutritionists
To increase the effectiveness of the diet, you should follow the recommendations of a qualified specialist:
- Once every 7-10 days it is worth giving the digestive system and the body as a whole a deload. This doesn't mean you should give up food completely. You can include kefir, buckwheat, and apple in your diet.
- To lose extra pounds, you should completely give up baking. You can eat some rye bread.
- Smoked, fried, fatty, and canned foods are completely and permanently excluded from the diet. Dishes are steamed, boiled, baked.
- Fasting is prohibited. The exception is medicinal, for which there is a doctor’s prescription.
- Drinking tea, dietary supplements and other weight loss compounds is prohibited. They do not benefit the body by removing fluid, vitamins and minerals.
Fat formation, cellulite and excess weight are a common problem faced by more than half of all mature women. However, it can and must be fought. The main thing is not to be lazy and not to break down. Proper nutrition should become the norm.
You can learn more about tips on weight loss with a sedentary lifestyle at this age by watching the video:
List of foods that need to be excluded from the diet during menopause.
A balanced diet during menopause excludes:
- alcohol. Ethyl alcohol itself is a high-calorie product. Plus, alcohol whets your appetite, so it’s easy to overeat during a feast;
- salt. During menopause, it is dangerous to get carried away with snacks and marinades. Salt provokes stagnation of fluid in the body, the appearance of edema;
- sugar. Hormonal changes increase blood glucose levels and significantly increase the risk of developing diabetes. Therefore, sugar and confectionery products are excluded from diets, replacing them with dried fruits and honey;
- bakery products. Due to a decrease in metabolic rate, even a slice of bread can be deposited on the waist in the form of an unattractive fold;
- saturated fats. These are the substances that clog blood vessels, are deposited as fat at the waist and do not benefit the body. If possible, exclude butter, ice cream, cream, and whole milk from the diet during menopause in order to lose weight.
