Proper nutrition after 40 years for women

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.

Main conclusions

Losing weight after 40 years has a number of features that are determined by health conditions, so before starting any diet, consult a specialist.
Nutrition is called the basis of losing weight at any age. Regardless of your weight, it's worth eating a balanced diet.
Moderate physical activity and sufficient sleep play an important role in burning fat - do not neglect these truths.

The maximum result of losing weight without harm to health is possible only with a rational approach - listen to your body and do not forget about additional vitamins after 40 years.

You may also be interested in: How to lose weight at 60 years old for a woman correctly

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.

What should definitely be excluded from the diet of women after 40

No one wants to give up their favorite delicious sweets or junk food, but the older you get, the less junk food a person can eat. Especially when it comes to a woman for whom appearance plays a big role. If you want to maintain slimness and a ruddy complexion, you should reduce your intake of sugar and salt. Since a woman’s metabolism slows down sharply after 40, her eating habits must change. Even a cup of tea drunk at night can make itself felt by swelling in the morning. However, there is a percentage of women who continue to eat unhealthy foods perfectly and do not notice the gain of extra pounds, but their number is quite small and even if at 40 they can afford such eating disorders, then over the years, this advantage will also go away.

Avoid salty foods. Salt retains water in the body. The more fluid remains in the body, the greater the swelling will be. Also, don't indulge in sweets. Sugar plays a dangerous game with carbohydrate metabolism. It is never completely digested; some of the sugar is sure to be deposited in fat reserves. Make an effort to eliminate cakes, sweets and cookies from your diet.

Control your consumption of soups and meat. Rich broths can provoke an increase in cholesterol in the body; it is best to replace soups with fatty meat with lean analogues with chicken and turkey. Add more fish to your menu.

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.

Is it possible to drink wine with dinner?

The issue of alcohol consumption for women over 40 has been very actively discussed. Harvard scientists have conducted a number of studies and proven that wine is good for women. As it turns out, middle-aged women should drink 1-2 glasses of wine every day to avoid heart disease and cancer. Studies prove that wine makes the body more toned and the nervous system more resilient.

Harvard researchers decided to involve about 12 thousand nurses in the study. Their age ranged from 40 years and older. It turned out that of all the subjects, 11% regularly drank a small portion of alcohol. As a result, at their age they avoided the development of several major diseases, including cancer, heart problems, diabetes and stroke. Women performed better on tests for Alzheimer's disease and were more able to tolerate physical activity.

After these tests and studies, scientists came to the conclusion that if you drink 15-30 grams of alcohol every day, you can increase your chances of feeling good by 30%. It was also found that it is better to drink a glass of wine a day rather than less often, but in large quantities.

As you can see, proper nutrition after 40 years for women should not be too strict and radically different from nutrition in adolescence, but it should become more conscious and controlled.

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.

Physical activity.

To stay slim and fit during menopause, just follow the recommendations of trainers:

Avoid public transport as much as possible. Walk to the market to buy groceries, go for a manicure, and after hanging out with friends, suggest doing a couple of laps in the park. It seems like nothing is complicated, but with such physical activity you can avoid gaining weight and tone your body;
go up to the floor on foot. If you live above the 6th floor, then pause for 5 minutes;
get a dog. Morning and evening hour-long walks in any weather will noticeably tighten your figure and protect you from overeating in front of the TV while watching TV series or news in the evening;
At any age and regardless of health status, cardio training helps you avoid gaining weight. Running, cycling, and swimming are great for training the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. Many women will be surprised, but the largest age category at various marathons and half-marathons are participants aged 45-60;
go to yoga or pilates. Gentle physical exercises restore flexibility to the body, mobility to the joints, calm frayed nerves and tighten the figure.

During menopause, a woman can be beautiful, slim, satisfied with life and with herself. To do this, it is enough to watch your diet, exercise and love yourself at any age.

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.

Basic rules and features of metabolism

At the age of 40, many women lead an active lifestyle: they take care of the house, take care of their careers and other current affairs. This indicates a significant calorie expenditure during the day, but in practice, the extra pounds only add on. The reasons for this phenomenon include:

Metabolic slowdown, which is associated with age-related processes in the body.
A gradual decline in the functions of the reproductive organs - the appearance of excess weight is often associated with hormonal changes in the female body.
The appearance of chronic diseases that will affect appearance, well-being and figure.
Changing nutritional needs of the body - at 40 years of age you need more calcium and protein, while the need for saturated fats and carbohydrates remains, but their abuse leads to faster weight gain than at a younger age.
Increasing the daily hydration rate - the body requires more water to perform traditional functions. Without it, the process of losing weight is simply impossible.

For these reasons, a number of popular diets that are actively advertised in the media may be ineffective and potentially hazardous to health at this age. It is necessary to take into account the age-related specifics of metabolism in order to correctly understand how to lose excess weight with such characteristics, especially when it comes to losing weight at home.

Expert opinion

Evgeniy Kislitsa

Practicing surgeon. Certified massage master. Two-time vice-champion and heavyweight champion of regional kettlebell lifting competitions.

Many popular diets involve severe restriction of food consumption or adherence to a diet that includes one type of food - mono-diets. Such a diet can not only harm your health, but even after stopping the diet, it often leads to a return to your previous weight or an even greater gain of body fat. This is due to the physiological characteristics of the human body. The bottom line is that any fasting is stressful for the body. And after returning to the usual diet, the body struggles to gain fat in reserve. This is due to the fact that adipose tissue is a universal source of energy and nutrients for the body. The latter will be used in stressful situations, during fasting during fat breakdown reactions. The body tries in every possible way to prepare for a possible nutritional deficiency precisely by deposition of fat reserves. This mechanism is justified evolutionarily, since previously the threat of famine always hovered over humanity. However, today, when food has become more nutritious and accessible, this mechanism does many people more harm than good.

Be sure to check out:

How to lose weight after 60 years: proper nutrition, sports, good mood You can lose weight safely and without dieting even after 50 Nutrition for weight loss after 40 years: creating a tasty and healthy menu for the week Basics of proper nutrition for women after 60 years to maintain health and effective weight loss

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.

Where to start: advice from professionals

Be sure to read the opinions of experts in the field of nutrition and medicine. They advise where to start, how to take the first steps towards losing weight and what to avoid when losing weight at home.

M. Gavrilov, doctor, author of a method for correcting eating behavior, specialist at the Institute of Functional Medicine

Short-term weight loss is an irrational decision and a lot of stress for the body (even at a young age). Therefore, I do not recommend strict diets and heavy workouts to my patients - weight loss should begin slowly and gradually. This way, progress will be more stable.

O. Burkan, official nutritionist of the Swiss Tennis Federation, works with many famous athletes

To start losing weight, eat whatever you want - the timing of your meals is important. Of course, you should make a choice in favor of natural products and avoid canned and semi-finished products.

The main problem of obese people is pathological eating habits, which is why it is so important to maintain a stable diet to lose weight.

M. Koroleva, star nutritionist, Ph.D.

You should not starve - this is fraught with breakdowns and gaining extra pounds. The most rational way to lose weight after 40 years is a balanced diet: say goodbye to processed foods and focus on vegetables.

Little secret! After any meal, eat some grapefruit. However, you should not resort to the method if you have inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the active phase. A couple of slices of this citrus will significantly improve digestion.

Sample diet for seven days

An approximate diet menu for weight loss for a week could be as follows:

Day	Menu
Monday	Breakfast. Oatmeal with honey. Compote. Lunch. Broccoli. Dinner. Fish soup made from several varieties of fish. Salad. Afternoon snack. Skim cheese. Dinner. Fish with tomatoes.
Tuesday	Breakfast. 2 eggs per bag. Rye bread. Lunch. Fruit salad. Dinner. Chicken soup. Chinese cabbage salad with soy sauce. Afternoon snack. Yogurt without additives. Dinner. Steamed cutlet. Salad.
Wednesday	Breakfast. Millet. Boiled egg. Lunch. Apple. Dinner. Turkey baked with vegetables. Afternoon snack. A handful of nuts. Dinner. Beef. Avocado salad.
Thursday	Breakfast. Omelet with greens. Lunch. Pear. Dinner. Soup with any grain. Salad. Afternoon snack. Kefir. Dinner. Meatballs. Salad.
Friday	Breakfast. Buckwheat. Egg. Lunch. Dried fruits. Dinner. Pea soup. Salad. Afternoon snack. Hard cheese. Dinner. Vegetable casserole.
Saturday	Breakfast. Cottage cheese. Tea. Lunch. Fruits. Dinner. Boiled or stewed fish with vegetables. Afternoon snack. White boiled beans. Dinner. Veal. Sauerkraut.
Sunday	Breakfast. Natural yogurt. Bread. Lunch. Fruit jelly. Dinner. Boiled potatoes, a piece of meat. Afternoon snack. Raw vegetables. Dinner. Steak. Salad.

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.

Greek diet

Proper nutrition after 40 years for women can be based on the principles of the Greek diet. You can stick to it for any amount of time, which is why this technique is included in the list of the best.

The weight comes off gradually - 2 kg weekly.

Basic diet rules:

The size of one serving should not exceed 250 g, and for a snack - 100 g.
In total, there should be 3 main meals and 2 additional meals per day.
You need to drink at least 8 glasses of clean water per day.
Dinner should be no later than 3 hours before going to bed.
For breakfast, take the most high-calorie food, for dinner - light.

Sample menu

The Greek diet focuses on vegetables and fruits as they are rich in fiber and vitamins. There is practically no meat in the daily diet. Examples of menus based on the following principles:

Eating	Option 1	Option 2
Breakfast	pear – 1 pc.; orange – 1 pc.; apple – 1 pc.	a slice of toasted bread; a piece of feta cheese; a cup of coffee without sugar.
Snack	Natural yogurt – 1 tbsp.	Any fruit.
Dinner	stewed fish – 150 g; vegetable salad – 100 g.	chicken breast – 150 g; salad of bell peppers, herbs and red onions – 100 g.
Afternoon snack	low-fat cottage cheese – 150 g; coffee.	Natural yogurt with the addition of a spoonful of honey - 1 tbsp.
Dinner	Boiled vegetables – 200 g.	grilled fish – 150 g; vegetable salad – 100 g; green tea.

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:

Ways to lose weight at home

Balanced diet
Nutrition is the key to losing weight. If you are not ready to adhere to special diets, focus on the principles of a balanced diet:

limit consumption of fried and fatty foods. It is better to give preference to the “correct” form of cooking: boiling, baking, steaming or grilling without oil;
maintain a strict diet. Try to eat every 3 hours, then the metabolic process will be more stable throughout the day. However, for this it is necessary to reduce the volume of portions, preferably by half, and then gradually even more;
your usual portions should be small in size so as not to overload the gastrointestinal tract;
reduce the amount of sugar. No sacrifices and complete abstinence from sugar - this will increase the risk of a breakdown, just reduce the amount;

Important! “Sugars” include not only the usual refined sugar, but also sweet fruits and dried fruits (dates, bananas, figs, raisins, grapes), honey, jams, etc.

introduce foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates into your diet (whole cereals, beans, fish and poultry);
Monitor your daily water intake. You should drink regularly; this will not only speed up metabolic processes, but also prevent overeating. Drink at least 1.5-2 liters of water daily;
the new menu should include a large number of vegetables, grains and dairy products. Eat less red meat, opting for fish, legumes and seafood. However, in case of a number of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the consumption of fermented milk products may be contraindicated;
eat in moderation. Spend at least 20 minutes on each meal, without distracting your attention by watching TV, reading books, etc. Conscious eating helps you feel fuller faster;
The last meal should be approximately 3 hours before bedtime. Dinner should be kept as modest and light as possible so as not to overload the digestive system.

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Diets

Let's look at several diets that are considered the most effective at this age.

Fractional diet - helps optimize metabolic processes and absorption of nutrients in the body. Can be followed on an ongoing basis.

Indicative menu:

First breakfast: orange and low-fat kefir.
Second breakfast: whole oatmeal or corn flakes, some chopped fruit.
Lunch: broth with vegetables and a lean piece of meat/fish.
Afternoon snack: protein product (omelet, cottage cheese casserole).
Dinner: herbal tea and some dark chocolate.

Weekly diet

Monday	Morning: a handful of oatmeal with honey and dried fruits, 50 grams of whole grain bread with soft cheese. Lunch: baked fish with any side dish of vegetables (with the exception of potatoes). Dinner: chicken soup.
Tuesday	Breakfast: omelet with hard cheese and broccoli. Lunch: boiled brown rice and baked mushrooms. A cup of green tea and some oatmeal cookies are allowed. Dinner: boiled chicken fillet and optional vegetable side dish.
Wednesday	Breakfast: pancake with cottage cheese and 2 boiled eggs. Lunch: cream of mushroom soup. Dinner: grilled fish.
Thursday	Breakfast: rice porridge with milk, 10-20 grams of dark chocolate. Lunch: poultry fillet with boiled buckwheat and vegetable salad with olive oil. Dinner: Greek salad and baked potato.
Friday	Breakfast: whole grain bread, some cheese and ham, low-fat cottage cheese. Lunch: baked sea fish and vegetable side dish. Dinner: pasta and some hard cheese.
Saturday	Breakfast: 2 hard-boiled eggs and half a grapefruit. Lunch: boiled chicken, cucumber and tomato salad. Dinner: steamed meat cutlets.
Sunday	Breakfast: porridge with milk. Lunch: pea soup, baked zucchini. Dinner: fish cutlets, mashed potatoes.

Physical activity

Excess weight is considered one of the main prerequisites for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Physical activity helps to stay healthy and maintain optimal weight after 40 years.

Power training . From about the age of 30, the muscles in the human body begin to gradually weaken. Regular exercise on weight machines helps maintain muscle corset and promotes gradual fat burning.

Expert opinion

Evgeniy Kislitsa

Practicing surgeon. Certified massage master. Two-time vice-champion and heavyweight champion of regional kettlebell lifting competitions.

Proper strength training involves strengthening muscles, not over-injuring them. To ensure maximum benefit from your workouts, you must do a warm-up. It will prepare not only the muscles for subsequent physical activity, but will also tone the nervous and endocrine systems and tune into the training regimen. After the training, it is recommended to perform a set of exercises to stretch the muscles and tendons. This will allow you to relax your muscles and recover faster after training. This set of exercises is known as a cool-down. You should not work with weights for wear or take too much weight. This approach will quickly lead to injury. Weight should be increased gradually. The body itself will “notify” of the need to increase weight: working with the same weights will be much easier.

Cardio loads . The American Institute of Sports Medicine advises women of any age to do about 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity cardio (brisk walking, cycling, etc.).

Stretching . Women over 40 years old should pay attention to their own flexibility and stretching. Decreased flexibility provokes joint problems and leads to various injuries. Proper stretching ideally warms up and prepares the body for subsequent physical activity.

Dream

Quality rest directly affects the process of losing weight. The reason for this relationship is quite simple: lack of sleep provokes the synthesis of the hormone leptin, which affects the feeling of hunger. Hormonal imbalance contributes to regular overeating and gaining extra pounds. It is recommended to sleep not a strict amount of time, but as much as is enough to restore the body: for some, 5-6 hours is enough, and for others, 10 is not enough.

Interesting! It is recommended to go to bed and wake up at the same time so as not to disrupt metabolic processes in the body. A stable change of work and rest makes it easier to lose excess weight.

Vitamins, minerals, complexes

After the age of 40, the female body experiences a pronounced lack of vitamins and microelements, so it is advisable to take multivitamin complexes. Regular intake of vitamin and mineral complexes in the required quantities allows you to normalize metabolism, prevent excessive tissue damage during physical activity, speed up the recovery of the body, and prolong youth.

Activelife Megamax

A complex of vitamins and energy supplements for women over 40 years old. Eliminates the lack of vitamins A, B, C, E, gives vigor and energy, improves metabolic processes and strengthens the nervous system.

Alphabet

Characterized by a competent combination of vitamins and minerals. First tablet: supports heart and vascular health. Second tablet: guarantees antioxidant protection for all internal organs. Third tablet: supports vision and proper hormone balance.

Important! Antioxidants prevent excessive formation of peroxides in tissues and their damage by these compounds. Excessive activity of peroxides is one of the reasons for the appearance of malignant neoplasms. Therefore, maintaining an optimal level of antioxidants allows not only to prolong the youth of the body, but also to ensure its protection against tumors.

Complivit 45 plus

The complex contains all the necessary multivitamins for the female body after 40 years, selenium, magnesium and other trace elements. The product is able to maintain a healthy metabolism and prevent the problem of excess weight, slow down the natural aging process.

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Authorized Products

The meat is lean. Beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit and other game are allowed. Pork is not allowed, since the meat itself, even low-fat, is quite high in calories.
Fish. Also non-greasy. These are mainly white fish (pollock, hake, perch, flounder, cod), but there are several types of red fish (salmon).
"Milk." It is a mistake to choose low-fat foods. They are “empty”: there is no benefit in them, they saturate for a short time. Optimal fat content is up to 5%. This includes cottage cheese, milk, yoghurts, and any other fermented milk products. You will have to give up sour cream, but you can replace it with natural yogurt. Low fat cheese (15-30%) is allowed in small slices (no more than 20-30 g at a time).
Cereals. You can use both familiar and exotic for our country: various types of rice, amaranth. Bulgur and couscous are already actively being bought up by housewives and have ceased to surprise.
Vegetables. Greens are possible with almost no restrictions. Tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and corn are also allowed. This also includes greens.
Fruits/berries. You should be careful with them. Many contain large amounts of sugars. Citrus fruits are healthy and acceptable, and besides them: kiwi, pears, apples. From berries: gifts from gardens and forests (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.).
Legumes are essential, but should be consumed in small quantities and not often. Peas, beans, beans, lentils, chickpeas contain a lot of starch, but protein is present.
Dried fruits and nuts. They can also be included in the diet; they are very good for snacking. But dried fruits are high in carbohydrates and nuts are rich in fat, so consuming small amounts is recommended.
Oils. The body needs them, so don’t be afraid of them and exclude them from the menu. Olive and flaxseed are preferred.
Read also: How many calories are in kefir 1, 2, 2.5 and 3.2% fat per 100 g

Diverse. There are many products, despite the restrictions. A logical question: what size should a portion be to lose weight? To lose weight, you need to count calories and take into account BZHU (KBZHU). Otherwise, you can gain weight with approved foods, following the rules. The calculation of KBZHU is individual and depends on age, height, and lifestyle.

It is easy to find calculators on the Internet that will show all the necessary numbers. You will need to fill in your details. The average for a woman over 40 with low mobility is 1800 kcal/day. Average protein/fat/carbohydrate ratio: 40/30/30. There should be more proteins.

It is not difficult to calculate all these proportions and count calories. There are many programs and applications for smartphones in which products and their weight are entered, and the system automatically calculates and displays the result. The popular FatSecret application, for example. First, you will have to spend some time putting this “mosaic” together, trying to achieve the required indicators. But after a few days, even with little experience, you will be able to quickly come up with a menu. You need to weigh each portion, but it doesn’t take much time.

Look at the same topic: Rules for the pea diet and effectiveness

The proper nutrition system is suitable for the whole family: a diet for women over 40 with a sedentary lifestyle, men, the elderly, and children. You don't have to cook and eat separately. It's comfortable. The rules apply to everyone. The only difference: household members do not need to count KBZHU.

This system can be called the best weight loss diet for women over 40, since it does not require expensive special products, is varied, satisfying and effective. But there are other options.

Sample menu for effective weight loss

Women can make their own menu, taking into account all the recommendations of nutritionists . You can fast for no more than 2 weeks. If you need to quickly remove 1 extra kg, you can use fasting days. Nutritionists have developed an approximate menu for women aged 40 and over, which is suitable for effective weight loss.

1 day:

Have breakfast with cottage cheese and prunes and drink a glass of carrot juice.
For lunch - fresh cabbage soup on chicken breast, a few slices of rye bread.
Eat fruit yoghurt in the afternoon.
They eat rice porridge and baked or boiled capelin for dinner.

Day 2:

Breakfast is mashed potatoes with fresh cucumber.
For lunch - borscht, boiled chicken breast.
For an afternoon snack you can eat 2 bananas.
For dinner, make cabbage salad with fresh cucumbers. You can add lemon juice or a little olive oil.

Day 3:

Have breakfast with a boiled egg with vinaigrette.
They dine with vegetable stew and baked mackerel.
For an afternoon snack, you can eat marshmallows with tea without sugar.
For dinner, cook oatmeal and drink orange juice.

Day 4:

Have breakfast with cottage cheese with the addition of figs.
For lunch - vegetable soup, boiled fish.
You are allowed to eat yogurt for an afternoon snack.
Dinner is baked vegetables and compote.

Day 5:

Breakfast is a steamed omelette.
For lunch, make pea soup with veal. Eat 100 g of stewed vegetables.
You can eat nuts for an afternoon snack.
Dinner is a salad of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers with a slice of rye bread.

Day 6:

They have breakfast with semolina porridge with added fruit.
For lunch - fish soup, vegetable stew.
You are allowed to eat 2 oranges for an afternoon snack.
Have dinner with yogurt and 2 apples.

Day 7:

For breakfast, drink pineapple juice and eat 2 pieces of toast with cheese.
They dine with chicken broth, boiled fish and fresh vegetables.
For an afternoon snack, eat 2 oatmeal cookies and drink a cup of tea without sugar.
For dinner, eat cottage cheese with the addition of dried apricots.

Quitting the diet

Today is the end of the diet, and then what? If you immediately return to the previous way of eating, then everything lost will return. Dietitians recommend quitting the diet. Carefully introduce foods and dishes that are high in calories into your diet. In small portions. You can start consuming oils half a week after finishing the diet. Porridge can be cooked in milk.

In the second week, add fatty dairy products: sour cream, cheese. Continue to drink plenty of water. And try to remove fatty and sweet foods as much as possible.

At the age of 40, it is necessary to reconsider your diet and eating habits.

Diets

Nutrition is a very important step on the path to an ideal figure. Let's look at examples of several diets that will help you create the right diet yourself in the future.

Fractional diet

Such a diet will help to establish metabolic processes in the body and increase the metabolic rate. You can eat food in this mode for a long time.

First breakfast: citrus and low-fat fermented milk product;
Second breakfast: oatmeal with low-calorie fruits;
Lunch: broth from lean fish and meat with the addition of vegetables;
Afternoon snack: any product that contains protein;
Dinner: green tea with a small piece of dark chocolate.

The benefits and harms of cottage cheese with sour cream for women

Cottage cheese is a lactic acid product with a high content of complete animal protein. This product is useful for the female body in that its proteins are easily broken down by enzymes and are almost completely absorbed by the body.

Cottage cheese with sour cream supplies the female body with energy. This mixture perfectly replaces fatty meats and does not cause heaviness in the stomach. Due to the high content of B vitamins, such a snack helps with the functioning of the central nervous system and keeps nails, hair, teeth, and skin healthy.

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Regular consumption of cottage cheese with sour cream is beneficial for the female body in that it protects it from the development of atherosclerosis. The mixture of these products has a mild diuretic and laxative effect.

Women who are underweight may benefit from consuming fattier types of these foods. For those representatives of the fair sex who adhere to a low-calorie diet, low-fat varieties of cottage cheese with sour cream, the fat content of which is no more than 10 - 15%, are more useful.

Cottage cheese with sour cream is harmful for women with intolerance to dairy products.