You have been eating all the right veggies, working out just as you used to and even making sure that you avoid those cheat days, yet there seems to be no weight loss now that you have hit your 40 mark. What’s worse, the scale seem to be going up instead of down! What can possibly be the reason? And what can you do to make sure that you stay fit and healthy? Do you need to adapt different diet rules after 40?
The thing is diet and exercise rules that worked in your earlier years aren’t going to be as effective now. Your metabolic system continues to slow down every year and it becomes more difficult to shed off pounds like you used to before. Of course, this doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do about it. Ditch the following 4 diet rules and incorporate replacements for effective weight maintenance or weight loss.
1. Skipping a Meal Won’t Really Work
Yes, we all do this regularly but things change after 40. Your body is slow to digest food. This means that if you skip a meal, your metabolic rate slows down and only adds to weight. In simple words, skipping meals is only going to cause weight gain, not the weight loss you seek!
2. Mindful Eating Is Not Always Important
You can’t always eat mindfully, and this is perfectly okay in your 40’s. If you are too busy and don’t have the time to cook a proper nutritious meal, you can grab some low calorie snacks like low-fat yogurt, a granola bar, a handful of dried fruits, or even some whole grain cereals. Just try not to make it a routine habit; as your body still needs all the nutrients that it did before!
3. Work Harder To Stay Fit
There was a time when you could work off that extra muffin, but now it won’t be easy due to your slow metabolism. You will need to work out for 30 minutes straight or walk for an hour in order to burn an average of 250 calories. This is probably the most difficult of all diet rules.
4. White Foods? Yes You Can!
The rule of thumb in your 20’s and 30’s was to stay away from all white foods because they contain extra carbs that may increase weight gain. Research shows that while this is a relatively accurate fact, some white foods are actually good for you in your 40’s. This includes popcorn, which are an excellent snack option and white potatoes, which provide complex carbs and fiber. White foods help in managing weight and control blood sugar levels. Of course, you will need to still be careful about how much pasta, flour or white rice you consume, because these things are still going to cause gain weight.
