The Best Ways To Gain Muscle And Lose Weight For Women In Their Forties

Those extra pounds can creep up on you during your 40s before you know it. Several factors coincide around this age that make weight gain more likely. For instance, people tend to become less active and lose muscle mass as they get older. Also, hormonal changes begin to take place that encourage fat storage as you approach menopause. The good news is that you have several options to keep fat away.

Strength Train Three Days a Week

Less muscle means that your metabolism will become slower, which makes it more difficult to lose weight and keep it off. When muscle mass drops, you're also more likely to experience the dreaded middle-aged spread that can begin in your 40s. An effective muscle-building plan is a three-day routine that includes training, taking a day off, training, taking a day off and training, followed by two days off, according to John Little, author of "Beginning Bodybuilding." It's essential that you give your muscles time to repair and grow. Start with a weight that you can manage through two sets of 8 to 12 reps to the point of muscle fatigue. Once a second set is an easy challenge, move on to a heavier weight you can lift for 8 to 12 reps.

Take the Stairs

Stair-climbing is a quick, effective way to slim and tone your thighs and buttocks --- which are key problem areas for women, especially as they get older. It's both a cardiovascular and strength-training exercise, as you're working against gravity as you climb. Furthermore, its benefits aren't limited to losing weight and gaining muscle; it also helps to strengthen bones in your hips more than walking on level ground.

Boost Your Calcium Intake

Normally, getting this advice in your 40s would pertain more to reducing your risk of osteoporosis. However, research shows that perimenopausal women with a high calcium intake tend to have lower body mass indexes, according to the editors of "Fit Not Fat at 40 Plus." Calcium may increase parathyroid hormone and vitamin D levels, thereby causing fat cells to burn fat instead of storing it. In a study published in the "Journal of the American Board of Family Practice" in 2005, researchers point out that calcium also binds more fatty acids in the colon, which reduces fat absorption in your body. The Office of Dietary Supplements recommends that women in their 40s get 1,000 mg of calcium daily. Good sources include low-fat dairy products, green leafy vegetables, tofu, and fish with small bones, such as sardines and salmon.

Get Your 40 Winks

In your 40s, you're more likely to suffer from sleep problems than when you were younger, according to a study published in the journal "Obstetrics & Gynecology" in September 2001. A good night's sleep provides a whole host of weight-loss benefits. It helps to ward off fatigue that might prevent you from keeping up with a regular exercise program. Sleep is also necessary to regulate hormones that affect your appetite such as ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone, and leptin, which suppresses your appetite, according to Harvard Health Publications.