Weight gain after the age of 40 isn't necessarily inevitable and, in fact, ignoring middle-age spread can lead to serious health consequences. According to the Mayo Clinic, these include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and adult-onset diabetes. Your body does change after the age of 40 and metabolism gradually slows, however, significant weight gain can be caused by a more sedentary lifestyle or less healthy eating habits. Taking fundamental steps in becoming more active and eating a higher-quality diet can help you reduce your weight and maintain a healthier weight as you age.
Eat Fewer Calories
Calories are the fuel your body uses as energy. After the age of 40, you may be less active or simply too busy to be as active as you'd like. As a result, the excess calories you consume, above and beyond the amount you need to stay at a healthy weight, are stored as fat. After age 40, excess fat tends to be stored around the abdominal area and is associated with an increased risk of preventable diseases like diabetes. According to FamilyDoctor, cutting back on the number of calories you eat by 250 to 500 calories can help you lose weight. Read nutritional labels for caloric counts and ask your doctor what recommended daily amounts of calories are right for you.
Become More Physically Active
Exercise creates an increased demand for fuel and helps your body burn excess stored fat off, causing you to lose weight. Additionally, according to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity helps to improve your mood and can help prevent the onset of chronic diseases associated with age. If you haven't been physically active in a long time, have a complete physical checkup by your doctor and begin with light activities such as brisk walking. As you become more physically fit, you can increase the pace or resistance by using an incline such as a hill.
Increase Your Intake of Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber is important at any age, but it is especially important after the age of 40, when preventable illnesses such as diabetes can develop. According to the University of Maryland, fiber also helps decrease obesity by slowing the digestion of foods, helping you feel fuller for longer so that you eat fewer calories. Increasing fiber in your diet also forces you to improve the quality of the foods you eat. Fiber is found naturally in healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which you can use to gradually replace foods in your diet that don't provide fiber.
Reduce Your Consumption of Fat and Sugar
Highly processed foods such as fast food and prepackaged convenience foods often contain significant amounts of fat and sugar. Your body requires a certain amount of fat to function, however, you don't require the large amount found in these foods, which is generally saturated, unhealthy fat. The University of Maryland instead suggests that you focus on foods like lean meat, white-meat skinless poultry, low-fat dairy products, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes. These foods should be the focus of your eating habits, instead of you relying on foods that can cause you to gain weight due to excess fat and sugar.
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