At any age, consuming fewer calories than you burn will result in weight loss. However, effective diets for 40-year-olds take into account their specific caloric needs, nutritional requirements and fitness goals. Your diet plan should allow enough flexibility to accommodate traveling for work, sharing food with your family and dining out. If you have medical concerns, speak with your doctor before implementing a diet and exercise plan for weight loss.
Total Caloric Intake
A diet that worked for you when you were 19 years old may not work for you when you are 40 years old. As you age, your metabolism slows down. You need fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight. A sedentary 40-year-old woman of average stature requires 1,800 daily calories to maintain her weight. A woman who exercises moderately, like walking 3 miles in one hour daily, needs 2,000 calories per day for weight maintenance. Women who exercise more vigorously or longer can consume 2,200 calories to maintain their weight. Men of the same age and with an average stature require between 2,200 to 3,000 calorie daily depending upon their activity levels.
Gradual Weight Loss
Avoid fad diets and crash diets that have you losing weight rapidly. The best diets for 40-year-old people have balanced nutrition but fewer total calories. If you trim 3,500 calories from your total weekly intake, you will lose up to 5 lb. per month. This slower and more practical approach to weight loss supports your making healthy lifestyle changes, like eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, that you can continue beyond your 40s. Some quick dietary changes you can make to cut around 500 daily calories include switching from sweetened refined grain products to unsweetened whole grains, eating fresh berries for dessert and drinking plain water instead of soft drinks.
Cholesterol Levels
Stay attentive to your cholesterol levels when planning a nutritional diet to lose weight. A balanced diet for 40-year-olds contains ample fiber and healthy sources of fat, both of which lower harmful cholesterol levels, support healthy cholesterol levels and help you avoid taking cholesterol medication. Eat sources of soluble fiber, such as unsweetened oatmeal made with nonfat milk or water and topped with berries, apples, pears or prunes. Consuming fatty fish containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and halibut, reduces your blood pressure. Bake, grill or steam fish to keep the preparation light and nutritious. Garnish salads and soups with unseasoned nuts to lower harmful cholesterol.
Strength Training
As you age, you gradually lose muscle mass. Women over age 40 also are particularly prone to losing bone density. Improve overall strength and endurance by including resistance training and stretching in your diet plan. Lift hand weights while walking briskly to add an upper-body workout. Try exercises that combine aerobic activity with muscle building, such as doing yoga sun salutations or calisthenics such as abdominal crunches, pushups and squats. Your body burns more calories to support dense muscle mass, so you will raise your resting metabolism when you have more muscle.
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