Healthy Foods to Keep Your Weight in Check After 40

I'm still a little jet lagged and working on some fun posts from our trip from last week. Today we're talking talking healthy foods to keep your weight in check after 40. After my 'poor me' downhill to 40 birthday article on the difficulty it is to loose weight, today I'm having a guest share some great tips on keepin your weight in check after 40.

You don’t have to sacrifice flavor for weight loss after 40. In fact, this is the best time of your life. Sure, you’ve gained a few years and pounds, but you’ve also gained a self-confidence you could never feel in your twenties and thirties. As long you keep active and eat right, you’ll be fine for decades to come. In fact, you may never feel or look better. Here are some tips to make turning 40 and above fabulous instead of harrowing. If you follow them, you’ll never have to let age milestones get you down.

Exercise

As you age, your body and its metabolism changes, so you must adjust your exercise routine to account for those changes. Instead of attending spin class three times a week or going for a daily run, you’ll need to add weight training to your workout. This prevents the muscle loss associated with aging, and it helps keeps your blood circulating and your skin taut. Two days of weights and three days of cardio is a good start. Make certain you don’t overdo it but push yourself all the same. Building muscle also builds bone strength.

Snack on Raspberries

You’ve heard about blueberries being a super food but did you also know you should eat raspberries? Many women over 40 suddenly find themselves in a world of gut trouble, including inflammation and constipation. Raspberries are extremely high in fiber, which help aid digestion and elimination. Toss them in with blueberries, almonds, and some dark chocolate chips for an antioxidant snack filled with protein and fiber, two crucial elements to an over-40 diet. Just don’t go overboard with artificial or even natural sugars.

Add Lentils to Soups and Stews

Lentils are another protein/fiber champ and they can be added to just about anything. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you rely on lentils and other legumes for a healthy protein source. If you believe Nina Teicholz is right and meat and dairy should remain part of a healthy diet, you can add lentils to your soups and stews. You can even mash them and make beef/lentil hamburgers for added fiber. There is no limitation except your imagination when it comes to cooking with lentils.

Learn more about sprouted lentils here

Get Plenty of Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Cancer is another common concern for those 40 and over, and pumpkin can help you fight against it. Author Nina Teicholz might not discuss pumpkin in her diet approach, but this fiber-rich squash is filled with plenty of fiber – are you noticing a theme here – and carotenoids. Both, but carotenoids in particular fight cancer, and if you are prone to it through your genetics, it’s time to add some pumpkin to your diet. Add fresh pumpkin and carrots to your salads. You’ll love them!

Cooked, Not Fresh Tomatoes

Finally, you might love raw tomatoes in your salads, too, but they are healthier for you if they are cooked. You didn’t see that one coming, did you. Tomatoes are high in the antioxidant lycopene, which is also a potent fighter against cancer. When the tomatoes are cooked, your body absorbs more lycopene than it does from raw tomatoes, so dig into that spaghetti, chili, pizza, and other foods that use cooked tomatoes in them. Just keep the recipes as healthy as possible.

You can enter into the next phase of your life with your health, fitness, and happiness intact. In fact, the best way to beat aging on the outside is to keep yourself healthy on the inside. Understand how your body is changing and how your diet and exercise can help with those changes. Then, develop a routine and stick to it. The better you eat and the more you take care of yourself, the less you will feel the effects of aging into your fifties, sixties, and beyond.