What do you need to lose weight in your 40s? -Simple introduction of diet methods and menus-

Why is it difficult for people in their 40s to lose weight?

One of the factors that makes it difficult to lose weight with age is a decrease in basal metabolic rate (*).

(*) Basal metabolism is the minimum energy required to regulate body temperature, breathe, and move the heart.

In general, basal metabolism declines with age . The main reason for this is loss of muscle mass .

The reason why muscle mass decreases with age is that the function of synthesizing protein, which is the main raw material of muscle, decreases year by year .

In addition, various factors such as a decrease in the amount of activity are combined, and the daily energy consumption also decreases .

For reference, looking at the standard values ​​of basal metabolic rate by age group for Japanese people, for example, in the case of a man weighing 70 kg, it is 1680 kcal in his 20s and 1560 kcal in his 40s, and there is a difference of about 80 kcal in one day.

Weight fluctuates depending on the difference between energy intake and consumption. And energy consumption is roughly composed of basal metabolism (60%), activity (30%), and diet-induced heat production (10%) (*), so it can be said that the difference of 80 kcal is very large. is.

(*) What is diet-induced heat production? By increasing the amount of metabolism by diet, some of the decomposed nutrients become heat and the energy consumed increases.

In other words , basal metabolism declines unknowingly due to aging, and energy intake decreases, which is one of the major factors that make us feel that it is harder to lose weight than when we were young .

How to make a successful diet in your 40s

There are two secrets to a successful diet from the 40s.

It is “to make a diet that matches the current energy consumption” and “to raise basal metabolism” .

How to eat snacks is important for meals

Just like when I was young, if I continue to eat what I like at the right time, I tend to gain weight without realizing it.

Therefore, it is necessary to understand that metabolism is down and change to the way of eating that suits your body .

That said, reducing your diet can lead to a lack of nutrients your body needs. So the point to review is snacking .

In general, it is ideal to have a snack of 200 kcal or less per day, but when considering a diet, it is better to check the nutritional notation and reduce it as much as possible .

In addition, to supplement the protein that tends to be deficient in the diet

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Dairy products such as protein bars and yogurt

If you can actively choose such things, it is also effective for dieting as a support for increasing muscle mass.

Surprisingly , nuts such as almonds and walnuts also contain protein, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of them.

Let’s adjust our lifestyle

When it comes to dieting, people tend to focus on diet and exercise, but surprisingly important is lifestyle. In particular, it is known that sleep and obesity are closely related .

Growth hormone (*) is secreted during sleep, and this growth hormone activates the metabolism of cells throughout the body.

(*) Growth hormone, as the name implies, is a hormone necessary for growth and has the effect of stretching the back as a child and the effect of strengthening muscles and bones in adults.

In other words, if growth hormone is not sufficiently secreted, “metabolism will not be performed well” = “basal metabolism will decrease”, and the body will become fat easily .

For a healthy sleep, it may be a good idea to review the environment surrounding sleep such as pillows and futons.

In addition, also the basal metabolism is reduced by the autonomic nervous system is disturbed by irregular life and stress you.

Therefore, after you are in your 40s , it is very important to work with the consciousness of “diet = to acquire proper lifestyle and increase metabolism” .

It is also necessary to build muscle for a diet in the 40s

As I mentioned earlier, the reason why it becomes difficult to lose weight with age is that basal metabolism is reduced.

And basal metabolism is affected by muscle mass, and the more muscle mass, the higher the basal metabolism.

It is essential not to lose muscle mass in order to make the body lean and hard to gain weight .

Can I lose weight without exercise?

You can lose weight without exercising . But when we eat less and lose weight, our bodies break down muscles to produce energy.

As a result, your muscles will fall and your basal metabolism will be low. As I mentioned earlier, basal metabolism accounts for the majority of energy consumption, so even if you live the same life as before, you will easily get fat .

Is there a recommended method if you are not good at exercising?

Some people are not good at exercising, even if they understand the need to build muscle. Even if you suddenly do your best and start muscle training and walking, it may not continue …

Such a person first, yoga and stretching why not start from?

It’s okay if you can take the first step without difficulty.Yoga and stretching improve blood circulation, so it is also effective for improving metabolism .

In particular, yoga has a relaxing effect, which leads to a good night’s sleep.

As you get used to exercising every day, gradually increase your load by starting muscle training and walking.

Introducing the best meal menu for dieting in your 40s

If you are busy every day, you tend to have many easy-to-eat single-item menus such as rice balls, bread, and noodles. However, these foods tend to be sugar-based and are not recommended.

When dieting, it is important to always combine vegetables that tend to be in short supply with meat and seafood .

Here, I will introduce a menu that is easy to eat but has a lot of ingredients and is perfect for dieting with recipes.

In the recipe, the amount of rice is 100g (about 170kcal) per person, so you can reduce the total calories.

Menu example: Chicken cheese pilaf and soup

If you choose commercially available wakame seaweed soup or vegetable soup, you can supplement more minerals and vitamins, which helps to condition your body during dieting.

~ Recipe introduction ~
[Chicken cheese pilaf]

 

[How to make]
(1) Cut chicken into 2 cm squares and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
(2) Cut asparagus into 1 cm pieces, and cut paprika and celery into 1 cm squares.
(3) Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken until the color changes. Add the chopped vegetables and fry quickly.
(4) Add rice and stir-fry while loosening, and add grated cheese, salt and pepper to adjust the taste. Put parsley on the finish.

The combination of chicken and cheese may seem thick at first glance, but it is well seasoned and has low calories, so please try it!

Do supplements and Chinese herbs have immediate effects?

Supplements and Chinese herbs are effective! You often see the information.

Certainly, some Chinese herbs improve coldness (*), so you can expect the effect of increasing metabolism .

(*) When the body gets cold, the blood flow becomes poor, which leads to a factor that lowers metabolism.

However, keep in mind that supplements and herbal medicines play an auxiliary role . You may get the effect while taking supplements or Chinese herbs, but if you stop, the effect will disappear.

Even though the diet remains disordered, it is easy to fall into the perception that “I am healthy because I am taking supplements.”

The basic idea is to adjust your lifestyle and diet, and then take it according to the nutrients that are inevitably deficient and the symptoms that do not improve .

It’s full of fascinating information, but be careful not to jump easily.

summary

The reason why I feel that it has become difficult to lose weight since I was in my 40s is because my basal metabolism is decreasing . A decrease in basal metabolism is mainly caused by a decrease in muscle mass .

The secret to the success of the diet from the 40’s are two of the “be a meal that matches the energy consumption of now,” “increase the basal metabolism,” I think I was able to understand also you it is.

The key to eating is how to eat snacks. Incorporate protein bars, dairy products, nuts and more.

In addition, it is effective to adjust your lifestyle to raise your basal metabolism. The more muscle you have, the higher your basal metabolism, and the easier it is to lose weight and the less you gain weight, so be sure to actively incorporate exercise .

When you’re busy, your diet tends to be sugar-biased, so don’t forget to add vegetables and protein .

Supplements and Chinese herbs should be used as supplements after adjusting lifestyle and diet.

Last but not least, I hope that you will refer to this article for a healthy diet and get closer to your ideal body shape.