How to achieve a slim figure at the age of 45+ and maintain your weight at normal levels

Why do women gain weight after 45?

The problem of excess weight worries women of any age. As they grow older, their body undergoes many different changes: the beginning of the menstrual cycle, preparation for the birth of children, becoming a mother. During these periods, a lot of physiological stress and hormonal jumps occur, the body changes and not always for the better. With the onset of menopause after 45 years, a woman’s body adjusts to a different life cycle associated with the cessation of the reproductive system.

Changes in hormonal levels

How to lose weight after 45 years for a woman if the menopause period is due to changes in metabolism. This is a kind of transitional age, therefore it is also an age-related psychological crisis, accompanied by a depressive state. The surest sign of a change in hormonal levels is a strong accumulation of fat mass, which appears in characteristic places for the female body: back, sides, abdomen, thighs. The activity of sex hormones has a direct impact on the rate of fat burning and metabolism. What hormones are involved in hormonal imbalance:

1. Estrogen. After 45 years, it quickly decreases, after which ovulation stops in the ovaries. A woman’s body, trying to compensate for this deficiency, begins to accumulate adipose tissue, which contains aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgens into estrogens.
2. Progesterone. Produced during pregnancy. Since a woman’s reproductive function fades after 45, the amount of this hormone also decreases. This process responds with painful “hot flashes”, rapid accumulation of fluid and fat.
3. Androgens. These are male sex hormones found in a woman's body. With a decrease in progesterone and estrogen, androgens begin to predominate, which provokes an increase in fat on the hips and abdomen.

Decreased physical activity

In addition to hormonal imbalance, a decrease in physical activity is of great importance for the problem of excess weight. How can a woman lose weight after 45 with the help of sports? Without regular physical exercise, the body becomes flabby, muscles become weak, and joints lose strength. Physical inactivity reduces your metabolic rate, which leads to rapid weight gain. Physical activity goals after 45 years:

• activation of metabolic processes;
• reduction of fat cell deposition;
• weight control;
• slowing down aging;
• normalization of digestive system processes;
• prevention of oncology.

Do you need to lose weight?

There are not so many people who want to lose weight during menopause - women are not sure whether it is possible to lose weight during menopause. After all, changes in hormones are irreparable, former youth will not return, and many women pay less attention to their appearance over the years. So if fat to some extent compensates for the lack of the hormone, maybe let it remain? This is a strong misconception.

Losing weight should not be sudden or aggressive, otherwise there will be no effect.

During menopause, as in any other period of life, you need to take care of your attractiveness and health. If you don’t want to take care of your appearance, you should take care of maintaining your health.

After all, excess weight is also an additional load on bones and joints, and they already experience a lack of calcium due to age. Fat also accumulates on the walls of blood vessels, and this directly harms the cardiovascular system and the brain. With increased levels of cholesterol in the blood, frequent attacks of hot flashes, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath are possible.

Most of the fair half of humanity can gain weight even before menopause. Upon reaching the age of 40, a woman’s body begins to prepare for hormonal changes.

Then the first symptoms appear, which indicate the imminent arrival of menopause. It happens that this phase begins at the age of 55 - it all depends on the individuality of the body.

Ladies who have already learned what excess weight is during menopause should first consult a specialist to solve this problem.

The ketogenic diet should not be strict, since hormonal levels are low, and such a diet will not work during menopause. With its help, older ladies do not lose weight, but only aggravate existing diseases after just a few days of such a diet. In this phase of life's journey, a weight loss diet should work slowly but surely.

How to get slim for a woman over 45

Some women gain weight during menopause, while others have a genetic tendency to become overweight. It is possible to lose weight, regardless of age and social status, if you follow some rules:

1. You can't go hungry. The kilograms lost by a strict diet come back very quickly. This process of losing weight has a detrimental effect on the physical and psychological state of a woman.
2. Less sweet and starchy foods. Baking is a favorite among foods that promote weight gain.
3. More iron and calcium. As a woman ages, her bones become brittle and iron is lost, so you need to consume dairy products. It is advisable to take additional vitamins.
4. Less salt. It retains fluid in the body, and this causes excess weight.
5. Regular visits to doctors. To control the process of losing weight and monitor the state of health, a woman should visit a therapist, gynecologist, mammologist, or cardiologist once every six months.

Calculation of daily calorie intake for weight loss

According to nutritionists, who answer the question of how to lose weight at 45 years old for a woman, in order to lose weight, it is necessary to reduce food consumption, but so that the daily calorie content does not drop below 1500 kcal. Otherwise, it’s easy to develop a variety of chronic diseases. The average daily calorie intake for a woman is 2000 - 2500 kcal. However, each organism is individual and has its own characteristics. For a more effective result, daily caloric intake is calculated using the formula: 10 x weight + 6.25 x height (in cm) – 4.92 x age – 161.

Compliance with drinking regime

Water activates metabolic processes. It should be noted right away: juices, kefir and soups require digestion, therefore they are considered food. They do not need to be included in the total drinking volume. Free liquid is drinking water, green and herbal teas (without adding milk, sugar, honey). Coffee is a diuretic, so for every cup you drink, add one glass of water. The required drinking regime depends on the individual needs of the woman. The average amount of water is calculated using the formula: per 1 kg of body weight 30-40 ml/day.

Physical exercise

How can a 45-year-old woman lose weight through physical activity? Regular (2-3 times a week) training helps to “wake up” sleeping muscles (there may be 70% of them). Since awake muscle fibers require nutrition, the body is forced to launch metabolic processes to serve them. An hour and a half strength training will increase your metabolism by 10%, which will then last for another five hours. This will help a woman lose weight faster. Strength training will also improve peristalsis and support the heart muscle.

Hand care after 40

To maintain the overall impression, in addition to nails, you should take care of the skin of your hands, wash only with water at room temperature (hot water dries out the skin), wear gloves, cuticle oil, moisturizing and nourishing cream should be included in your cosmetic bag.

Paraffin therapy

Regenerate aging and dry skin of the hands, elbows, feet, and knees using paraffin therapy. The procedure usually takes place in a beauty salon, but with the acquisition of special equipment and minimal experience, it can be done at home. A simple and quick procedure that can completely transform, moisturize, soften the skin in just 1 application; it also saturates it with nutrients. In addition, improving the appearance of your hands has a beneficial effect on your emotional state.

Plastic wrap

To care for the skin of hands suffering from temperature changes, a method such as plastic wrap is also used. It helps open pores and activate blood circulation. The advantage of this protective procedure is the fact that it is not difficult to do it yourself at home.

Nourishing cream is applied to the hands (the layer should be thick), then plastic gloves or bags are put on top for 15 minutes. Then, to keep warm, you need to wrap your hands in terry towels.

Biogloves

In case of serious problems with the skin of the hands, it is advisable to use biogloves. One of their recipes: a quarter glass of water, fifteen grams of starch, 2 gr. boric acid and edible gelatin. This composition should gradually dry on the skin of your hands. If your hands are red, apply a layer of grated potatoes under cling film. If your skin is excessively dry, read the recommendations: how to care for the skin of your hands when there is dryness and microcracks. Regular prevention of destructive processes on the skin of the hands is of great, if not decisive, importance.

• Recommended on the topic: Mistakes in hand care that make your manicure not look well-groomed.
• How to remove age spots on hands.
• Say no: a manicure that is not recommended for women over 40.

Diet after 45 years for a woman to lose weight

When choosing low-calorie foods, a woman needs to take into account their processing speed. For example, chocolate is quickly burned, so your appetite soon returns, forcing you to reach for a new portion. If you eat the same amount of white meat, vegetables or porridge, they will saturate the body for a long time. For this reason, the first principle of a woman’s diet after 45 years is to consume energy-rich foods that are healthy. Other nutritionist tips:

• It is advisable to take food in small portions;
• you can’t overeat;
• It is better to suppress your appetite between meals with dried fruits, fruits, vegetables, and nuts;
• you should not eat 3 hours before bedtime;
• You can’t suddenly change your diet - you need to give up your usual diet gradually.

Diet menu for weight loss after 45 years

So, how can a woman lose weight at 45 years old with the help of nutritional correction? It is advisable to avoid fatty meats. The ideal choice would be rabbit, chicken, turkey, veal. Eggs should not be included in the menu more than 2 times a week. The use of industrial sauces is not allowed, and you can eat 10 grams of butter per day. Legumes will help a woman lose weight: chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas. For a side dish, it is better to cook buckwheat, oatmeal, wheat or corn porridge instead of potatoes and pasta. Sample menu for the day:

• breakfast: oatmeal with water, green tea, crackers;
• lunch: fruit salad, yogurt;
• lunch: beetroot soup, rye bread, boiled chicken breast, dried fruit compote;
• afternoon snack: apple;
• dinner: low-fat cottage cheese with fruit, tea.

What can you eat to lose weight

When focusing on nutrition in order to lose weight during menopause, you must first eliminate gluttony and eat exclusively to obtain energy from foods. Due to overeating, the body receives extra calories, which it cannot cope with and, as a result, fat is deposited.

In order to overcome obesity later, it is necessary to carry out a whole range of measures, but it is nutrition during menopause that plays the most important role.

Eating during menopause is necessary according to two rules:

• reduce the calorie content of foods;
• reduce portion sizes.

The daily diet should contain more vegetable rather than animal fats; the table should contain vegetables, fruits, lean meat and fish, salads seasoned with light dressings and all kinds of nuts. Avoid as much as possible sweet, flour, fried, smoked, salty, as well as ketchup and mayonnaise. Every day you need to drink about two liters of still water.

Due to the lack of estrogen in the body, metabolic processes slow down. How to deal with extra pounds and at the same time improve metabolic processes? The deficiency of this hormone should be compensated. A ketogenic diet should include foods with phytoestrogens. These products include different types of legumes.

The approximate ratio of products in the daily diet: 60% vegetables and fruits, 25% proteins and 15% slow carbohydrates. Make a daily menu in advance, calculating your calorie intake by day. Remember, to lose weight you need to consume no more than 1500 kilocalories per day, and for some even less. It is better that foods with higher calorie content go to breakfast, and less nutritious ones are left for dinner.

Important! To achieve better results, you should avoid eating salt. If its complete elimination cannot be achieved, you should at least limit its consumption as much as possible.

To lose weight during menopause, the method of cooking is of great importance. It will have more benefits and fewer calories if it is stewed, boiled or fresh.

When following a diet to maintain a stable weight, you can sometimes eat dried fruits, marshmallows and marmalade. If you need to lose weight, it is better to abstain.

Fitness after 45 years

There are no special sports for women over 45. However, women of this age should remember that heavy loads will also not bring benefits, but will only reduce the body’s defenses. For beginners, it is better to first consult a doctor, who will tell you the optimal duration of classes and level of physical activity. Ideal types of workouts for mature women:

• Pilates;
• bodyflex;
• yoga;
• swimming;
• some strength exercises.

Sports activities during menopause

When looking for ways to quickly lose weight during menopause, it is worth considering that the ketogenic diet alone will not cope with this problem.

Expert opinion

Roman Andreevich

Candidate of Medical Sciences, gynecologist-obstetrician, 14 years of work experience.

To get a consultation

Due to the slowdown in metabolic processes, excess fat is retained in the body, even with proper nutrition. Losing weight and getting the desired figure without physical activity is almost impossible.

There is no need to strive to become the strongest and set a new record, it will be enough:

• increase the number of walks;
• dance;
• love cycling;
• swim and do water aerobics.

By choosing any of these activities, the body will spend energy, which will help you lose weight. It will be useful to go for massages and body wraps from time to time. These procedures will reduce volumes and cleanse the body.

He will be saturated with energy and provide the woman with a good mood. Physical therapy and gentle exercise will strengthen your muscles, which will support fragile bones. And physical activity in combination with a diet will help you lose the gained weight twice as fast.

How to lose weight after 45 years for a woman without harm to health

A clear daily routine will help a woman in the fight against extra pounds. In addition to proper nutrition and physical activity, we must not forget about daily walks in the fresh air and giving up bad habits. However, the most important thing for maintaining youth and normalizing body weight is the absence of stress and always a good mood. Emotional stability will help a woman lose weight faster.

At what speed can you lose weight

At first, the kilograms always fall off faster. As body weight becomes smaller, the process slows down. If you exercise more actively or switch to a strict diet, you will lose weight faster, but then you can easily gain weight again. Doctors believe that the safest rate of weight loss for a woman after 45 is from 1 to 1.5 kilograms per week (so that the skin has time to tighten).

Why can't I lose weight?

If, despite the measures taken, the weight continues to increase, it is worth looking for the reason:

1. Hormonal drugs have just such a side effect. You need to consult a gynecologist and change the medicine.
2. Insufficient motivation allows you to treat yourself to sweet, fatty, salty foods, take a break for dessert, or meet your girlfriends in a cafe. Lack of willpower is the most common reason for the inability to lose weight.
3. We are talking about endocrine disorders - diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, metabolic pathologies. You need to undergo an examination and follow all doctor’s recommendations.

When looking for information on how to lose weight during menopause, you need to determine the reason for weight gain. As a rule, this is the use of hormonal drugs, poor nutrition, metabolic and endocrine disorders.

It is recommended to undergo examinations and develop a strategy for weight loss. Among the main measures are normalization of nutrition and lifestyle correction.