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Start Doing The Right Things

 

If you don’t have the body you want, it’s because you aren’t doing the right things. It’s that simple. 

You’re here because what you are currently doing isn’t working. So let’s change it. In this article you’re going to get all my best nutrition advice for over 40 women and a simple plan based on what actually works. It’s a long article – but stick with me and make a commitment to put at least one thing into action after reading it. 

First, I want you to know it’s not your fault. Everyone does the wrong things in the beginning. Even me. There’s also so much confusion out there about what actually works – the simple, effective strategies have got lost in the madness of social media. 

The thing is… you’ll keep doing the wrong things and struggling with your body until you make a change in the right direction.

I also want you to understand that, in many ways, age really is just a number. We’ll talk about that later in this article. There’s so much we can do and if you want to change your body – it’s not too late! You’re in the right place. 

 

Your 40-Something Plan

 

It’s really important to have a coach you trust and who gets you. 

So why should you take my advice? Well for one thing, I specialize in working with women over 40 and I’ve helped many women like you transform their bodies and their lives. You’ll find some of their stories and testimonials here.

I’m also your age. I’m going through the same things you are. I’m seeing more wrinkles and sagging skin. I have to work harder to maintain my weight and prevent cellulite. Like you, I’ve looked in the mirror and wondered if my best days are past.

Except in one way. I can honestly say I’m happier with my physique than I was in my 20s. I don’t feel my age in the gym and can even keep up with my 18 year old nephew (who trains super intensely and gives me a run for my money!).

 

 

If you want to change your body, it’s not too late. You just need a good plan based on simple strategies that have withstood the test of time in the fitness industry. 

But you also need a plan that’s created for your 40-something body – because you need to do things differently now. So I’m also going to get into some anti-aging strategies to take your body to the next level of health and fitness.

You can just focus on weight loss (step 1 in this article) but if you go next level, you’ll become that woman that stands out. That radiates health and looks 10 years younger.

I want to help you get to that level. I want to help you change your life. And – if you want to get the best body you’ve ever had – we can make that happen too!

 

STEP 1: Get your sh!t sorted and be accountable

 

It’s not age holding you back – it’s your habits and lifestyle.

Let’s get real about where you are and put your excuses to rest for good. If you aren’t happy with your body, it’s because you haven’t been doing the right things.

Deep down, you know what you aren’t doing right. Most women do.

But if you’re confused, I’m going to make this super clear for you.

First of all, it’s quite likely your 40-something lifestyle doesn’t set you up for having the best body. You probably sit at a desk all day and you are nowhere near as active as you were when you were younger. I don’t know about you – but I spent my 20s walking to University, biking or rollerblading in the evenings, and I had lots of time for the gym. Now the gym is scheduled into my day and I work late so I usually don’t have time for outdoor activities in the evenings.

If you have a demanding job, you’ll have often have to drag yourself to the gym at the end of the day. And eating good food? That’s even more of a chore that requires willpower you’ve completely worn out during the day.

You also probably have more money so you can indulge on good food and wine, especially on the weekends. You may even feel like you deserve your indulgence and find it hard to restrict yourself after a long, stressful week. And, truth is, you do deserve to treat yourself – you just aren’t going about it the right way and you don’t know how to balance your lifestyle with your goals.

Finding balance is a huge part of the equation but it’s too big to address in this article. Instead I want to tell you what actually works so you can forget about all the rest of the stuff you are seeing on social media.

 

Do what actually works – and it’s pretty simple…

 

Forget about paleo, keto, fasting or anything else extreme. Do these diets work? Sort of. But extreme diets tend to get results only for the short term (because they aren’t sustainable), and it’s questionable as to whether these are the best diets for women.

Instead there’s a simpler, sensible and more lifestyle friendly solution. And it’s been around for a lot longer than any of these trendy diets.

 

Calories in need to be less than calories out.

It’s that simple. Now, let me ask you this:

Do you know how many calories you consume everyday?

Do you consistently eat the same amount of calories most days?

 

If you answered no to these questions, you’ve found the reason you aren’t happy with your body. 

I’ve seen women struggle for years, resisting calorie tracking because they don’t want to be “obsessive” or “restrictive.” Then, when they finally start counting calories, the weight comes off. Usually quite easily.

For example, I have a client who resisted for years and then finally started counting calories because she had a wedding coming up. Within a couple of months she had lost over 8kg (18lbs). She wished she had started counting years ago!

It’s why diets like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig are so successful. Because they control calories and create consistency.

It doesn’t have to be an obsessive undertaking. And it’s definitely not as restrictive as paleo, keto and fasting diets. The pain of remaining dissatisfied and frustrated with your body far outweighs the small commitment of tracking calories. 

So you can see where I’m going with this. The first step is to count calories. Get a calorie tracking app, like Myfitnesspal, and start being accountable.

STEP 2: Lower inflammation to lose fat and age slower

 

Your 40s can be the perfect storm of health and mood challenges. Are you more tired, achy, irritable, depressed or anxious in your 40s? Finding it harder to lose weight – especially in certain areas like your belly? You’re not alone!

One of the main causes of all your problems is inflammation. 

Many of these challenges we associate with aging are related to inflammation – from the general aches and pains to mood swings, hormone and digestive problems. Problems we often start seeing more of in our 40s like period pain, heavy periods and endometriosis are all related to inflammation. Inflammation is also related to almost every disease we associate with aging – including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and Alzheimer’s.

But if losing weight is the main reason you are reading this article, then you should also know that lowering inflammation enhances your body’s ability to burn fat. There are many ways that inflammation negatively impacts weight loss and we can’t get into them all in this article.

What I want you to know is that if you are constantly doing things that inflame your body, weight loss is going to be really hard. Your health, energy, mood and motivation are all also going to be negatively impacted.

Here are some of my top tips for lowering inflammation:

  • Include more plant-based meals and eat less animal products. I’m not saying you need to be vegetarian but too much meat, eggs and dairy will worsen inflammation.
  • Avoid deep fried foods, junk food and baked goods. 
  • Avoid most vegetable oils like canola, grape seed, and corn oils. Start reading labels closely and you’ll be surprised at how many foods have these oils.
  • Eat less fat overall to balance out your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
  • Get your omega-3s through diet or supplements.
  • Use supplements, such as curcumin, magnesium and N-acetyl cysteine, to help with inflammation. 
  • Eat less sugar.
  • Sleep at least 7-8 hours per night and manage your stress.
  • Follow a balanced exercise program that incorporates proper weight training and more relaxing forms of cardio, like walking or biking outdoors.

 

Taking steps to lower inflammation can make a huge difference to your quality of life. For example, so many of my clients have had great improvements to their periods, even those with endometriosis, simply by following my Meal Plan.

The majority of meal plans you’ll find online miss this key aspect of women’s health. You can lose weight on most meal plans – but if you’re going to make changes to how you eat, you should also be supporting your health, hormones and longevity. 

If you’ve read this far into the article then you really are a superstar and you must be committed to your own transformation! In the next section we turn back the clock even more.

 

 

STEP 3: Use food and supplements to turn back to the clock

 

Have you ever looked at someone and thought if I look like her at that age I will be really happy?

That woman is probably doing things you aren’t when it comes to nutrition and supplements. The good news is that I work with many exceptional women like this and I’m going to share some of their secrets in this section.

I train a lady who is 68 years old and lifts heavier weights than most of my other clients – including the 20-somethings. No one believes she is 68 when they see her leaving her sessions.

I have an online client who is 50 with an absolutely fantastic physique and who still rocks a bikini on holidays.

I have a 40 year old client without a line on her face. We’d all kill for her skin, and she’s got a great physique too. 

These women aren’t just above average – they are exceptional.

These women are proof that it doesn’t have to be complicated. That, with a bit of effort, you can age better than most people.

These women aren’t doing anything extreme. They still enjoy their lives – but with moderation and thoughtfulness about their health and longevity. 

In fact, one of these women has been grateful that she has been able to achieve results without having to give up her wine – because in the past she tried to be more restrictive and she could never stick with it.

Don’t get me wrong – you will need moderation and strategies to balance out your lifestyle. But what I want you to think about at this stage is not what you should restrict – rather what can you add in that will supercharge your body?

 

What foods and supplements will take you to the next level and be your ally when it comes to aging?

 

 

Food is one of your most powerful allies when it comes to longevity. Once you’ve cut out the junk – ask yourself what can I add into my diet that will supercharge my body against aging?

This is a huge topic in itself but here are some of my preferred foods and supplements for women’s health:

Superfoods:

  • Cacao
  • Maca
  • Berries
  • Green and white tea
  • Mushrooms (ie. reishi, shiitake, cordyceps)

Anti-inflammatory:

  • Curcumin
  • Fish oil
  • Magnesium
  • Ashwagandha
  • N-acetyl cysteine
  • Ginger

Hormonal help:

  • Cruciferous vegetables
  • Diindolymethane (DIM)
  • Magnesium
  • Curcumin
  • Cinnamon

Immune support:

  • White button mushrooms and mushroom supplements
  • Green and white tea
  • Garlic
  • Astragalus
  • Ashwagandha
  • Zinc

 

This is next level stuff but, in keeping with my overall promise at the start of this article, it’s not complicated. Getting these foods on a daily basis is as easy as making smoothie using a couple of the ingredients and doing some targeted supplementation based on your specific challenges.

 

 

Refuse To Age Like Everyone Else

 

Those exceptional women we talked about in the last section are aging well because of their nutrition and training, but also because of their attitude.

They refuse to age like everyone else.  

While you are never going to be 20 again, and you definitely have to do things differently as you get older, aging is not an excuse to let yourself go. Aging is actually a reason to ramp things up. 

It’s time to put more effort in and to make self-care one of your main priorities. 

Getting the best body of your life after 40 is completely possible! And if you need help, I love working with women like you so get in touch with me. I look forward to hearing from you whether you want to start with one of my programs or you just want to let me know that this article inspired you!

 

Get My Popular Meal Plan That Takes Care Of Everything For You

This Meal Plan makes eating well and sticking to your calories easy. Choose from over 60 delicious, simple recipes with the calories already counted for you! Learn more. Or check out my Over 40 Transformation Program that includes training and a Meal Plan.

About Melanie

40+ Transformation Specialist

Hey! I'm Melanie - Women's Coach, Researcher and Writer. My qualifications include Precision Nutrition, the International Sports Science Association, the University of Saskatchewan and over 10 years of research and working with women. I work with women of all ages but my specialty is 40+ women. Thanks for checking out Female Fitness Systems - make sure to join my VIP Community while you are here!

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