27 Amazing Flat Belly After 40 Tips You Probably Don’t Know
Finding it harder & harder to get a flat belly after 40?
I think you’ll agree with me when I tell you that as you get older, it gets harder and harder to keep those extra pounds off.
In our twenties, we can seemingly eat and drink whatever we want and many of us stay rail thin. But once 30 rolls around those same exercises and dietary habits just don’t seem to work as well anymore.
As we get older, we begin to shed muscle mass. This causes our metabolism to slow down, according to a recent study by the
National Institutes of Health
.
As a result of losing muscle mass and a slowing metabolism, it can become much harder to lose stubborn belly fat.
Luckily, according to that study, “Exercise training and proper nutrition can have dramatic effects on muscle mass and strength (and the associated metabolic alterations). An optimal intervention program may include an exercise-training schedule that incorporates both resistance and aerobic exercise with adequate intake of total calories and protein.”
So in this post, we’re diving deep into exactly what aspects of diet, nutrition, and exercise will work best to help us achieve a flat belly after 40.
Looking for a 21-day rapid weight loss system that allows you to easily lose an average of 1 lb a day for 21 days without feeling hungry or deprived?
The
Flat Belly Fix
is a unique and proven system that is guaranteed SAFE. And it does not cause the rebound weight gain common to all the other rapid weight loss systems. The Flat Belly Fix System takes advantage of a recent scientific discovery that proves the effective weight loss power of an ancient spice.
Combined with other cutting-edge ingredients in the patent-pending
Flat Belly Fix Tea
™ — that you can make right in your own kitchen in minutes — this System is the quickest, easiest and most enjoyable way to quickly get the body you desire and deserve.
But for now, let’s dive into the . . .
27 Amazing Flat Belly After 40 Tips You Probably Don’t Know!
1. Throw in more veggies!
Almost any meal could stand to have a few more veggies in it.
Grabbing a sub for lunch? Skip that fat-laden meatball sub and grab a turkey with all the veggies. For dinner, it’s quick, easy & cheap to keep various bags of mixed veggies in the freezer and toss in a bit into the skillet or crock pot.
2. Cut back on sugar
Many of us try and be mindful of sugar. Maybe we even eliminate sodas and save sweet treats for special occasions.
But sugar is present in LOTS of things. There can be a ton of it in Chinese food sauces for instance. Most bottled and canned beverages contain a lot of sugar too. Processed foods at the store can also contain crazy amounts of sugars; even in things you wouldn’t expect.
While you likely can’t eliminate all sugar, knowing that you’re likely consuming a lot of it without even knowing, try not adding sugar to things like coffee or tea.
Liquid stevia
or
powdered stevia
is a great way to get the sweetness of sugar naturally without the insulin spike, calories or nastiness of artificial sweeteners.
3. Find healthy ways to move every day
Movement is life. Many of us, myself included, work behind a desk every day.
It’s also true that many of us spend more time couch surfing and being on screened devices than past generations. All that sedentary behavior can take its toll on our bodies, our flexibility, our muscles and yes, make it hard to get a flat belly after 40.
Don’t want to do a vigorous workout? No problem! Take a 20-minute daily walk, do yoga 3 times a week, but do something.
Movement is the key to health and longevity.
If you’re curious about the health benefits of running, check out my friend Paul’s
Running for Beginners Guide
.
4. Stop counting calories
Seriously. You’ll drive yourself crazy.
Plus who has time for that and how accurate will it be at restaurants anyway? Enjoy life. Enjoy food. Just eat healthy food and a sensible amount.
If you have kids, get them set up for success in the future with my
Healthy Eating Habits For Children
. Starting early and preventing those bad habits is far better than trying to fix the problem later!
5. Find effective ways to manage stress
Stress is a killer. There are plenty of studies on how stress can cause us to age premature or increase the risk of heart disease or high blood pressure. But under stress, the body produces high levels of the hormone cortisol.
Cortisol controls how much fat gets stored and where it gets stored.
A recent study by
University College London
showed that when under stress, over time, the increased levels of cortisol can cause people to be significantly overweight.
My solution for anxiety & insecurity?
Interestingly enough, adding magnesium to my morning routine actually has helped my overall anxiety a
considerable
amount.
I personally use
Natural Calm Magnesium powder
and just add a tablespoon to a large glass of water each morning after I get up. It’s organic, GMO-free, vegan and gluten-free. They claim, and in my 6 months of using it, I agree that it:
-
Supports a healthy immune system and keeps bones strong
-
Supports regular blood sugar levels, blood pressure and producing energy
-
Helps fight stress and anxiety
That’s all I have to say on that, but if you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it works for you!
6. Get enough sleep
The National Sleep Foundation, in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated it’s sleep recommendations by age. Here are their recommendations for adults.
A recent study by the
National Institutes of Health
found that “if you’re sleep deprived, your hedonic drive for certain foods gets stronger, and your ability to resist them may be impaired. So you are more likely to eat it. Do that again and again, and you pack on the pounds.”
7. Don’t completely eliminate treats
Do you know what happens when we completely deprive ourselves?
After a while we get frustrated. When we don’t feel that instant gratification of a flat belly after 40 that doesn’t often happen quickly when we eliminate all the things we love, we fall back to our old ways.
We binge. Then we feel guilty. We resolve to try again. We fail again and our self-esteem plummets while our weight skyrockets.
So don’t eat ice cream or cookies every day, but do indulge every once in a while. Give yourself a treat, especially as a reward for hitting a certain goal.
When we don’t feel deprived we stay motivated.
8. Focus less on a diet and more on a lifestyle
Don’t worry about the latest diet book that hit the #1 spot on the NY Times. Next year someone else will come out with one that tells us why the last one got it all wrong.
Eat better, move more, reduce stress, sleep longer.
It really isn’t much more complicated than that.
9. Don’t add salt at the table
We can’t easily control how much salt is in prepackaged foods or foods at restaurants.
However, many of us, without even thinking about it, just add salt at the dinner table. I want you to stop doing this. For one, it’s just a habit. For another, when people salt food before tasting it, they aren’t even adding it because it needs it.
Make no mistake, our bodies need sodium to survive, but too much can cause edema. According to the
Mayo Clinic
, “Edema is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in your body’s tissues.” Too much sodium can easily lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which can cause both hypertension and edema.
So cut back where you can, but never just add salt to meals at the table.
10. Take a daily omega 3 supplement
According to
Healthline
, “Fish oil may be most effective at reducing hunger and appetite in healthy people following a weight loss diet.” But they also claim that “Fish oil may increase the speed of your metabolism.”
And they end by saying “Fish oil may help increase the number of calories and amount of fat burned during exercise”.
Want the highest rated fish oil capsule on Amazon Prime?
Check out
Premium Fish Oil Omega 3 by Mav Nutrition
.
It has 5 stars, over 1000 reviews and is a #1 best seller in the fish oil category on Amazon! If you’re looking for a flat belly after 40, fish oil is well worth considering!
11. Cut back on milk
No matter what the ads say, according to most experts, milk does NOT do a body good.
Think of it this way. Is there anywhere else in the animal kingdom where 1 species drinks the breast-milk of another species?
No is the answer you’re looking for.
Now, I’m not a vegan and I’m not uber-militant. I like cheese and ice cream too. But if you want a flat belly after 40, you aren’t likely to get it by drinking milk on a regular basis.
But don’t take my word for it. A recent study by
Harvard
looked at the relationship between dairy intake and risk of cardiovascular diseases. They found that “These results suggest that dairy fat is not an optimal type of fat in our diets.”
They went on to say that “a healthy diet pattern tends to be plant-based and low in saturated fat,”
12. Do less cardio
I know, that doesn’t sound right!
After all, if you’re trying to lose weight or find the perfect
anti-dad bod workout plan
, surely cardio has to be a big part of that, right?
Our bodies do burn fat as fuel while engaging in lower-intensity workouts (such as cardio).
But, that’s not necessarily what will get us the most weight loss. What counts most is our overall calorie burn.
“The higher the intensity of your workout, the more total calories you will burn,” according to
Marta Montenegro
, She is a Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition candidate at UNINI MX with a Masters in Science and Physiology with a specialization in cardiac rehabilitation.
“Studies show (doing higher intensity training) you’ll shrink your belly fat faster.”
13. Engage in more resistance or weight training
“Strength training builds lean muscle mass, which both increases your metabolism and decreases fat,” says trainer to the stars Elizabeth Hendrix Burwell, owner of High Performance Gym.
A recent study by the
American Council on Exercise
found that kettlebell exercises can burn up to 20 calories a minute. That’s like running 6 miles a minute!
Don’t wanna (or cannot afford to) spend hours in the gym? Good news! You don’t have to. Progress can be made in a relatively short period of time – with proper effort, of course. great study by
@BradSchoenfeld
highlighted in NY Times.
https://t.co/5d5IqBzhSM
— Kevin Tipton (@stirproftip)
September 13, 2018
14. Have a clear goal in mind and track your progress
If you set out on a cross-country road trip without a map or GPS on your phone how would you know where to go?
In fact, would you even set out on a road trip without a destination in mind?
So if you want to be healthier, live longer AND have a flat belly after 40, have a clear, measurable goal.
That goal could be to lose 1 lb per week. It could be to go from a pant waist size of 36 down to a 34 in 6 months.
Whatever your goal, make it realistic and achievable. Then measure your progress each week.
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It’s called the
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Check it out today and see if it can’t help you with your goals, for New Year’s and beyond!
15. Be patient with yourself and this journey
You know we can control in this world?
Not much other than our own actions & reactions.
But even when it comes to weight-loss, we can’t always control where friends or family members want to eat and we also can’t control genetics or the boss stressing us out.
So be patient with yourself and this journey. You WILL get where you want to be. But expect the unexpected. Go with the flow and don’t fight against every unexpected obstacle.
Not only will you be happier, but you’ll be much more likely to achieve your goals.
Speaking of goals, whether it’s New Year’s or not, my expert tips on
Keeping New Year’s Resolutions
can help you and your goals all year long!
16.
Don’t buy low-fat foods
I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but avoid packaged foods labeled low-fat.
While it’s true they are typically lower fat versions of the foods you love, they are often substituting sugars and carbs for the lack of fat.
Thus while you may be consuming a lower quantity of fat, these empty starches are converting to added pounds on your body.
So eat full-fat foods; just a sensible amount
and
the right foods.
17. Take a vitamin D supplement
Medical News Today
recently released a finding that “individuals with higher levels of belly fat and larger waistlines are more likely to have lower vitamin D levels”.
Luckily it’s not hard to get a little extra vitamin D. The sun you’ll get on walks is a great way to soak in natural vitamin D.
But vitmain D supplements are a great way to beef up your vitmain D as well.
NatureWise Vitamin D3
has an amazing 5 stars on Amazon Prime with a whopping 5000+ reviews. It’s also an Amazon Best Seller. And it’s under 15 bucks!
18. Be kind to yourself
When we’re constantly beating ourselves up over not meeting some predetermined expectation, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.
So be kind to yourself. Remember that you are human and like all humans, you will make mistakes.
When we expect the occasional setback and don’t freak out over it, we tend to get over it much more quickly and get back to the business of going for that flat belly after 40.
19. Don’t drink soda, at least not daily
Sodas are either LOADED with sugar. A
16oz can of Coke
contains 190 calories and a whopping 52 grams of sugar (104% of your recommended daily allowance). When you consider that many people drink more than 1 a day (or grab the notorious 44oz. Big Gulp), it’s not hard to see that we have a sugar problem in our country.
Treat yourself every now and then if you must, but avoid drinking soda daily if you want to have any hope of a flat belly after 40.
20.
Eliminate artificial sweeteners
Love soda and think you can just switch to Diet Coke to shed pounds?
Think again!
Diet Coke (and most other diet sodas and beverages) contain Nutrasweet (aspartame). In a recent study by the
Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine
, they found that “artificial sweeteners, precisely because they are sweet, encourage sugar craving and sugar dependence.”
They also found that “drinkers of artificially sweetened beverages consistently had higher BMI (body mass index)”.
And that is to say nothing of the studies purporting that aspartame may cause cancer.
Want to be healthy and have a flat belly after 40? Drop artificial sweeteners altogether.
7 Reasons Not to Use Artificial Sweetners
#sugar
#artificial
sweetner
Artificial sweeteners aren’t likely to keep you slim, but that’s not their only broken promise. Other studies have suggested that they may be bad for you in a number of ways.
https://t.co/4zda2G8lCO
pic.twitter.com/Ap92EfDBgK
— A Healthy Body (@AHealthyBod)
September 11, 2018
21. Cut way back on processed carbs
Processed carbs include french fries, potato chips and a whole lot more. White bread, white rice, and regular pasta also make the list.
These often lack nutritional value and are high in sodium making them some of the most challenging foods to eat when you’re striving for a flat belly after 40.
So cut back on carbs where it makes sense, but also switch to whole grain bread and pasta as an easy swap. With the right toppings or sauce, you aren’t even likely to notice. Check out all the
11 Foods that Pack on the Pounds
you should avoid or cut back on.
22. Eat foods containing Vitamin C
Want to fight stress and eat at the same time? These vitamin C rich foods help combat cortisol and “reduced indices of stress” according to a recent study by the
National Institutes of Health:
-
Berries
-
Asparagus
-
Tomatoes
-
Turnips
-
Cabbage
23. Remember that ultimately it comes down to calories consumed & calories burned
We try and make diet and weight loss so complicated (especially in the US).
But really, while genetics and age do play roles, it mostly comes down to 2 things:
Calories consumed and calories burned.
Want a flat belly after 40? Either eat less or exercise more (or both).
24. Don’t jump from fad diet to fad diet
Fad diets come and go. Just ask Dr. Atkins or whoever created the South Beach Diet.
To really have a flat belly after 40 and beyond, we need to focus on simply living a healthier life. That means no more fad diets or counting calories.
Focus on eating less, eating healthy and more movement and lowering stress.
Don’t get me wrong. I have friends and family members who have lost weight on the Keto diet and countless others that came before.
But
research from UCLA
suggests that up to 2/3 of dieters don’t stick with these diets and when they fall off the plan, they often gain back MORE weight than they started with.
UCLA even went so far as to say “dieting is actually a consistent predictor of future weight gain.”
25. Drink peppermint tea after dinner
What? It may surprise you, but peppermint tea has amazing gastrointestinal properties.
A recent study by the
National Institutes of Health
found that peppermint “stimulated bile secretion, decreased total cholesterol level, and increased total bile acid level.” A healthy flow of bile is how your body digests fats.
In addition, another study by the
National Institutes of Health
found that “peppermint has significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities, strong antioxidant and anti-tumor actions.” So there are other health benefits too!
Harney & Sons Organic Peppermint Herbal Tea
ia an Amazon Choice product on Amazon Prime. It rates 4.5 stars and well over 600 reviews and at well under $10, it’s an easy way to help hit your flat belley after 40 goals!
26. Reduce your screen time
We all love our computers, tablets and smartphones. I’m sure you’re reading this on one.
But compared to our grandparents, we are much more sedentary today than at any time in the past. Many of us sit at the office, then we sit to and from in the car only to come home and sit some more and veg out in front of our phone or TV.
Then we’re off to bed. Rinse and repeat.
The Mayo Clinic
states that “sitting for long periods of time (can lead to) obesity . . . increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.”
They also shockingly found that “those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of death similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking.”
So engage in movement, often, especially to get that flat belly after 40.
Talk daily walks. At work, get up and move a little every 30 minutes. And that’s to say nothing of
How Technology Affects the Brain Negatively
.
27. Have a set routine for exercising each week
A set schedule for exercise is a great thing.
We are creatures of habit, so having a set routine is the best way to get with an exercise regime and stick with it.
While you can join a gym, according to
USA Today
, “the average gym membership costs just under $60 per month, and 67% of memberships go unused. ”
So do something that is easy to work into your schedule, not expensive and ideally something you won’t look for excuses to talk yourself out of doing it.
Yoga, martial arts or just a daily set of 20 pushups, squats, leg raises and sit-ups.
Did we cover all the flat belly after 40 tips you were looking for?
In this post, we took a hard look at belly fat, aging and some of the medical reasons behind why it can be harder to lose stubborn belly fat as we age.
Specifically, we looked at 27 amazing tips to help us get a flat belly after 40.
Tips that aren’t costly, time-consuming or unrealistic for our busy schedules.
Did I list all the flat belly after 40 tips you were looking for? Any that have worked for you I missed? Or are there any I listed that didn’t work for you?
Join the conversation by leaving a comment, or
Tweet me
anytime!
Looking for a 21-day rapid weight loss system that allows you to easily lose an average of 1 lb a day for 21 days without feeling hungry or deprived?
The
Flat Belly Fix
is a unique and proven system that is guaranteed SAFE. And it does not cause the rebound weight gain common to all the other rapid weight loss systems. The Flat Belly Fix System takes advantage of a recent scientific discovery that proves the effective weight loss power of an ancient spice.
Combined with other cutting-edge ingredients in the patent-pending
Flat Belly Fix Tea
™ — that you can make right in your own kitchen in minutes — this System is the quickest, easiest and most enjoyable way to quickly get the body you desire and deserve.
I am not a doctor, a nutritionist or a physical health professional (although my day job is running a martial arts school). This post, like all my posts, is based on my research, opinions, and observations. If you need medical or professional advice you should seek out a qualified professional in your area.
This is is a syndicated post. Read the original at newmiddleclassdad.com
A quick note about the reviews on this site: I am an affiliate for every product I review. The vendors of these products give me them without charge in order for me to test them. However all my reviews are done as honestly as possible and I make no promises to the vendor prior to writing my review. Should you click a link on this site that takes you to a paid product this link will be an affiliate link and I will be paid a percentage of the sales price should you decide to purchase that product.