In Your 40s
You're Losing Muscle Mass
As your body gets older, muscle naturally starts to break down and your metabolism slows, which causes pounds to creep on. But by eating protein throughout the day and weight training, you can fight that process, says Ansel.
Most of us eat enough protein, but we don't eat it at the right times, she says. When you eat a majority of your protein at dinner, your body doesn't have time to use it all as energy, so it has to store it as fat.
By spreading out your protein intake, you give your body a steady stream that it can use. Aim to eat 20 to 30 grams with each meal and five to 10 grams with each snack.
More From Women's Health: How Your Metabolism Changes in Your 20s, 30s and 40s
You Fall for Frozen Food and Takeout
If you're shuttling little people around all afternoon and evening, it's tough to get a healthy meal on the table before bedtime.
"The key is to set aside 15 minutes every weekend to plan a quick healthy dinner for each weeknight," says Ansel. And they don't have to be elaborate. A turkey sandwich or peanut butter and jelly is better than ordering Chinese food or baking a frozen pizza, she says.
Read the original article on Women's Health.
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