Eat your way to a longer life at 40

A healthy diet will not only slow down the effects of ageing, but will also prevent the onset of many chronic diseases.

By: Tania Tarafdar | | Updated: May 26, 2015 5:10 pm

The process of ageing brings about many physiological and immunological changes in your body at 40. These changes happen to a greater extent in women post menopause that leads to unwanted weight gain and drop in calcium levels. A right diet not only fuels the body with nutrients, which slow down the visible effects of ageing, but also prevents the onset of many chronic diseases and enhances life expectancy. Here are some diet tips and plan by well-known nutritionist Elina Dawoodani. Also Read - Why is it difficult to lose stubborn belly fat after you turn 40?

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The ideal BMI for the Indian population of all ages is between 18.5 kg/m2 to 22.9 kg/m2. Your ideal calorie consumption depends on your weight. If your weight is normal, your ideal calorie consumption should be 25 kcal/kg of body weight. If you are underweight, have more than 30 kcal/kg and if you are overweight or obese, stick to 20-22 Kcal/kg. To lose weight at 40, lower your calorie intake by at least 500 calories.

Number of meals

There should be a gap of four hours in between your two major meals -which means you need to have four major meals in a day. For example, if you have your breakfast by 9 a.m, your lunch should be at 1 p.m. followed by a snack at 5 p.m. and dinner at 9 p.m. again. You should also include 2-3 small and healthy mid meals to keep your metabolism high. Fruits, nuts, khakra and makhana serve as good mid-meal options.

Consumption of beverages

Ideally, a person shouldn’t consume more than 2 cups of tea or coffee every day. In case you consume it frequently throughout the day, you can reduce the quantity and cut down on excess sugar to balance it. Gradually, you’ll be able to reduce the frequency too.

Special considerations

At 40, you may be at higher risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and elevated cholesterol levels. To stay healthy, it is best that you avoid excess sugar, consume an adequate amount of fibre and cut down on your sodium intake. If you are already diabetic, you should focus more on high fibre food and prefer complex carbohydrates over simple or refined ones. If you have high BP, you should consume more of fruits and vegetables, nuts, low-fat dairy, lean meats and healthy fats.

Diet plan

Early morning: Four almonds and two whole walnuts
Breakfast: One glass of milk + 1 cup broken wheat porridge or oats porridge/ 2 idlis/ 1 dosa or uttappa / 1 bowl upma/poha or 1 paratha/ 2 khakhras
Mid-Morning: 1 serving of any fruit of your choice (mango/pomegranate/apple/pear/orange/watermelon)
Lunch: 1 bowl of green leafy veg + 1 bowl of dal/ 75 grams of chicken/fish in grilled or gravy form + 1 bowl of curd + 1 generous bowl of fresh salad + 2 chapattis/phulkas + one bowl of rice
Tea-time: 1 cup tea + 1 bowl sprouts with vegetables/brown bread sandwich/ pancakes made of otas/moong/any pulse flour
Have one serving of fruit an hour prior to your dinner
Dinner: 2 phulkas/chapattis + 1/2 bowl rice + 1 bowl salad + 1 bowl green leafy vegetable/paneer gravy + 1 glass buttermilk + 1tsp flaxseeds
Bedtime: One glass of warm milk with added nuts powder