How to Eat Healthy Over 40

Eating healthy is valuable at every age. After 40, your metabolism starts to slow down, so although you may not have changed your diet or lifestyle significantly, it can seem that you do not have the same amount of energy or the same figure you had just five or six years earlier. This is a perfectly normal part of being human, and adopting healthy eating patterns can help you feel energized, be healthy and enjoy your 40s and the many more years of healthful food yet to come.

Things You'll Need

• Recipe books
• Health food magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Folder

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat fresh fruits and vegetables to increase your vitamin and mineral intake and to improve digestion. Make a list of your favorite fruits and vegetables, and hang it on the fridge or a bulletin board where you can see it every day to give you ideas of what foods to shop for --- and reach for --- when you are hungry. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests eating more dark green and orange vegetables on a regular basis, so look for foods such as kale, spinach, chard, and carrots.

• 2

  Eat a balanced diet. The USDA food pyramid states that a balanced diet consists of at least 3 oz. of whole-grain breads, cereals, rice, pasta, or crackers each day. In addition, the USDA food pyramid recommends that women ages 31 to 50 should eat 2 1/2 cups of vegetables, 1 1/2 cups of fruit, 3 cups of milk products, 5 oz. of meat or beans and 5 tsp. of natural oils each day. Don't worry --- there is some room for extra treats, which the USDA defines as "discretionary calories."

• 3

  Do not go for an extended time without eating anything. Stock the house, your bag and/or your car with tasty and healthy snacks such as dried or fresh fruit, mixed nuts, lean meats and cheese, yogurt, or multi-grain crackers. Always have a healthy snack that you like on hand so you don't feel tempted to stop in for fast food when hunger strikes.

• 4

  Drink lots and lots of water. Many times when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty. According to "Cooking Light," filling up on fluids helps "your body cushion joints, make saliva, regulate body temperature, transport nutrients, and keep skin looking healthy." Although the amount of water that each individual needs varies, the average person needs about eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day.

• 5

  Decrease your daily sugar intake. According to Fit Women Over Forty, "keeping sugar to less than 10% of your calories will go a long way towards managing your weight and health." Put one spoonful of sugar into your coffee instead of two, or eat more natural sugars from fruits rather than prepackaged sweets.

• 6

  Look through recipe books and health food magazines for new and healthy meal ideas. Cut them out, and paste them into a folder that you can access when your dinner table needs a pick-me-up.

• 7

  Invite friends over for a potluck dinner once a week, and ask each person to bring a healthy item along with its recipe. This helps make healthy eating fun and social.