它偷偷摸摸。您感觉就像是正常的自我，然后有一天，您会发现自己的身体形状已经改变或额外支付几磅。你的身体不是感觉the same.
It’s not all in your head. As you get older, there are real changes in your body — some due to age, some due to menopause — that can lead to weight gain. But most women aren’t aware of them.
So, here’s what’s really going on with your body after 40 and what you can do to feel healthy and strong as you age.
40年后身体变化背后最大的罪魁祸首？Hormones。这些是控制大多数身体功能的化学信使，从繁殖到饥饿。
当您接近更年期时，雌激素，孕激素和睾丸激素的水平波动。医学博士Alyssa Dweck, gynecologist and assistant clinical professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
这种激素的波动会导致一系列的变化，从骨密度降低和瘦肌肉质量到降低性欲和情绪变化。
The fix:Don’t feel resigned to grinning and bearing the hormonal fluctuations! Talk to friends or family members, or find an online group. “You’ll probably hear that you’re all going through something similar.
当妇女听到积极的故事并且这个阶段将结束时，这将是有帮助的。”Amanda Thebe, a certified personal trainer and health coach who runs the Facebook groupMenopausing So Hard。
Yes, you can blameyour hormonesfor this, too. Not only does your resting
You also start to accumulate more fat, especially around your waistline, says registered dietitian Melissa Burton.
研究人员have found that hormonal changes caused by perimenopause and menopause contribute to changes in body composition, fat accumulation, and fat distribution.
The fix:The best way to keep your metabolism humming? Stay active.
Vera Trifunovich，私人教练和健康教练Uplift Studios，建议将力量训练和心血管锻炼组合在一起，这有点有氧运动或拳击课。
Plus, eat your fiber. While the average American eats 10 grams of fiber a day, you需要25至35克, Burton says. Just make sure you drink plenty of water!
After the age of 40, you lose muscle mass — the main calorie-burning engine in your body — to the tune of 1 percent a year, Burton says. It’s linked to dropping estrogen and testosterone levels that accompaniesperimenopause and menopause，Dweck说。
Coupled with a slower metabolism, you don’t burn calories the same way as you did when you were young.
The fix:Strength train or lift weightsThe Be建议，每周两到四次。（不，您不会大量的。）
Not only will resistance training rebuild lean muscle mass, which also helps burn fat and rev your metabolism, it helps keep your bones and body strong and healthy.
Thebe说：“肌肉是帮助支撑骨骼结构，支撑关节并确保您有足够运动的必要条件。”
If you’re new to strength training, consider working with a personal trainer for two to three sessions.
Trifunovich说：“他们可以开发一个对您安全的程序，但也会对您的健身产生影响。”专注于锻炼身体的多关节练习。
在下面尝试锻炼。进行每次运动30秒，在每次练习之间休息30秒。重复4到6次。
Thebe’s workout plan
- goblet squat
- kettlebell swing
- pushup
- 排
- 登山者
- skater jumps
随着年龄的增长，尤其是随着体重的增长，身体开始忽略胰岛素 - 负责调节血糖水平的激素。
结果，您的血糖更高，因为您的细胞没有吸收它。结果：感觉就像您饿了，您可能会感到更多的渴望。
Not only can this lead to unwanted pounds, it also puts you at greater risk fortype 2 diabetes。
The fix:To avoid a glucose overload, Burton recommends including a mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat at every meal.
Don’t just load up on carbs. “Protein and healthy fat help the body feel more satisfied for a longer period of time, and you don’t crave those super starchy carbs that can give you a sugar crash,” she says.
Pay attention to where your carbs come from, too. “If you drink juice, it increases blood sugar circulating in the body quickly,” Burton says. “If you eat whole grains, it has more fiber and breaks down slowly,” she says. It gradually releases sugar into the bloodstream.
Dweck suggests really sticking to a Mediterranean-style diet in your 40s. “It’s been shown to be protective against cancer and heart disease, and it doesn’t cause huge swings in blood glucose levels,” she says.
诸如Ghrelin（告诉您饥饿时告诉您）和瘦素（告诉您何时饱满的时候）也有激素也波动。
“As we age, the receptors for these hormones don’t work as well as they used to, and we become resistant to them, too,” Burton says. “It’s not just in your head. You’re actually hungry because of your hormones.”
The fix:Dweck suggestskeeping a food diaryto pinpoint pitfalls in your eating habits and to get a better handle on your hunger cues. “When you actually write down what you eat, you can see if you’re actually snacking all day or if you’re eating bigger portions,” she says.
A food diary can also tell you if you’re eating enough protein. Burton recommends 20 to 30 grams of protein at each meal, since your body can absorb only so much protein in one sitting.
之间你的职业,家庭,和朋友在你40s, exercise can fall further down the priority list. Trifunovich says creaky, achy joints are another reason many women become less active.
她说：“多年锻炼的过度使用和关节伤害可能会导致您放弃自己喜欢的活动或迫使您放慢脚步。”这可能有助于感觉不适。
The fix:Just keep moving. You don’t have to spend hours at the gym or running — find something you love. You’re more likely to stick with it, Trifunovich says.
If injury keeps you from doing your beloved activity, try a new class or at-home workout. (There are tons ofstreaming workout options available!)
保持活跃won’t only enhance your metabolism. The endorphins released during exercise will also boost your mood, Thebe says, and help you feel better in your own skin.
Plus, regular exercise reduces your risk for chronic health conditions, like心血管疾病和diabetes.
Women experience a wide variety of stress in middle age, from managing their career and finances while oftentimes caring for both their children and parents.
When you’re stressed,your body secretes cortisol，又称战斗或飞行激素。“持续的皮质醇分泌会导致血糖水平下降，这使您想进食更多，尤其是糖。
您在腹部周围发胖，” Dweck说。较大的腰围与糖尿病和心脏病等疾病有关。
The fix:Dweck说，要解决您的压力。无论是瑜伽，冥想，着色还是阅读，find strategies that work for you。
Many women report difficulty sleeping as they get older. Or, maybe you just don’t feel rested, even after a full night’s sleep, which means you have less energy to exercise or be active.
Two of the biggest sleep disruptors at this age are hot flashes and night sweats. You can thank your shifting hormones for that, too.
The fix:First things first:Establish a soothing bedtime routine。In particular, reduce your use of electronics before going to sleep, Dweck says.
哈佛大学研究人员found that the blue light emitted from these devices can disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin. This is the hormone that makes you sleepy at night.
Ifhot flashes和night sweats keep you up at night, Dweck recommends a cool shower before bed and breathable pajamas.
Also avoid caffeine and alcohol, especially red wine, which are known triggers for hot flashes, she says.
The best starting point for getting back in tune with your body as you enter your 40s is to keep aheart-healthy diet和exercise。
如果您已经失去了这个粉底，但没有感觉自己的身体在做出反应，请尝试varying up your workout routineto awaken new muscles oreating a new dietto give your gut a jolt.
Sometimes tackling changes isn’t about doubling down with the same routine, but finding a new one that works for you.
克里斯汀·尤is a freelance writer, covering health and fitness. Her work has appeared in Outside, The Washington Post, and Family Circle, among others. You can find her onTwitter,Instagram, or atchristinemyu.com。
