EP 72: 5 Simple Nutrition Rules to Lose Fat and Build Your Best Body Over 40

0:00Hello and welcome back to Becoming Her, Fitter, Better, and Stronger over 40. I'm your host and coach, Shauna. I'm 46, a wife, a boy mom, and a fitness and nutrition coach helping women over 40 become their best. If you're trying to get fit over 40 and nutrition feels overwhelming, you don't need more rules. You actually need a simpler approach that's going to work for you and your body at this stage of life. And that's exactly what we're going to break down today. I'm going to give you five simple nutrition rules that are going to help you lose fat, build muscle, and finally feel confident in how you're eating and stop overthinking every decision.

0:29So let's break down rule number one. The first rule is to focus on calories, macros, and micros. Those are the three main pillars of nutrition where everything starts. And we need to make sure we are filling each of those buckets. Calories will determine how much you weigh. Macronutrients are going to determine what your body composition is made up of. And then micronutrients are going to determine what your energy and your recovery and your hormones feel like. So think of it like this. Calories are your budget. Macros, like proteins, fats, and carbs, are what you spend it on. And micronutrients are how well your body runs.

0:59And over 40, this matters more than ever because it's not just about weight loss now, but it's also about making sure we are building and maintaining lean muscle and supporting our hormones and making sure we have longevity. A few key things to anchor into is that protein is a non-negotiable. We need it to build and support lean muscle. Carbs are going to help us when we're talking about performance and recovery in the gym. Fats are essential for our hormone health and our brain health. And then whole foods are really going to help us when it comes to getting enough fiber and micronutrients. If you're not sure where your calories and your protein should be, I have a free calculator that I will link down below.

1:30But just make sure that you are focused on those three things. Total calories, getting enough protein, and then whole foods so that you get all the micronutrients that you need. Now, rule number two is to start your day with protein. If you are skipping breakfast or just not having a healthy dose of protein, I can guess by midday, late afternoon, you are starving. And those cravings kick in and it becomes very hard to stay on track for eating everything in sight and just never feeling satiated. If you start your day with protein, you stabilize your blood sugar, your cravings are going to reduce, you're going to improve your energy and your focus, and you're going to make it so much easier to hit your protein goal for the day and stay on track.

2:06Because think about it like this. If your goal is to have 140 grams of protein and you skip breakfast, now you're trying to cram in 70 grams of protein between your lunch and dinner. But if you start your day with 30 to 40 grams of protein, everything else flows much easier. And this can look like eggs with some egg whites, toast and berries. You can make a big Greek yogurt bowl with berries and chia seeds. You can do overnight protein oats, which is my favorite, protein pancakes. It doesn't have to be complicated, but starting your day with protein sets you up for success. Now on to rule number three, which is prep ingredients, not meals.

2:43This is where I used to overcomplicate things. I would save a bazillion different recipes from Pinterest or Instagram, never really making them or trying to make them and feeling overwhelmed and then quit altogether. So instead, I shifted to prepping ingredients and just simplified everything. So I cook proteins, I prep carbs like rice or potatoes, I wash and chop vegetables and have fruits ready to add to meals, and then I build meals from those ingredients. With those staples, you can build all kinds of different meals with those same ingredients. You can have bowls, wraps, salad. You can mix and match each component and then add different condiments to change it up.

3:20You can make it Greek-inspired. You can make it Asian-inspired, Mexican, Italian, etc. But this gives you simplicity, flexibility, and repeatability. And that allows consistency. And consistency is what it takes to see success. Now on to rule number four, which is build a routine. So if you are relying on things like fasting, skipping meals, or just saving your calories for later, Again, you're setting yourself up to have lower energy, increased hunger, and those cravings that lead to overeating later in the day or on weekends. I have been there. I have done that. But instead, I want you to focus on having some structure to your day.

3:54Once you know your calorie target and your protein goal, divide those numbers into three to four meals per day, whatever you prefer. And then each meal will be anchored with protein and then balanced with carbs and fats. So this is going to keep your blood sugar stable. It's going to keep your energy up. It keeps your hunger under control, which is especially important if you are in a deficit and you're trying to lose body fat. Plus, it makes nutrition simple, predictable, and again, repeatable. Now, finally, on to rule number five, which is my favorite, and that is to practice the 80-20 % rule, meaning 80 % of your foods are whole foods and then 20 % are fun foods.

4:27Going back to the idea that making sure we are filling those nutrition buckets, when we prioritize whole foods, we get fiber, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and all of the things we need to feel our best. However, there can be room for the things that you enjoy too. If you try to be perfect with your nutrition and stick to all clean foods, it's likely that you're eventually going to swing the other way. And again, I say this from experience. When I was super strict, it would then lead to these all-out weekends of binging, feeling bloated and sick and starting over again on Monday. Instead, I want you to practice that 80-20 % rule, where 80 % of your food choices are going to be whole nutrient-dense foods.

5:04And then 20 % of the time, you can add some flexibility. So let's talk about what that looks like in real life played out. For example, during the weekday, maybe you have three structured meals that have protein, carbs, and fats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then for dessert, you have a piece of chocolate or you have a cookie, something small that you enjoy. That's 80-20. That's prioritizing mostly whole healthy foods and then enjoying yourself 20 % of the time. Or another example is that during the weekend or when you have a social event, you have a high protein breakfast and then a high protein lunch with lower calories so that you are almost at your protein goal, but then you still have tons of calories to spare for that event or for that dinner out.

5:43Then you can go enjoy the meal, maybe even split a dessert, but you don't spiral. You just get back to your routine the next day. This is how you stay consistent, not by being perfect, but by creating a way of eating that you can actually live with. Remember, we want to build lifestyles, not a diet, because the women who get results over 40 are not the ones who are the most strict. They're the ones that can stay consistent with the basics. I really hope this brought some clarity and some simplicity and some ideas to you on how you can simplify your nutrition so that you can support your goals and look and feel your best over 40.

6:16If you want more ideas with how to structure meals with some of the things we talked about today, I'm going to leave one of my blog articles below. Make sure you have a look because I have more meal ideas and even a shopping list that you can print and reuse. If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd be so thankful if you left a rating or a review. And if you have show ideas, please DM me on Instagram. I would love to hear from you. And of course, until next week, keep getting stronger and I will see you in the next episode.