Weight Loss Meal Plans for Women Over 40: Tips From the Pros!

Written by: Erin Coleman,

B.S. - Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D.

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

Written by: Erin Coleman,

B.S. - Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D.

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

weight loss meal plans for women over 40

Dieting isn't always easy, but with the right weight loss meal plans for women over 40, you CAN lose weight and keep it off for good!

Having a meal plan in place makes menu creation for weight loss easier.

Meal plans are like outlines, or templates, that allow you to plug foods into them based on what you have available at home and your food preferences.

Dividing your plate into fourths is perhaps one of the easiest meal plans to follow, as you don’t have to count calories or measure food.

Simply fill half of each plate with non-starchy vegetables, a fourth of each plate with protein foods, and a fourth of your plate with fiber-rich starches.

Also, add 2-3 servings of dairy foods or plant milk daily, eat two 1/2-cup portions of fruit, and choose a healthy fat at each meal to complete your menu!

But, if you're looking for more, or if you need some great recipes, keep reading for the best weight loss meal plans for women over 40!

If you're a picky eater — or have kids who are — here's how you can still eat healthily but on your own terms!

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What Are the Perks of Meal Prepping?

Once you have your meal plan in place, it’s time to prep your menus!

You can prepare meals ahead of time if you'd like, as the benefits of meal prepping include:

Calorie Control

Once you've prepped meals for the following day or week, it’s easy to control calories for weight loss in women over 40.

Use a 1,200-calorie meal plan when mapping out your breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks!

Convenience

Prepping meals ahead of time is convenient, especially when you’re at work or on the go often.

Simply portion out each meal and snack, set it aside in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer, and heat it up when it’s mealtime!

Weight Loss

Prepping meals can enhance weight loss for numerous reasons.

Studies show that eating out is associated with a higher body mass index (BMI), regardless of whether you dine out at fast food or sit-down restaurants.

Meal prepping is an excellent way to eat nutritious home-cooked meals when you aren't at home or don't have time to cook.

Meal Prepping Tips and Tricks

Following some meal prepping tips will help you master this healthy lifestyle habit!

  • Cook your meals ahead of time (during weekends or when you have extra time)
  • Let the food cool entirely before you package it
  • Portion your food into meals using your meal plan as a guideline
  • Place each meal into an airtight plastic or glass food storage container
  • Seal storage containers shut with airtight lids, sealable plastic bags, or tin foil

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, when using plastic storage containers the best (safest) choices are plastics with the following numbers listed on the bottom of the container: 1, 2, 4, and 5.

Avoid plastic storage containers with the numbers 3, 6, and 7 as these plastics contain potentially dangerous vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene, or bisphenol-A (BPA).

To practice food safety procedures and avoid foodborne illness, abide by the following guidelines set by the USDA:

  1. Don’t let food sit out at room temperature longer than 2 hours
  2. Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days – then discard
  3. Freeze meals in the freezer for 2-3 months – then discard
  4. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator

These food safety storage tips help you avoid becoming ill from food-borne illnesses.

Meal planning for families can be tough, especially when you’re busy. This video will provide you with a guide to easy meal prep for weight loss for you and your busy family.

 

Which Foods Should I Eat for Weight Loss Over 40?

When you eat the right foods over 40, your chance of weight loss success goes up!

Add some of the following foods from each food group to your next grocery shopping list:

Non-Starchy Vegetables

  • Spinach
  • Other leafy greens
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Celery
  • Asparagus
  • Bell Peppers
  • Mushrooms
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Onions
  • Zucchini
  • Cabbage

Starches

  • Sweet potatoes
  • Yams
  • Corn
  • Peas
  • Black beans
  • Kidney beans
  • Lentils
  • Other legumes
  • Brown rice
  • Quinoa
  • Whole-grain pasta
  • Oatmeal
  • Whole-grain cereal
  • Whole-grain bread

Fruits

  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Grapefruit
  • Grapes
  • Raspberries
  • Bananas
  • Watermelon
  • Cantaloupe
  • Peaches
  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Kiwi fruit

Protein Foods

  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Fish
  • Shrimp
  • Scallops
  • Other seafood
  • Tofu
  • Seitan
  • Very lean grass-fed meats
  • Protein powder
  • Eggs

Dairy Foods/Plant Milks

  • Low-fat milk
  • Non-fat Greek yogurt
  • Reduced-fat cheese
  • Low-fat cottage cheese
  • Soy milk
  • Protein-fortified almond milk
  • Other plant milks

Healthy Fats

  • Olive oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Other plant oils
  • Fish oil
  • Avocados
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Nut butters
  • Olives

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Sample Weight Loss Menus for Women Over 40

Sample weight loss menus can steer you in the right direction to get excess weight off and keep it off long term.

Sample menus that work well with weight loss meal plans for women over 40 include:

Day 1

Breakfast

  • An egg, spinach, and mushroom omelet
  • Ezekiel toast
  • Avocado slices
  • Coffee or tea

Snack

  • Low-fat cottage cheese
  • Walnuts
  • Strawberries

Lunch

  • Leafy greens topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, sesame seeds, and tuna
  • Italian or another oil-based salad dressing
  • Cooked quinoa

Snack

  • A protein shake made with protein powder, peanut butter, and banana slices

Dinner

  • Grilled chicken
  • Broccoli
  • Brown rice mixed with olive oil and seasonings

Day 2

Breakfast

  • A protein shake made with protein powder, oatmeal, blueberries, and almond butter
  • Coffee or tea

Snack

  • Non-fat Greek yogurt
  • Peaches
  • Pistachios

Lunch

  • A lean ground turkey burger (or black bean burger) topped with avocado slices, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers or pickles
  • Whole-grain bun or lettuce wrap

Snack

  • Peapods dipped in hummus

Dinner

  • Grilled salmon
  • Asparagus
  • Whole-grain pasta
  • Olive oil/pesto sauce

Day 3

Breakfast

Snack

  • Reduced-fat cheese
  • An orange

Lunch

Snack

  • A banana with cashew butter
  • Low-fat milk or plant milk

Dinner

  • Sautéed or grilled tofu with sesame seeds
  • A small sweet potato or green peas
  • Bell peppers sauteed in olive oil

Healthy Weight Loss Recipes for Women Over 40

Having a few delicious recipes on hand can enhance your weight loss experience.

Examples of healthy recipes your entire family will love include:

Erin Coleman
B.S. - Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D.

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

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*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on weight loss meal plans for women over 40.

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Our Fit Mother Project Team’s deepest commitment is to helping you live healthier for both yourself and your family. And when it comes to online content, integrity and trust is everything. That’s why our Fit Mother Project staff-writers are all trained professionals in the field of health and wellness (registered dieticians, licensed personal trainers, and licensed physicians) – see the full team here. We rigorously run all of our articles through a rigorous editorial process to ensure the accuracy, simplicity, and utility of the information. And we aren’t just a team of “academics” sitting in an ivory tower. We are real people – with jobs, responsibilities, and families – working hard in the trenches and testing our tips & methods out to make sure you can stay healthy for family.

Here is what you can expect from us on our Fit Mother Blog and YouTube channel:

  1. All of our content is written and reviewed by licensed health professionals (dieticians, personal trainers, doctors).
  2. In nearly all of our articles, we link to published research studies from the most respected peer-reviewed medical & health journals.
  3. We include research-based videos to accompany our articles to make it easier for you to consume our content, put it into action, and see results.
  4. Inside our articles & videos, we do promote our free meal plans, workouts, and/or paid programs, because we know they have the potential to change your life.
  5. We openly take feedback here on our contact page. We welcome your content suggestions… and even feedback on grammar (we’d like to thing that we’re pretty OK at spelling and “stuff”).
  6. Above all, we are a community of likeminded men and women committed to living healthier. We do not advocate any health advice that we wouldn’t personally implement with our families. Because as far as we’re concerned, you’re our family too.

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