You Can Lose Weight After 40

SPOILER ALERT: There aren't any "tricks" or "secrets" here. Instead, there are some very real, very doable things you can do to drop pounds and keep them off.

- JENNIFER LAURENCE, R.D.

FROM HORMONAL CHANGES TO A HEFTY PLATE OF SOCIAL AND WORK RESPONSIBILITIES, life throws a lot your way in your 40s and beyond. But you don't need to overhaul your entire lifestyle or clear your schedule to make changes to your weight. In fact, the opposite approachsmall, gradual tweaks-may be the better bet for achieving lasting, sustainable weight loss. When you adopt one tiny (but mighty!) healthy habit at a time, you'll be able to make real change while juggling the rest of your life. Here are six habits that make the biggest difference:

HABIT 1: Add protein and fiber

WHEN IT COMES TO LOSING WEIGHT (and keeping it off) in midlife, these nutrients are essential.

When we eat protein, it gets broken down into amino acids that the body uses to repair, preserve, and build muscle tissue. That's especially important as you work to lose weight, since low-calorie diet plans can cause you to lose both fat and muscle tissue. By retaining that muscle while you lose fat, you'll maintain your strength while looking leaner and more toned.

Fiber, meanwhile, is crucial to eating the kind of balanced diet that will get you to the weight you want. Hunger can really get in the way of weight loss: It can be tough to keep your portions and calories in check when you're struggling to make it from one meal to the next. Fiber is your secret weapon for making your meals more filling so they'll stay with you longer. Foods that are rich in fiber tend to take longer to digest, so you're less likely to get that grumbling feeling an hour or two after eating.

FIND PROTEIN IN:

• Lean meats and seafood
• Eggs and dairy
• Beans and legumes
• Minimally processed soy foods
• Nuts and seeds

FIND FIBER IN: