When it comes to healthy eating, most of us have let things slide a little to cope with the stresses of the coronavirus pandemic. After a cycle of brutal national lockdowns, there was, understandably, little appetite for the traditional “New Year, New You!” health reset back in January. The short, dark days were consumed by WFH, homeschooling and generally trying to keep body and soul together. Now as we tentatively make plans for longed-for reunions, milestones, parties and holidays – we want to look and feel like our best selves again.
But for us midlifers, periods of excess will tend to accumulate around the middle – the dreaded spare tyre. Hormonal changes and a slowing metabolism are largely to blame. In fact, by the time we hit 50, our energy requirements are 20 per cent less than those of our 20-year-old selves. In the absence of any lifestyle changes, weight gain is inevitable.
Our gut health also takes a hit as we age. Studies have shown that our guts become less efficient at digesting and metabolising food after the age of 40, because of changes to our gut bacteria. It’s the perfect storm as far as our weight is concerned. In short, we need more nutrition from fewer calories.
My book, The Midlife Method: How to Lose Weight and Feel Great After 40, is not a diet in the traditional sense, to be followed religiously to the letter for a few weeks and then abandoned in a craving-fuelled food frenzy. The aim is to gently guide you towards a more positive relationship with food, one where you enjoy the planning, preparation and eating of good, nutritious meals.
The recipes I have created are healthy comfort food – which we all need right now. They’re optimally balanced for our nutritional needs in midlife, and naturally low in calories, but most importantly they are family-friendly and can be easily tweaked to suit everyone at the table, from the picky eater to the voracious teen.
The Midlife Method divides the week up into Light Days, where calorie intake is limited to 800, and Regular Days, where the focus is not on calories so much as eating healthy, balanced, nutrient-dense food to ensure adequate nutrition and a healthy gut.
Unlike most diets, for example intermittent fasting or low-carb regimes, there are no rules on when you can eat and no food groups are off limits. We’ve had enough restrictions – there’s plenty of wriggle room on your Regular Days for a glass of wine or a piece of cake if occasion calls.
It will take a minimum of 3-4 Light Days a week to see some results. If you wish to see results more quickly, try the four-week plan: starting with six Light Days in the first week, reducing to three Light Days by week four. Three Light Days a week is continued until you hit your target weight. One to two Light Days are then sufficient for maintenance.
Breakfast: Chorizo Omelette
