Aging Gracefully
With Amanda
5 Secret, Science-Backed Habits Of Women Over 40 Who Are “Naturally” Lean
You and your bff are both in your 40s. You both complain about hot flashes over brunch. You both order the scrambled eggs with a side salad and split a croissant. But she stays effortlessly lean, while your weight seems to creep up whenever you’re brave enough to step on the scale.
Why does this happen? Why do some women effortlessly maintain a healthy weight into menopause while others struggle, despite decades of maintaining a healthy weight?
The hormone shifts that come on in our 40s do make it harder to lose weight and stay lean. The women who navigate these shifts with ease have five “hidden” habits that you probably don’t know about.
Here are five secret, science-backed habits that help keep women “naturally” lean through menopause and beyond:
1. They Heal Their Toxic Relationship With Food
Let’s face it: in a culture that promotes viral dessert recipes one minute and celebrity “diet hacks” the next, it’s hard to develop a healthy relationship with food.
Many women suffer through cycles of binging and restriction, labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” and then eating past fullness during social events. But research shows this pattern isn’t just frustrating—it also hurts your metabolism.
Binge and restrict cycles can increase levels of cortisol and harm insulin sensitivity, which can lead to weight gain and slower metabolism. 1
Many women who stay effortlessly lean after 40 have healed their relationship with food. And they follow a simple rule: don’t go into a triggering situation on an empty stomach.
Eat a high protein, low sugar snack before dinners out, long outings, or events where you’ll be drinking. This helps you make good decisions.
With 15g protein and only 2g sugar, Stars + Honey bars are the perfect high protein snack to keep in your bag when you need to take the edge off your hunger. The high protein to sugar ratio will keep you full, but each bar is only 180 calories.
2. They Get More Active With Age, Not Less
Everyone thinks they’re just as active at 45 as they were at 23. But let’s hop in the time machine and check in on our early 20s selves.
Many of us had more time for active hobbies. We were more likely to be working on our feet or working weekend side hustles. We went to bed later, and spent evenings walking from bar to bar.
The science backs it up: physical activity tends to decline sharply after age 40, especially for those without intentional exercise routines. 2
Many women who stay effortlessly lean after 40 prioritize movement. They sneak in a 30 minute walk in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening. And they make simple changes that add up, like picking a far parking spot or taking the stairs.
That said, it’s hard to prioritize movement when you’re feeling achy and exhausted. Stars + Honey bars are enhanced with collagen peptides to help your muscles recover faster and your joints stay healthier.
These bars also have three sources of protein (collagen, nut and pea), while many bars on the market have just one. That gives all of your body’s systems more comprehensive support, so you can keep your energy levels up. 3
3. They Eat A Blood Sugar-Friendly Diet Most Days
As women’s hormones start to shift in their 40s, their bodies can become more likely to burn sugar for energy and less likely to burn fat.
The result is fat accumulation around the middle that erases your waistline and that’s hard to get rid of, no matter how little you eat. 4
Many women who stay effortlessly lean after 40 structure their meals to prioritize blood sugar balance, which helps the body burn fat like it did in our 20s.
What does this look like in practice?
- Incorporating green veggies that are high in fiber into every meal, and eating veggies before anything else on the plate. 5
- Minimizing snacking–sticking to three meals and one snack instead of grazing.
- Avoiding meals or snacks that are carb-heavy, without protein and fat to balance it out.
Stars + Honey bars fit right into this gameplan. These bars have a high protein (15g) to sugar (just 2g) ratio, and between six and seven grams of fiber in every bar. They also contain healthy fats from nuts to provide a truly balanced macro profile.
4. They Actively Work Against Muscular Decay
Did you know that women lose 3 to 8% of their muscle mass each decade after age 30, and that increases to up to 15% per decade after 60? 6
Muscle helps us lift heavy things, but it is also a metabolic powerhouse. And because muscle loss can be subtle at first, women don’t realize that their metabolism is slowly getting weaker over time.
Many women who stay effortlessly lean after 40 prioritize resistance training and protein intake so they can maintain–and even grow–their muscle mass over time.
But training is only half of the equation. Your body needs sufficient protein to build and maintain muscle–ideally between 25-30g per meal, and 12-15g per snack. 7
Stars + Honey bars contain 15g of protein, but unlike other common protein sources, you’ll actually enjoy the taste. It’s easy to hit your daily protein goals when you ditch the chalky powders and go for an option that tastes like dessert.
5. They’re Blessed With An Iron Gut (Or Work To Keep It Healthy)
Many scientists and doctors call the gut “the second brain” because our digestive health influences our mental health. Our gut health also impacts the signals that tell the brain “I’m full” and impacts how well the body pulls nutrients from our food. 8
Women who are struggling with gut imbalances will be fighting an uphill battle if they’re trying to get lean. (9) And the hormone shifts that come on in menopause make it even harder to keep your gut healthy and balanced.
Some women over 40 are simply blessed with good gut health. They can eat whatever they want, and their digestion will keep chuggling along.
But many women who stay effortlessly lean after 40 avoid ingredients that commonly throw off gut health, including gluten, dairy, soy, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. 10
It’s hard to find prepared snacks that fit these criteria, but Stars + Honey bars deliver. These bars are gluten free, soy free and dairy free. And they don’t use artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols.
Sources
1. Polivy & Herman, 2002; Tomiyama et al., 2010 (PMID: 11707554, PMID: 20427475)
2. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2016–2018
3. Zdzieblik et al., 2015: Collagen supplementation improved joint discomfort in physically active adults (PMID: 26384341)
4. Carr MC, 2003, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (PMID: 12519868)
5. Shukla AP et al., 2015, Diabetes Care (PMID: 25605675)
6 Cruz-Jentoft AJ et al., Age and Ageing (2010) – PMID: 20392703
7. Mamerow et al., 2014, Journal of Nutrition – PMID: 24552753
8. Krajmalnik-Brown et al., 2012, Nature
9. Turnbaugh et al., Nature, 2006 (PMID: 16902140)
10. De Palma et al., Gut, 2009 (PMID: 19136531)