Losing weight and staying fit can look different at every stage of life. As women enter their 40s and 50s, changes in hormones, muscle strength, and metabolism can make maintaining a healthy weight a little more challenging. However, instead of focusing only on the numbers on the weighing scale, building healthy habits, eating a variety of foods and staying physically active can make a difference in the long run.
Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, known for working with Bollywood stars like Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Shahid Kapoor, recently shared a series of videos on Instagram with tips for women aged 44 to 60. Divided into two clips, her advice focuses on yoga, dietary diversity, and setting realistic fitness goals. Here's a breakdown of what she said.
In the first video, Rujuta explained that research on ageing points towards two important phases, around the ages of 44 and 60. She said women should pay attention to their health during these years to make their later life more enjoyable.
1. Make yoga inversions a part of your routine
According to Rujuta Diwekar, confidence is one of the first things that can take a hit with age. She explained that confidence does not come from losing weight or fitting into an old dress but from doing difficult things every day that are good for your health.
The nutritionist recommended practising yoga asanas, especially inversions such as Shirshasana, Sarvangasana and Halasana. She said these poses can help improve posture and strengthen the core, back, hips, and shoulders. However, these poses may not be suitable for everyone, so it is best to practice them under expert guidance.
2. Add more variety to your diet
The expert also stressed the importance of dietary diversity instead of unnecessarily cutting out food groups. She suggested including three things in the diet.
First, have root vegetables such as suran, arbi and ratalu at least once a week. Second, include millets like ragi, bajra, rajgira and jowar once a week to add micronutrients, including iron, to your diet.
Her third recommendation was to eat a handful of peanuts daily. She highlighted their B6, amino acid and fibre content, adding that they can be a useful addition for women dealing with breast tenderness or difficult PMS symptoms.
A post shared by Rujuta Diwekar (@rujuta.diwekar)
3. Focus on waist-to-hip ratio, not just weight
In the second video, Rujuta Diwekar said women should focus on maintaining a healthy waist-to-hip ratio rather than worrying only about losing weight. She suggested keeping an eight-inch difference between waist and hip measurements and keeping the waist measurement below 36 inches.
She also explained that excess fat around the midsection is linked to a higher risk of health concerns such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiorespiratory problems.
4. Give yourself four years to build a healthy routine
Lastly, the nutritionist asked women to be patient with their fitness journey. Instead of expecting quick results from a few days of dieting or exercise, she recommended giving themselves a four-year timeline.
The expert said, "You haven't done anything for 40 years, you are not going to lose weight in 4 days of exercise and diet."
A post shared by Rujuta Diwekar (@rujuta.diwekar)
Her advice was to stay consistent with yoga, dietary diversity and other healthy habits. She ended the video by encouraging women to enjoy life with both health and wealth.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
