All About Carbohydrates: How Women Over 40 Can Benefit From Them

If you’re a woman over 40 trying to lose body fat, build muscle, improve your energy, or simply feel better, chances are you’ve wondered:

Should I be eating fewer carbohydrates?

Carbs have gotten a pretty bad reputation over the years. We’ve been told to cut bread, avoid pasta, skip potatoes, give up rice, and definitely stay away from anything with sugar if we want to lose weight.

But carbohydrates themselves aren’t the problem.

The bigger issue is what types of carbohydrates we’re eating, how much we’re eating, and what the rest of our diet looks like.

And for women over 40—especially during and after the menopause transition—cutting carbohydrates too aggressively isn’t necessarily the answer.

First: What Do Carbohydrates Actually Do?

Carbohydrates are one of the body's three major macronutrients, along with protein and fat.

When we eat carbohydrates, many are broken down into glucose, which our bodies can use for energy. We also store carbohydrate as glycogen in our muscles and liver.

That stored glycogen becomes particularly important when you're exercising.

If you're strength training, walking, doing intervals, cycling, or living an active lifestyle, carbohydrates can help provide the fuel your body needs to perform.

And that's important because after 40, I don't want women simply focused on eating less.

I want us focused on maintaining muscle, getting stronger, staying active and fueling our bodies well enough to actually DO those things.

What Changes After 40?

As we move through perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause, declining estrogen is associated with changes in body composition and metabolic health.

We may notice:

• More fat accumulating around the abdomen

• Changes in insulin sensitivity

• Greater difficulty maintaining muscle

• Changes in appetite and energy

• Poorer recovery when sleep and stress aren't managed

• A body that doesn't seem to respond exactly the way it did at 25

This is where women sometimes make the mistake of thinking:

"I just need to stop eating carbs."

Not necessarily.

We need to become more intentional about our carbohydrates.

Not All Carbohydrates Are Created Equal

There's a big nutritional difference between eating a bowl of oatmeal and eating a handful of cookies.

Both contain carbohydrates.

But they don't provide the same nutrition, fiber, satiety or effect on your overall diet.

Carbohydrates I Want Women Eating Regularly

Think primarily about minimally processed, fiber-rich carbohydrate sources:

Fruit

Berries, apples, oranges, bananas, pears, kiwi and other whole fruits.

Vegetables

Especially a variety of colorful vegetables.

Beans and legumes

Lentils, black beans, chickpeas and other legumes provide carbohydrates along with fiber and some protein.

Whole grains

Oats, quinoa, brown rice, barley and other intact or minimally processed grains.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes

Yes, potatoes can absolutely be part of a healthy diet.

These foods don't need to be feared.

They can provide fiber, vitamins, minerals and fuel for an active body.

The Carbohydrates I Want You to Limit

This is where I want you paying more attention.

It's not about creating a list of foods you can never eat.

It's about recognizing the foods that are incredibly easy to overeat while providing relatively little nutrition or satiety.

Limit things like:

• Sugary drinks

• Candy

• Cookies

• Cakes and pastries

• Donuts

• Sweetened cereals

• Chips

• Crackers

• Highly processed snack foods

• Large portions of refined breads

• Large portions of refined pasta

• Desserts and baked goods

• Foods containing large amounts of added sugar

Notice I said limit, not eliminate.

I don't believe you need to live the rest of your life never eating a cookie.

But a cookie shouldn't be your primary carbohydrate source either.

Protein + Fiber + Carbohydrates

One of the easiest ways to improve your meals is to stop eating carbohydrates by themselves all the time.

Instead, build your meals around:

Protein + produce + a quality carbohydrate + healthy fat

For example:

Grilled chicken + roasted vegetables + potatoes

Greek yogurt + berries + chia seeds + a small amount of granola

Eggs + vegetables + sourdough toast

Salmon + vegetables + rice

Turkey + avocado + whole-grain wrap + vegetables

This creates a much more balanced meal than grabbing crackers, cereal, toast, or a pastry by itself.

Carbohydrates and Strength Training

This is one of the biggest reasons I don't want active women becoming afraid of carbohydrates.

Your muscles store carbohydrate as glycogen.

When you train, particularly during moderate- to higher-intensity exercise, glycogen helps fuel that work.

If you're trying to build or preserve muscle after 40, you need to be able to train with enough intensity to give your muscles a reason to adapt.

That means your body needs fuel.

Protein gets a lot of attention when we talk about muscle—and it absolutely should.

But carbohydrates can support the training that helps you build that muscle in the first place.

So How Much Carbohydrate Should You Eat?

There isn't one carbohydrate number that's right for every woman over 40.

Your needs depend on things like:

• Your body size

• Activity level

• Training volume

• Goals

• Metabolic health

• Total calorie intake

• Personal preferences

Someone strength training four days a week and walking 10,000 steps a day may have very different carbohydrate needs from someone who is mostly sedentary.

That's why I don't want you blindly following a low-carb diet just because someone on social media told you women over 40 shouldn't eat carbs.

A Simple Way to Portion Your Carbohydrates

You don't necessarily have to count every gram.

Start with your hand.

For many women, approximately one cupped-hand portion of cooked carbohydrates can be a useful starting point at a meal.

Think:

Rice

Quinoa

Oatmeal

Potatoes

Beans

Pasta

Then adjust based on your activity level, hunger, goals and results.

On days when you're training hard, you may need more.

On days when you're less active, you may naturally need less.

The goal isn't perfection.

It's learning how to fuel your body.

Stop Asking, "Are Carbs Bad?"

Instead, start asking:

What kind of carbohydrate am I eating?

Does this meal contain protein?

Am I getting enough fiber?

Am I eating mostly whole foods or mostly highly processed foods?

Am I eating an amount that supports my goals?

Am I fueling the activity I'm asking my body to perform?

Those questions are much more useful than simply asking whether carbohydrates are good or bad.

Women Over 40 Need a Better Strategy—Not More Food Rules

One of the things I want women to understand is that getting healthier after 40 doesn't require eliminating entire food groups.

It requires learning how to build a lifestyle that supports your changing body.

Strength training.

Protein.

Fiber.

Daily movement.

Sleep.

Recovery.

Quality nutrition.

Consistency.

That's where the real work happens.

And carbohydrates can absolutely have a place in that plan.

You just need to learn how to use them.

Want a Simple Guide You Can Save?

I know it can be hard to remember all of this when you're standing in the grocery store or trying to figure out what to make for dinner.

So I created a simple Carbohydrates After 40 Guide that you can save to your phone or print and keep handy.

Inside you'll find:

• Carbohydrates to eat more often

• Carbohydrates to limit

• An easy formula for building balanced meals

• Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas

• A simple carb checklist to help you make better choices

Download your Carbohydrates After 40 Guide here → https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bc3C87mzTTmfnFoYCbu2K0WBd1Uet7IO/view?usp=share_link

Ready to Put This Into Practice?

Knowing what to do is one thing.

Actually creating the habits and consistency to do it week after week is another.

That's exactly why I created my FREE 8-Week Momentum program.

Over eight weeks, you'll start building the foundation I want women focusing on: strength training, daily movement, better nutrition habits and consistency—without trying to overhaul your entire life overnight.

If you're tired of jumping from diet to diet and you're ready to start building habits you can actually maintain, start with Momentum.

Join the FREE 8-Week Momentum program and start building your foundation today.