Food after 40

When I hit 40, nothing changed — and yet, somehow, everything did.

Did I Suddenly Get Presbyopia?

— No. My eyes did start having a harder time focusing, but it has been a gradual change for me.

Did I Develop Health Problems?

— Yes. I needed physical therapy a few times, but that was likely due to the types of exercise I was doing, not necessarily because of age.

What Really Changed?

— My Digestion.

This was the biggest shift. Gradually, I began feeling too full after eating the same meals we’d always had. No one else in my family seemed to notice anything different, so I knew it was just me.

As someone who loves scheduling, I had a 12-week meal rotation with dinner plans from Monday to Friday. (Weekends are my husband’s cooking days.) Normally, I updated the plan about once a year — but after 40, I felt a strong urge to make a more significant change.

My New 12-Week Meal Plan

Here’s how I adapted our meal schedule to feel lighter and more energized:

• Fish twice a week:

  • One day with salmon

  • One day with white fish

• Soup day once a week:
  I added a dedicated soup day and explored new recipes for each week in the rotation.

• One chicken day and one beef day per week:
  I still enjoy these, but I cut back on how often we had heavier meats.

The Unexpected Favorite: Soup Day

To my surprise, soup day became my family's favorite — especially for my younger daughter. I think part of the magic was that I always baked fresh bread to go with it. Over time, I tried out many different bread recipes, each becoming a new family favorite.

How It Made Me Feel

This change made a huge difference. I felt physically better, less bloated, and more in tune with what my body needed. I never expected a few small changes to make such a big impact.