How to get tough on Losing Weight !
We’ve all been there ! We’ve tried the crazy diet plans. You know, the ones that promise inches and pounds will fall off in a very short time ? Some have counted calories, only to eat more, because they did phenomenal the day before ! I think it’s because it forces us to focus on food even more. Of course the endless exercise, kick boxing, yoga, and weight lifting were supposed to get your metabolism peaking again ! What’s up with that ???
As we age, it is likely we’ve gained pounds every year after we turned 40. There is a reason for this, and it’s not as simple as we’re getting older. We can’t keep excepting this as our reason, and therefore we can’t do a damn thing about it ?! That’s giving up and I won’t stand for it !!! We become a victim then, and victims don’t ever win ! They just place blame elsewhere. Like AA, the first step is admitting it’s within yourself to make a change !
For women at age 50+ we need to consume 1,650 to 2,100 calories each day just to maintain our weight. To lose weight, you have to cut 500 to 1,000 calories per day ! That will enable you to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. I’ve begun to inspect food labels to estimate my calorie intake. Wow ! Was I in trouble !
Unhealthy habits, a sedentary lifestyle, poor food choices, hormonal and metabolism changes can all contribute to weight gain. Do we even stand a chance ? YES !!! Ah, what a relief !
With a few simple adjustments, you will be amazed at how you can lose weight at any age — regardless of your physical capabilities or medical diagnoses.
Here are the 13 best ways to lose weight after 50 :
1. Practice strength training
Although cardio gets a lot of attention when it comes to weight loss, strength training is sooo important for older adults. Why you ask ?
As you age, your muscle mass declines in a process called sarcopenia. This loss of muscle mass begins around the age of 50 and can slow your metabolism, which may lead to weight gain. After the age of 50, your muscle mass decreases by about 1–2% per year, while your muscle strength declines at a rate of 1.5–5% per year.
Therefore, adding muscle building exercises to your routine is essential for reducing age-related muscle loss and promoting a healthy body weight.
Strength training, such as bodyweight exercises and weightlifting, can significantly improve muscle strength and increase muscle size and function. Plus, strength training can help you lose weight by reducing body fat, which increases how many calories you burn throughout the day. Sounds great, huh ? Grab some weights and let’s begin !
2. Do the group thing
When you begin healthy eating and/ or exercise routine on your own, it most definitely can be challenging. Pairing up with a friend, co-worker, or family member may give you a better chance at sticking to your plan and achieving your goals. You will have an accountability partner in crime and each supports the other. Why do you think Group exercise classes work better than your treadmill ( aka Hat rack ) at home ? He He ! You know I’m right !
Research proves that those who attend weight loss programs with friends are significantly more likely to maintain their results over time. You’ll have an accountability partner. Additionally, it strengthens your commitment to a fitness program and makes exercising more enjoyable.
3. Is it Hormonal ?
Hormonal changes in mid-life can absolutely wreak havoc on your body ! “The overall deterioration of the body that comes with growing old is not inevitable. We now realize that some aspects of it can be prevented or reversed.” Daniel Rudman, M.D., New England Journal of Medicine.
I’ve been studying this as it’s been touted it can reverse so many Age-related problems we all have in mid-life. Our HGH that is naturally within us, takes a complete nose-dive after age 20 ! Listen to this from Dr. Oz and another from Anderson:
4. Sit less, move more
Burning more calories than you take in is critical to losing excess body fat. That’s why being more active throughout the day is important when trying to lose weight. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further away from the store. Do these if you can.
For example, for those with a desk job, sitting for long periods of time might impede your weight loss efforts. To counteract this, you can become more active at work by simply getting up from your desk and taking a five-minute walk every hour. I was in the cubicle world for 20+ years and found during every 15 minute break as well as lunchtime, I walked outside if the weather permitted. There were times that I and another coworker got caught in a storm, but we lost a few pounds regardless !
Research shows that tracking your steps using an application, pedometer or Fitbit can boost weight loss by increasing your activity levels and calorie expenditure.
When using a pedometer or Fitbit, start with a realistic step goal based on your current activity levels. Gradually work your way up to 7,000–10,000 steps per day or more, depending on your overall health. Rome wasn’t built in a day !
5. Increase protein intake
Getting enough high-quality protein in your diet is not only important for weight loss but also critical for stopping or reversing age-related muscle loss.
How many calories you burn at rest decreases by 1–2% each decade after you turn 20. This is associated with age-related muscle loss.
However, eating a protein-rich diet can help prevent or even reverse muscle loss. Numerous studies have also shown that increasing dietary protein can help you lose weight and keep it off in the long term.
I did not know this but research shows that older adults have higher protein needs than younger adults, which makes it all the more important to add protein rich foods.
6. More home-cooked meals
It’s been proven that people who prepare and eat more meals at home, tend to follow a healthier diet and weigh less than those who don’t.
Cooking meals at home allows you to control what goes in — and what stays out — of your recipes. It also lets you experiment and be creative with healthy ingredients and recipes that pique your interest.
If you eat most meals out of the house, start by cooking one or two meals per week at home, then gradually increase this number until you’re cooking at home more than you eat out.
For those that Do Not want to do this, there are subscriptions to meal plans that are targeted for Paleo, Keto, and others, and always nutrition is built in ! They save time by shopping for you, delivering to your door, and never wondering how to stay with your diet plan !
7. Cut the Fast foods out
Regularly eating convenience foods, such as fast food, candy, and processed sugary snacks, is associated with weight gain and may completely throw off your weight loss efforts.
These foods are typically high in calories and tend to be low in important nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. That’s why fast food and other processed foods are often referred to as “empty calories.”
Cutting back on convenience foods and replacing them with nutritious meals and snacks that revolve around nutrient-dense whole foods is a smart way to lose weight.
8. Pick an activity that you love. Meetups are great.
Finding an exercise routine that you can maintain long term can be difficult. This is why it’s important to engage in activities that you enjoy.
For example, if you like group activities, sign up for a group sport like soccer or a running or hiking club so you can exercise with others on a regular basis. I have found that Meetup groups are not just for singles, but for those that share interests ! When you enter your information, it will ask about your likes, and show you whats available in your area. Making new friends and companions can stem from this as well.
If solo activities are more your style, try biking, walking, hiking, or swimming on your own.
9. Get checked by your physician
If you are struggling to lose weight even though you’re active, follow a healthy diet, you should rule out conditions that may make it difficult to lose weight . One of these is hypothyroidism and another is polycystic ovarian syndrome. Please check with your physician. This may be especially true if you have family members with these conditions.
Tell your healthcare provider about your symptoms so they can decide the best testing protocol to rule out medical conditions that may be behind your weight loss struggles.
10. Eat less at night
Many studies have shown that eating fewer calories at night may help you maintain a healthy body weight and lose excess body fat
One study showed that over 6 years, those who consumed more calories at dinner were over 2 times more likely to become obese than people who ate more calories earlier in the day.
Plus, those who ate more calories at dinner were significantly more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions including high blood sugar and excess belly fat. Metabolic syndrome increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Something to note.
Eating the majority of your calories during breakfast and lunch, while enjoying a lighter dinner, may be a worthwhile method to promote weight loss.
11. Choose the right supplements
If you feel fatigued and unmotivated, taking the right supplements may help give you the energy you need to reach your goals.
As you grow older, your ability to absorb certain nutrients declines, increasing your risk of deficiencies. For example, research shows that adults over 50 are commonly deficient in folate and vitamin B12, two nutrients that are needed for energy production.
Deficiencies in B vitamins like B12 can negatively impact your mood, cause fatigue, and hinder weight loss.
For this reason, it’s a good idea for those over 50 to take a high-quality B-complex vitamin to help decrease the risk of deficiency.
12. Improve your sleep
Not getting enough quality sleep may harm your weight loss efforts. Not getting enough sleep increases the likelihood of obesity and may hinder weight loss efforts besides other health conditions. It’s critical !
For example, a 2-year study in 245 women demonstrated that those who slept 7 hours per night or more were 33% more likely to lose weight than women who slept less than 7 hours per night. Better sleep quality was also associated with weight loss success.
Aim to get the recommended 7–9 hours of sleep per night and improve your sleep quality by minimizing light in your bedroom and avoiding using your phone or watching TV before bed.
As I mentioned above, HGH decline is definitely a culprit in this area. Remember sleeping like a baby what seems like forever ago ? That’s because in your youth, you had an abundance of this hormone – Your master hormone. It begins it’s decline, when you reach 20. By middle age, you it has dropped 85 % ! No wonder things are changing besides our stresses.
HGH replacement can reverse signs of aging by 5 to 15 percent per year or more. There is no other single therapy that can have the impact on the aging body that HGH does. HGH therapy can reduce excess body fat, particularly abdominal fat, increase muscle mass, reduce wrinkling, restore internal organs that have atrophied with age, increase bone density, reverse cognitive deterioration, strengthen the immune system, stimulate bone marrow cell production resulting in more red blood cells, and reduce the chances of a nursing home as your end destination. When I learned this, I had to try it. See video for quick information:
*Where do I find this: www.youngandstrong.newulife.com
13. Try Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is a type of eating pattern in which you only eat during a specified period. The most popular type of intermittent fasting is the 16/8 method, where you eat within an 8-hour window followed by a 16-hour fast. Numerous studies have shown that intermittent fasting promotes weight loss.
What’s more, some test-tube and animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting may benefit older adults by increasing longevity, slowing cell decline, and preventing age-related changes to mitochondria, the energy-producing parts of your cells.
The Bottom Line
Though weight loss may seem to get more difficult with age, many evidence-based strategies can help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight after turning 50. There are choices out there. Failing is just a stepping stone. Put those stones under your feet, and build upon them with this new information you have.
Cutting out added sugars, incorporating strength training into your workouts, eating more protein, cooking meals at home, and following a whole-foods-based diet are just some of the methods you can use to improve your overall health and lose excess body fat.
Human Growth Hormone in gel form helps you lose weight and keep it off. If what you are doing isn’t creating the look and health you want, it’s worth a look !
Hope you try some of these ideas. Without changing something up, we have no change in our bodies. I may have said this before, but it bears repeating, “Closed minds are like closed parachutes, both do not work ! “
