Losing weight at any age can be challenging, but it seems much more difficult when you are older. Yes, we said difficult but not impossible, especially if you follow these expert-approved tips. If you want to lose weight after 50, take it seriously and stay positive.
Tips for losing weight after 50 years
Reduce your stress
Middle age is a time when stress and worry increase. In addition to managing your personal life, you may have a stressful job, raising your children, paying a mortgage, etc., not to mention that you have to start thinking about retirement and the possibility of your children leaving home and you experience the “empty nest syndrome”. The more stressed you are, the less likely you are to do the things you need to do to lose weight after age 50, like exercise and eat right.
Contact professionals
If none of the methods you have tried previously work, it is best to consult a specialist to help you lose weight after 50 years. These highly specialized doctors can help you solve any problem and get your weight loss plan in motion .
Do not give up
Studies have shown that science-proven treatments for obesity and weight control work as well in older people as in the general population . It is best to stay calm and not get discouraged.
Check your medications
As you age, the more prescription and over-the-counter medications you take to treat your age-related health problems. Some medications, including antidepressants, can cause weight gain, so make sure any unexplained weight gain is not a side effect of a medication.
Get enough sleep
Sleep patterns change with age. For menopausal women, night sweats can mean waking up frequently to change sheets or put on other pajamas. This loss of sleep can make it harder to lose weight. Ghrelin is the hormone that signals when you need to eat, and when you’re deprived of sleep, grenilla increases. For its part, leptin, which is the hormone that indicates when you are satiated, is reduced when you are not sleepy. The more ghrelin, the less leptin, which translates into weight gain. The good news is that melatonin, a supplement to improve sleep, can also treat the symptoms of menopause.
Try intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is all the rage, and among studies conducted, some suggest that a type of fasting known as the 16: 8 diet can help you lose weight. During the 16 hours of the day, for example, from 6:30 pm to 10:30 am, you do not eat, and during the other eight hours of the day, you can make your meals. With this system, you consume fewer calories and lose more fat.
Increase your protein intake
Muscle mass declines with age, and because muscle burns more calories than fat, metabolism also slows, leading to weight gain. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating an equal amount of protein in all three meals can build muscle strength in people over 50.
Break the diet
Now may be the time to abandon your diet, at least for a few days, as it can help you lose weight according to research. Participants in different investigations who stopped dieting for two weeks lost more weight during the studies and did not gain extra pounds after finishing it.
Eat more vegetables
Change the order of the foods you eat. For example, when you eat bread before meals, your blood sugar rises along with the production of the hormone insulin, which increases your chances of gaining weight. Eating vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates last has a profound impact on blood sugar levels and causes ghrelin levels to drop.
Do strength training
With age, people tend to lose muscle mass and that makes it harder to lose weight because having less muscle mass means a lower metabolic rate. Strength exercises can change the composition of your muscles in a way that makes them more metabolically active. Include free weight exercises or machines in your routines once or twice a week.
Take the best supplements
If your diet and exercise plan are no longer working, you may be deficient in one or more essential vitamins or nutrients. Consult with your doctor about the possibility of taking an analysis and including supplements in your diet.
Do not weigh yourself
The scale doesn’t always tell the truth when you’re trying to lose weight after age 50. Instead of weighing yourself, measure your waist circumference with a tape measure. If your waist size is smaller than when you started your weight loss plans, you can take it as a benchmark for fat reduction. Your weight may not change, but your waist size does.
