Age is just a number we are told to believe. Unfortunately even though you might feel like you are 30 on the outside, your body knows exactly what age you are. For women, over the age of 30 you lose a small percentage of muscle mass every year. Less muscle mass means your body’s metabolism gets slower, making it harder to lose weight and very easy to gain. On top of all that, around age 50, menopause throws your whole body’s hormones out of whack. Here are some helpful tips to lose weight for women over 50:
Set Realistic Goals
Being a Certified Personal Trainer specializing in women’s fitness, I hear the most unrealistic weight loss goals. Most women really want to lose weight but are not willing to make the sacrifices for their goals. Weight loss is not an easy journey. Best advice is start with small goals. Break down your big weight loss goals into smaller more achievable ones. It is also very important to focus on all the positive and healthy lifestyle changes and not just the number on the scale.
Be More Active
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, at any age you need to incorporate working out into your routine. Specifically for women over 50, you have to remember, especially if you have never worked out before that your bodies are not as flexible and active as you might have been when you were younger. Start off slowly by walking or doing yoga. Doing low impact exercises which are easier on your joints, increase flexibility, and improve blood circulation is a good place to start.
Clean Eating
Some dieticians and health professionals say weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. I say long term weight loss is 100% diet and 100% exercise. Changing your lifestyle and not doing a fad diet is key if you are looking for long term weight loss. If you want to lose fat, being in a calorie deficit is extremely important. You need to consume less calories than you are burning off. Including whole foods especially fruits and vegetables with many micronutrients and health benefits will help you feel fuller longer and give you energy.
Strength Train- Build Muscle
Since the body naturally loses a small percentage of muscle mass on its own after the age of 30, it is very important to incorporate strength training in your workouts so you can build lean muscle mass. Although cardio is super important for your heart and lung health, it is not the best way to lose weight and keep it off long term. Strength training not only helps build muscle but speeds up metabolism and should be the most important part of your workout. Include strength training 2-3 times per week to help increase muscle mass.
Keep Stress Levels Down
This one is definitely easier said than done. Even though very hard in today’s world, keeping your stress levels down is very helpful with weight loss. Stress can cause your body’s hormone levels to go wild and can definitely be a cause for weight gain. It is important to practice mindfulness and self-care to keep your stress levels down. Mindfulness can help with reducing overall stress, which can make a huge effect on your weight loss.
Before any weight loss plan speak to your doctor. Weight loss progress can depend on many different factors. Keeping in mind sometimes medications can be known to hinder weight loss progress and make you gain weight. Including these tips in your every day will put you on the right track to living your healthiest life. While it is not impossible to lose weight after 50, it is much harder and you have to be more diligent. Stay strong ladies!