As you get older, there's no denying that it becomes harder to lose weight. That's because we lose muscle mass in the average rate of three to six percent for every 10 years after age 35. This can affect the way your body burns fat.
“Your body runs toward its aging stage as it gives the growing one,” says Luiza Petre, MD, a New York City-based weight loss and management specialist and assistant clinical professor of cardiology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “When this happens, your body doesn’t need as much energy as it used to,” Dr. Petre explains.
Why it's so difficult to lose weight after 50
What's more, those years of playing sports, sitting, walking up and downstairs, and moving, in general, take their toll on joints and muscles. You may notice that your joints are a little stiffer and sorer than they were a few decades ago. Then, there's the issue of your ever-slowing metabolism.HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AFTER 50
According to the American Council on Workout, your resting metabolic rate, also your body's capacity to burn calories while doing nothing, decreases by about one to two percent per decade due to muscle mass loss and increased fat mass. To add insult to pudge-boosting injury, your diets often don't change enough to account for this metabolic slow-down, meaning weight can creep up slowly but surely with every birthday."There are many roadblocks people in their 50s will face when trying to lose weight," says Brian Durbin, an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist and personal trainer. "But once you know what they are—and how to work around them—it's easy to be successful at dropping pounds."
While it’s not impossible to lose weight after 50, the methods you used in your 30s or 40s are not going to work the same way. Follow these tips to help you drop the pounds—and keep them off for good—courtesy of some of the world’s best weight-loss experts, dietitians, and personal trainers
1. Discuss to your doctor about a weight-loss plan
It’s never a good idea to create a weight-loss plan for yourself without speaking to your physician first—especially if you have any preexisting health conditions. "Before you get begun, it benefits to fully understand your current state of health before beginning any diet or exercise plan," advises Dr. Petre.Be clear with your doctor what you hope to achieve, and ask for suggestions regarding diet and exercise. Your dog may even be able to recommend a physical therapist or personal trainer for you.
2. Get your hormones checked
As we age, progesterone, testosterone, and different hormones decline, which begins the body up for storing fat instead of losing weight, says Jennifer Burns, NMD, a naturopathic physician in Phoenix. "Simply taking your thyroid, adrenal glands, and extra hormone levels checked and then using the appropriate steps to take them back toward balance can go a long way toward encouraging people in their 50s to lose weight," says Burns.Tami Meraglia, MD, writer of The Hormone Secret: Discover Effortless Weight Loss and Renewed Energy in Just 30 Days, admits, adding that she thinks the hormone to focus on is testosterone especially for women over 50 who are trying to get fit. "There is ample discussion in the medical community about the effects of estrogen loss, but few people are aware of the importance of sufficient testosterone levels, which can help a woman slim down," says Dr. Meraglia. The study explicates that balanced testosterone levels reduce blood glucose levels, which may serve to promote weight loss and shrink stubborn belly fat.
3. Set realistic goals
Declaring that you’re going to lose 20 pounds in one month is unrealistic, not to mention unhealthy. “Be honest with yourself. How do you feel? How healthy are you? Getting life changes takes courage and psychic fortitude,” says Dr. Petre. Be realistic—and break up big goals into smaller, more achievable ones. Focusing on how you're feeling and the positive changes you're making to your lifestyle, instead of the number on the scale, will help you stay motivated to reach your goals. “Triumphs make your courage grow,” she adds. “Small achievements amount to large goals achieved.”4. Hire a dietitian
If you're not sure which diet works best for your lifestyle, talking to a dietitian can help you identify the right eating plan for you. Whether you're considering the Flexitarian Diet, intermittent fasting, or even keto, a dietitian can break down the pros and cons of each plan and help you choose one that fits your nutritional needs and goals. Consulting an RD will also give you ideas on how to resolve roadblocks that may get in the way of your weight-loss goals, like emotional/stress eating, food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, meal boredom, etc.5. Follow a structured plan
If you want to succeed in losing weight, following a structured plan can help, says Dr. Petre. “Instead of trying and failing at yet another yo-yo diet this year, it's time to get serious about your health by following a trusted program,” she suggests. She explains that medically supervised programs have a success rate for weight loss of more than 75 percent. “It has been proven that individual support programs can encourage a significant change in behavior and reinforce long-term success,” she adds. Diet programs that include weekly visits can also provide accountability and continued support to keep the momentum going.The best diets for weight loss 2019 include the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH Diet, and the MIND diet. These diets have been proven to support weight loss, while also improving your health and reducing your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's, among other health conditions.
6. Embrace strength training
If you find it tough to make it to the gym at all, let alone brave a weight room filled with buff 20-somethings, here's a little motivation: Once you hit50, you have regarding 20 % less muscle mass than you probably did once you were 20.
And because muscle is metabolically dynamic, muscle loss equals a slower metabolism.
That makes you much more likely to put on (and hold on to) extra pounds, says Durbin.
"The excellent advice is you'll be ready to flip all of this around with a well-structured weight-training routine," he says.
"That can increase your muscle mass and help you regain the ability to lose weight like you were able to 20 years ago," he says. Aim to lift weights at least twice a week, whether you use free weights, machines or do bodyweight exercises. It doesn't hurt to lift every day—just make sure to work for different muscle groups or train differently each day.
7. Choose activities that are easy on the joints
Janna Lowell, a Los Angeles–based personal coach, says she gets the best results with her 50-somethings when she has them do some cross-training in the pool.Tired joints will keep this population from obtaining an excellent exertion, she says, and aches and pains can flip some people off exercise fully.
"Water exercise is easy on the joints and can boost the range of motion as well," says Lowell. "Even better, caloric expenditure is about 30 percent greater in the water than on land due to the resistance water creates." No pool? No problem.
Walking is great, low-impact cardiovascular exercise, as are cycling, kayaking, yoga, and dancing.
8. Make the most out of every workout
Just because your joints are a little achier than they used to be doesn't give you an excuse to phone in your workouts.Alex Allred, a recent national and expert athlete turned personal coach, says this is one of her biggest pet peeves among 50-year-olds.
"Far too many of us suppose that just because they showed up, they are working out," says Allred.
"But extremely, you would prefer to be centered on what you are ingesting and pushing yourself hard enough to suspend a sweat or at least complete the complete range of motion
of a definite workout." Not sure if you're doing a move properly?
Ask!
"I want a lot of people would stop a trainer and ask, 'Am I doing this correctly?
' " says Allred. It can make the difference between making the most of your exercise time to lose weight and wasting your time and injuring yourself.
9. See a physical therapist
The advice to ask your doctor before beginning each new exercise regime is nice, but Samira Shuruk, an ACE-certified personal trainer, suggests taking this advice a step further: Make anappointment with a physical therapist—particularly if an aching back, knee, or other body part has kept you from working out on a regular basis.
"After 50, a lot of us have sustained injuries and do not get what their activity choices are," says Shuruk.
"This makes it tough to exercise in ways that we tend to used to, and getting advice from a professional can truly help." Physical therapy can also help you rehabilitate an old
injury or ease joint and muscle pain, placing you up for pain-free workouts.
10. Overhaul your diet
Remember that metabolic slow-down?It will mean that you are burning concerning 250 fewer calories every day.
If you continue to eat like you're in your 30s—and don't increase your exercise—you'll gain weight, plain and simple, says Katie Ferraro, RD, a dietitian and assistant clinical professor of nutrition at the University of California–San Francisco School of Nursing.
"To lose weight once you become old, you have to eat fewer calories," says Ferraro.
Eliminating the junk food in your diet and replacing them with loads of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can make cutting calories painless.
11. Change how and when you eat
It’s not just what you eat, but how you eat that matters in your 50s, claims Anthony Dissen, MA, RDN, Vice President of Nutrition at WellStar Health. He suggests focusing on fullness, not portion control when you are planning your meals. “If our stomachs aren’t full, we don’t feel full, and we’ll stay hungry,” he points out.“When it comes to healthy weight loss and management, we want to strike that important balance between eating until we feel full and satisfied while still decreasing our overall
calorie intake.”
Also, stay away from fad diets. “No crazy fasts, cleanses, cutting out fats, or complex carbohydrates or proteins,” adds Jillian Michaels, health and wellness expert and author of The 6 Keys: Unlock Your Genetic Potential for Ageless Strength, Health and Beauty.
12. Get your stress in check
This decade can be prime time for stress, says Durbin."The average 50-year-old has more responsibilities than their younger peers.
They're usually in their prime income-generating years, which means extra responsibilities at work.
They may also have kids who are going to college financial burden—or have aging parents whom they're helping to care for." The result?
Emotional feeding and a schedule that looks too jam-packed for normal exercise sessions.
The solution: Schedule your workouts like their doctor's appointments, says Durbin.
Sticking to a consistent routine can't solely facilitate ease stress but also facilitate people to be track with their diets.
After all, who needs to ruin the advantages of a tough sweat session by eating a donut?
13. Get your sleep
Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night is key, maintains Michaels. In addition to leaving you feeling rested, Dr. Petre adds that the two hormones that regulate appetite leptin, and ghrelin go into overdrive without it. “This can trigger excessive hunger and lead to poor food choices and weight gain at any age,” she says.14. Be mindful… and meditate
It’s important to practice mindfulness, especially when you’re eating. Dr. Dissen explains that most people have more control over their time and schedules during their 50s than ever before, due to decreased responsibilities with work and family, and they should take advantage of it. “The more we try to multitask while we eat, the more likely we are to overeat and not feel as satisfied by the meal or snack we’ve just eaten,” he explains. “By simply taking a breath and treating our mealtime as special, it allows us to taste our food and notice its flavors, textures, and tastes.”Mindfulness can aid in stress relief, which is important because many people eat or put off exercise when they are anxious. Michaels suggests practicing five to 10 minutes of meditation daily to maintain your brain’s neuroplasticity and stress management.
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