“I’ve been trying to lose weight for the last two months and I haven’t seen any results yet.” said Angela. “What am I doing wrong?”
Angela’s doctor reassured her, saying that it was common for people over 50 to not show much progress right away. The best plan of action would be to focus on how good she felt after exercising and eating healthy food every day, as opposed to how much weight she had lost at this point.
If you’re feeling frustrated because you haven’t seen immediate results from your diet and exercise program, don’t worry – you’re not alone.
You’ll learn how to eat, exercise, and live a healthy lifestyle that will allow you to look and feel your best for years to come!
20 Tips For Losing Weight After 50
You’ve been reading all the articles about how to lose weight after 50. You’d like to still fit in your favorite jeans, but you’re not sure where to start or what it will take.
It doesn’t have to be complicated! Just follow these 20 proven strategies and you’ll soon find yourself looking and feeling better than ever.
Learn To Love Weight Training
Weight training is key to losing weight because it will help you build muscle. Muscle is metabolically active, meaning it requires more calories to maintain than fat.
Building muscle is key to burning fat and keeping it off because muscle is “calorie hungry” and it will burn more calories than fat even when you’re not working out.
How does muscle burn fat?
One pound of muscle can burn up to 50-60 calories per day.
If you build just five pounds of muscle, that can burn an extra 250-300 calories per day!
You can easily lose excess weight and inches by building up your muscles.
The lesson here is, weight training is not just for bodybuilders!
It’s one of the most important weight loss tips for women over 50 because as time goes on, your body becomes less efficient at burning calories.
Get On An Aerobic Exercise Kick
Aerobic exercise burns calories and body fat which is great for weight loss. If you’re not used to cardio exercise, start slowly and work your way up.
Make it a goal to walk for at least 30 minutes every single day. The best (and only) way to lose weight is by burning more calories than you take in, and walking can help with that.
Aerobics classes are great because you can burn 500-1000 calories during a one-hour class.
Some good aerobics classes are Zumba, Pilates, yoga, and dance classes such as Salsa, Ballet, Belly dancing, and hip-hop.
After you have worked on your fitness for a while, try boxing to get in shape.
Boxing is a great way to burn calories, tone up your arms and legs, increase your endurance levels, improve flexibility.
For people who don’t like class workouts; find an activity that you enjoy. It doesn’t matter what it is; just find something that you can do regularly.
Find a friend who will exercise with you, or join a group or activity that you can meet people in your community.
Find something fun to do, then make sure it is part of your weekly schedule.
Pile Up Non-Exercise Activity Through The Day
Non-exercise activities are good for weight loss because they are low impact, but still burn calories. Any time you move your body, you’re burning calories.
Some good non-exercise activities are taking the stairs instead of the elevator, playing with your children or pets, doing housework, walking the dog, doing yard work, dancing around your living room to your favorite music, playing with the kids at the park.
This will help you lose weight without feeling like exercise is work or a chore.
Embrace The Benefits Of Yoga
Yoga is good for weight loss because it increases your caloric expenditure. The time you spend doing yoga is considered active, so it does burn calories and can help with weight loss if done regularly. If you want to do yoga, start slow and work your way up as it could strain muscles if done improperly.
The best yoga for beginners is Hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is focused on breathing and meditation. It is perfect for beginners who are looking to reduce stress, increase flexibility, improve strength, and lose weight.
You can try other types of yoga to see what you like the best. Vinyasa, power, Bikram, and Ashtanga are all great types of yoga that can help you lose weight. If none of these appeals to you, there are plenty more types out there for your liking.
My favorite type of yoga is Bikram, because it works out every muscle and is performed in a hot room. It is very fast-paced but can be difficult to keep up with.
Make Protein The Cornerstone Of Your Meals
Now that you are exercising, you’re going to want to increase your protein intake. Protein will help you recover from exercise, and reduce soreness. Protein also helps you to stay full for longer and will keep your energy up.
Lean meats like skinless chicken, turkey, and fish are great sources of protein. Other good sources of protein are beef, eggs, lentils, and beans.
- Skinless chicken is low in calories and high in protein. A good healthy chicken dish is chicken in a mustard sauce. This is full of protein, vitamins, and minerals. It’s also low-calorie but it is high in flavor!
- Lean turkey is low in calories and high in protein. I like to make turkey burgers with lean turkey meat that I get from Whole Foods. This is a healthy meal that I like to make for my family because it’s quick and easy to prepare.
- Fish is a great source of healthy fats. My favorite fish is wild salmon. I especially like to eat it in a salad with spinach, tomatoes, and olives.
Some low-fat, high-protein snacks are low-fat cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, and Greek yogurt.
Before bed, I like to have a cup of greek yogurt with chia seeds and fruit. I find that this keeps me full for longer and it’s a great way to get some extra protein in my diet before bed!
Add more protein to your diet by eating eggs (I like to include two yolks for every 6 egg whites) for breakfast instead of toast.
Instead of a sandwich, have a salad with protein (chicken or fish) for lunch.
Try to get at least 75 g of protein a day if you’re trying to lose weight – but this is the bare minimum.
If you are a vegetarian, try high-protein plant foods like beans and legumes.
Beans & Legumes
If you’re eating a vegetarian or vegan diet, beans are a great source of protein. Try black, pinto, and kidney beans in chili, salads, and tacos. For a quick snack, try hummus with some whole-grain crackers.
Become a Voracious Vegetables and Fruit Fan
The best fibrous vegetables are green vegetables like kale, broccoli, zucchini, and spinach. These will help you to get healthy, lose weight and keep your bowel movements regular.
You can add vegetables to your diet by adding them to soups and casseroles. Sometimes I’ll eat carrot sticks or celery sticks with seasoning for a quick, crunchy snack.
The lowest calorie vegetables are also the ones that have a lot of water in them like lettuce, cucumbers, and celery. These are high-fiber vegetables that can be especially helpful when you’re trying to lose weight.
You can add vegetables like broccoli, green beans, and squash to your favorite dishes when you are making spaghetti sauce or lasagna.
Another way to make sure you’re getting enough vegetables in your diet is by making a veggie smoothie each morning. This way you can get in vegetables before breakfast.
You should eat a vegetable with each meal and snack every day, that’s five servings of vegetables a day.
It’s better to get a few vegetables every day than not enough.
Some (not all) fruits are also good for losing weight. The best fruits to lose weight are berries. Berries are high in fiber and very low in calories.
I especially like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries because they’re easy to buy and they’re also easy to find year-round.
Try adding fresh berries or frozen, unsweetened berries into your breakfast with a healthy, tasty smoothie.
My Favorite Berry Smoothie Recipe:
– 12 oz of almond milk (you can use any kind of low-calorie milk)
– ½ cup frozen blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries
– ½ cup oats or quinoa flakes (or any other kind of oatmeal)
– ¼ avocado, chopped and frozen to make it creamy
If you have a sweet tooth, try having one serving of berries or a plum to quell your cravings.
Other fruits that are great for weight loss are green apples, and grapefruit – it has a lot of fiber and very few calories.
Grapefruit can be eaten like other fruits, but it’s also great in salads. To make a healthy salad dressing you can mix grapefruit juice with lime juice and extra virgin live oil.
Another great fruit for weight loss is pomegranate. Pomegranates are high in fiber and a great alternative to sugary snacks.
Pomegranate seeds are also delicious and easy to eat, they’re one of my favorite ways to get in some fruit.
I like to sprinkle pomegranate seeds over a salad and add them into smoothies for extra fiber and vitamins.
Kick Convenience Foods To The Curb
Convenience foods can fatten you up and derail your health fast. If you eat a lot of packaged foods, cook more from scratch with fresh ingredients.
If you don’t have time to cook, make a plan for the week. Each weekend, you can prepare quick meals to take with you during the busy workweek.
A good, healthy meal to make is soup. Soups are nutritious, tasty, and simple to make. They can be made in large batches ahead of time (and even frozen for later use).
Making your food ahead of time is beneficial because it is easier for portion control, and the ingredients are exactly what you want, without preservatives.
Make sure to read the labels of everything you buy. Look for healthy choices with the least amount of sugar, sodium, and fat possible.
Quick tip: Take time to chew your food slowly and completely. Digestion starts in the mouth with chewing that mixes food into a bolus for swallowing, which sends it to your stomach via the esophagus.
Avoid skipping meals so you don’t get ravenous and crave the immediate hit of low-quality pre-packaged snacks.
Don’t let yourself get too hungry; hunger makes you susceptible to cravings for unhealthy foods that are quick and easy to grab.
Remember, emotional eating isn’t eating for health. Though it’s not the only reason why people eat, emotional stress can be a trigger to turn to food for comfort. If you find yourself mindlessly eating when you are feeling stressed, try to find other ways of coping with your emotions.
Cut Down On Nighttime Eating
Nighttime eating can be a major pitfall for anyone trying to lose weight, but eating too much at night can be particularly problematic if you’re over 50.
Most people’s metabolisms slow down as they age, and older adults are also less active during the day than their younger counterparts. When combined, these two factors cause your body not to burn calories very quickly — meaning that eating as you did in your 20’s can lead to weight gain rather than loss.
As we age, our eating patterns change too. Smaller and more frequent meals are better than three large daily ones; eating later in the day is less helpful for weight loss than eating breakfast early on, and skipping a meal to “make up” for an evening snack can backfire because it slows down your metabolism.
- After eating dinner, wait two hours before going to bed so your food can settle in your stomach and you’re not waking up hungry in the middle of the night.
- Limit eating after six o’clock in general because it gives your body more time to burn calories naturally without eating. If you must have something after dinner, choose a healthy snack like fruit, yogurt, or a handful of nuts.
- Skipping a meal to “make up” for eating later in the day can backfire because it slows down your metabolism.
- Eat breakfast early on and eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the rest of the day.
Focus On Your Body Composition Over Scale Weight
Your body composition is just as important for your weight loss success as eating less, especially after 50. Body composition refers to the ratio of fat to muscle on your body and is a better indicator than just measuring how much you weigh or what size clothes you wear.
The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be — meaning that you will burn more calories throughout the day and at night, which is crucial for successful weight loss.
To make sure you lose fat rather than muscle as you age (which can be especially important if your metabolism has slowed down), try eating slightly fewer daily calories — around 100-300 less depending on how much muscle mass you have to spare — and get intense strength training at least twice per week (three times is optimal).
To further boost your metabolism, focus on eating plenty of lean protein like fish, chicken, and beans; complex carbohydrates like brown rice and quinoa; vegetables; healthy fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts; fruits; whole grains like oatmeal or whole-wheat bread; and lean, high-quality dairy.
If you can’t work out intensely twice per week or are too busy for strength training, try doing 20 minutes of cardio on the days when you don’t lift weights — it will still help burn fat overall if done regularly. If your schedule allows, try to fit in at least three to four 30-minute sessions.
Hydration Keeps You Healthy
Hydrating the healthy way promotes optimal health, boosts metabolism, and increases energy levels. Drinking water also can help you to lose weight and burn calories.
Eliminate Sugar Spikes in Your Diet When You Hydrate The Healthy Way
Sugar spikes increase insulin levels which leads to water retention, aches, and pains, fatigue, and difficulty losing weight. Are your cravings for sugar causing you not to reach your goals? Eat foods that don’t cause sugar spikes to avoid water retention and keep your body running on all cylinders.
Don’t confuse thirst with hunger, it can be difficult to know when you are thirsty because thirst is often confused with hunger pangs. Drinking water before a meal can help prevent overeating which helps you lose weight or maintain your weight loss.
Quick tip: Drinking soda, juices and other beverages with calories can sabotage any diet plan. Calories not only add up quickly but also cause illness, disease, and health problems that impact your ability to lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight.
Eat The Right Carbs At The Right Time
Eating the right carbs for weight loss is one of the best ways to start losing weight after 50. The right carbs provide you with energy, stamina and help your body function optimally while helping you lose excess fat that can cause health problems associated with being overweight or obese.
Quick tip: Avoid refined carbs such as white bread, white rice, and sugar. Eating too many refined carbohydrates can cause blood sugar levels to spike which leads to weight gain.
When you eat the right amount of protein along with healthy carbs your body will begin burning fat for energy while gaining lean muscle mass which boosts metabolism and burns calories
Instead eat healthy carbs such as fat burning fibrous vegetables, whole grains, and legumes to lose weight the healthy way.
When you eat the right carbohydrates your body will feel satisfied for longer periods of time without any unhealthy cravings or fatigue so it’s easy to eat fewer calories than what you burned off during a workout session which leads to weight loss.
Incorporate vegetables into every meal because they are low in calories but high in fiber which keeps blood sugar levels balanced and prevents overeating. They also provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that boost metabolism which aids in weight loss.
Eat whole-grain carbohydrates such as brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa instead of refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta to lose weight.
Whole grains provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that increase your metabolic rate so you burn more calories throughout the day and keep your body running on all cylinders.
Eat Out At Restaurants Less Often
Eating out at restaurants can be fun, but it can also be an obstacle when you’re on a diet because restaurant portions are often very large. Eating out less helps to eat more healthy foods while losing weight, which is why it’s so important for your health and wellness goals.
If you eat out at restaurants eat half of what’s served in front of you and box up the rest to eat for lunch the next day.
If you eat half of what’s served in front of you right away it’ll be easier to not overeat and save room for a healthy snack, such as an apple or protein bar later on before dinner so your body is running optimally throughout the day instead of spiking insulin levels after eating out.
Kickstart Your Weight Loss Plan By Counting Calories
Counting calories is a surefire way to lose weight because you are keeping track of your intake. If you eat too many calories your body stores the excess as fat and that’s why it is so important to eat less than what you burn off each day.
For successful weight loss, eat 500-1000 fewer calories per day than what your body needs for fuel. When trying to eat healthier start with small changes such as swapping out one sweet for a fruit, drinking more water, and eating less added sugar.
Quick tip: Track your calorie intake in a food journal for five days to see what you are really consuming each day so it’s easier to make healthy changes moving forward. Once you have an idea of where you stand start making small dietary changes that will help keep weight off in the long run.
Avoid Low-Fat Or No-Fat Diets
You don’t want to eat low-fat foods because most of the time they are high in sugar or carbs which will make you gain weight.
Low-fat foods oftentimes taste bland and don’t satisfy your appetite as healthy fats do, so eating too much low-fat food can cause overeating leading to weight gain that’s why it’s important to only eat small amounts of low-fat dairy products.
Instead of low fat, choose foods that are high in healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, and avocados to maintain your weight. Healthy fats keep you satiated for longer periods so it’s easier to stick with a diet plan because you won’t be starving all the time which will lead to over-eating unhealthy foods.
Avoid Eating These Foods
When dieting you want to avoid foods like high-calorie junk foods, unhealthy fast foods, and soda because they are very high in sugar which leads to weight gain.
It’s also important to stay away from alcohol when dieting because it causes you to eat more calories than you burn off when drinking. Alcohol also causes your body to store extra fat because it is processed by the liver instead of being used as energy so avoid alcohol when trying to lose weight.
Quick tip: If you are going out with friends for drinks order vodka and soda water or red wine because they have fewer calories than other types of alcohol.
Only Water, Coffee, And Tea For Me
Drink plenty of water, with the occasional black coffee or tea throughout the day- they are calorie-free so it’ll be easier to lose weight if you drink them instead of soda.
Water is great for keeping your body hydrated which makes it run efficiently all around reducing fat storage, muscle loss, and fatigue. It also helps boost metabolism for better weight management.
The caffeine found in coffee and tea is beneficial because it provides antioxidants that burn off fat so it’s great for weight loss.
Quick tip: To ensure you are getting enough water to lose weight drink half your body weight in ounces, or if you weigh 150lbs-75oz of water each day. This will help speed up your metabolism and get rid of excess toxins in the body which can be
Eat Your Veggies First In Your Meal
Eating your vegetables first in a meal is a great way to lose weight because if you eat them after your bread or carbs, then it will be harder for your body to use any of that food as energy.
This is because veggies take up a lot of space in your stomach and they are low in calories which means there’s less room left for higher-calorie foods like pasta and bread.
Vegetables are very nutritious and they help keep your body clean so it’s easier to lose weight because you will have more energy after eating healthier foods instead of just carbs or bread which can cause fatigue with an increase in blood sugar.
Quick tip: Try starting every meal off with a salad, then having lean protein and vegetables with some carbs and healthy fats if you’re still hungry.
Eat A Power Breakfast
Eating a power breakfast to start the day boosts your metabolism, gives you energy, and ensures that you’re eating healthy foods from the beginning of the day. Good eating habits in the morning ensure better choices throughout the day.
A power breakfast is high in protein which will keep hunger away for longer periods so it’s easier to make healthier choices without feeling too hungry or weak throughout the morning. It also provides your body with essential nutrients which give you energy to make it through the day.
Quick tip: Try eating something like oatmeal, eggs, and fruit or whole-grain toast for breakfast instead of sugary cereal that will spike insulin levels causing cravings all throughout the morning.
Wait To Eat Until Your Hungry
Avoid snacking when you aren’t hungry because it can cause weight gain and a slower metabolism. If you’re not hungry then don’t eat, but if you are get something healthy like fruit or vegetables instead of processed foods that have little to no nutritional value.
Quick tip: Instead of snacking try drinking water because sometimes our bodies confuse thirst with hunger which makes us want to eat things that aren’t healthy for us.
Use A Food Journal To Document Your Progress
A food journal comes in handy when you are trying to lose weight. This allows you to keep track of what you eat throughout the day and can help prevent overeating or eating too much refined sugar, salt, fats, etc.
To start with food journaling, you can write down your daily food intake for seven days. The number of calories you are taking in at the end should be less than what it was when you started if losing weight after 50 is something that you hope to achieve.
A good food journal to buy is a Moleskin food journal because it allows you to keep track of everything from your daily meals, snacks, and beverages.
The best part is that this type of journal works well for those who want a hipster look as well since they come in different colors such as orange or pink.
Losing weight takes time so do not give up easily, even though it may seem like a lot of hard work.
There are plenty of ways to help you lose weight after 50 by following these simple steps.