Bulging At The Middle In Middle Age? Here's Help
Weight management for people over 40 can be challenging. Here is a little help to make your efforts more successful.
1. Understand how your body has changed and adapted. You cannot use the same weight loss methods that you did 20 years ago; your metabolism works differently now and your strategy must meet the challenges. Regular exercise is not only more important than ever now, but being idle less also plays an important part in keeping weight off. In other words, just because you work out for an hour in the morning, doesn't mean you can sit around for the rest of the day or indulge in a few extra goodies.
2. Eat more organic foods. Any children you have are probably out on their own by now, so you should not be buying things like Twinkies, Rocky Road and junk cereal. Studies show that getting your necessary nutrients from organic foods assigns them higher value and function. The more organic foods you add to your diet, the better your metabolism will be able to use them with less effort and negative side effects. Read all your labels and try to keep it natural.
3. Count calories obsessively. Since it only takes about 3,500 calories to equal a pound, even a little bit of cheating on your eating can add up to very counter-productive weight gain. Sneaking in 10 potato chips and a single roll with butter adds approximately 300 calories to you day: can you really afford that? Get a good chart that clearly indicates the average calorie count of all major foods and hang it on your fridge. Make sure you refer to it and hold yourself accountable for every single bit.
4. Keep it interesting. Dieting and exercise can really get boring, which discourages many people from keeping up the self-discipline. Keep adding new and exciting elements to your diet, such as foreign cuisine or gourmet foods. Many other cultures adhere to much healthier diets and the dishes they serve are out of this world. As for exercise, the options are virtually unlimited. Mix up your routine, where you do it, who participates with you and the musical venue. Alternating swimming and hiking, for example, is an easy way to change scenery and the areas of your body that get attention.
5. Protect your immune system. Being proactive about your long-term health has greater importance now, so add things like vitamin C and echinacea to your regular diet. Restricting your caloric intake may compromise your immune strength, making it harder to fight infections and leaving you vulnerable in many ways. Consider a supplement, or ask your health care provider what you can do to beef up your immune system while managing weight.
6. Commit to the lifestyle. Losing weight may be an effort you have to maintain from here on in; once you reach middle age, indulgences should be rare and smart choices regularly implemented in your daily living. Don't make a habit of dieting every six months or so, rather, commit yourself to a healthy way of living that keeps you at a consistent weight.
Make the positive changes and see the positive results--it's that simple! You will feel healthier, look better and have good reasons to be very proud.
