You may be over the age of 40 and exercise on a regular basis. You may watch what you eat and yet you have trouble losing weight. As you get older it becomes harder and harder to lose weight even if you are someone that has always been in shape. At the age of 30 people begin to lose around half a pound of muscle mass every year. The more lean muscle mass you have the better your metabolism will work. However, losing weight after 40 is not impossible.
6 Tips on Losing Weight After the Age of 40
Here are six important ways to help you lose those extra pounds after you reach the age of 40.
1. Get Your Hormones Checked
Before you begin a program get checked out to make sure something like a thyroid problem is not stopping you from losing weight. Around 1 in 5 people over the age of 40 have an issue with their thyroids that can affect weight loss. An over or under-active thyroid has a direct impact on your ability to gain and lose weight. Check with your doctor to see if this is affecting you.
Some Common Signs of a Thyroid Problem:
• Excessive feelings of fatigue
• Hair that is thinning
• Dry skin and hair
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
A hormonal imbalance can also stop you from losing weight. Estrogen imbalances will affect weight loss as well as levels of the hormones insulin, leptin, and cortisol.
2. Work on Strength Training At Least Twice a Week
After the age of 40 strength training will help you build up your muscles.
The more muscle mass you have the easier it is for your metabolism to work at top speed and help you lose weight. This will increase your resting metabolic rate as well. This will help you continue to burn calories when the body is at rest. Now is the time for you to begin strength training. Some gyms offer a free session with a personal trainer so you can learn more about a strength training program. Become familiar with the equipment and how they work. This will help get you into a routine to build muscle and lose fat.
You can also join a fitness strength training class. People of all ages go to these classes and the instructors will help find an activity level that is right for you. At home, you can join online and watch televised sessions to get personal training experts right in your living room. All you need is a set of dumbbells and you can begin at-home workouts and be losing weight. You can also do moves such as pushups, lunges, and squats.
Strength training for 20 minutes, two or three days a week can build up your muscle mass and over time increase your RMR rate.
3. Give HIIT Workouts a Try
High-Intensity Interval Training workouts are where you put the most effort into quick and intense moves followed by short periods of recovery. This is a great way to jumpstart your weight loss. If you are currently following a cardio exercise program you should add HIIT to your program. The high-intensity intervals will increase your heart rate where you can work out harder and not longer. This exercise program burns more fat than other workouts. If you have not performed HIIT moves check them out today to lose weight.
4. Increase Your Intake of Clean Protein Rich Foods
Look for clean food that is high in protein. Eating this type of food will help build up muscle mass and will help you lose weight.
Eating well is not just about cutting out junk food. You need to eat foods that are clean and healthy. There are some healthy fats that will help with losing weight such as olive oil, avocados, and some kinds of butter. They will help keep you full for a longer period of time. Foods that are high in protein such as eggs and salmon will help you build muscles. Almonds make a great snack as well. They will keep you satisfied until your next meal while giving you fiber, protein, and healthy fat.
5. Allow Your Body to Detox Naturally
Some people may fast for a week or use a cleanse diet. The body already has a natural process for detoxification. In order to assist the body, you need to develop healthy habits and follow them consistently.
There are several healthy ways to help the body detoxify:
• Be sure to drink plenty of water especially water with lemon. Lemons contain a fiber called pectin which will aid in losing weight.
• Fermented foods such as kimchi or Greek yogurt can help balance out the bacteria in the gut which will help eliminate waste, boost the immune system, and even improve your mood.
Helping the body detoxify can help you get to your ideal weight.
6. Sleep More
Getting enough sleep is very important for weight loss. Sleeping can help the body burn calories. Studies have shown that there is a strong link between lack of sleep and overeating. The hormones ghrelin and leptin are unbalanced when the body is not getting enough rest. This will leave you feeling hungry even after a meal which can lead to overeating.
If you are not getting enough rest, here are some tips to help you sleep well at night.
• Do not eat at least three hours before bedtime. If you need a snack, do not eat it more than 45 minutes before going to bed.
• Do not watch television or use electronic devices at least an hour before sleeping. Keep your phone and computer out of the bedroom so you are not tempted to use them.
• Reduce your intake of caffeine and drinks high in glucose.
• Adjust the temperature in the bedroom. The room should be comfortable for sleeping and not too hot or too cold. Sleep experts recommended keeping the bedroom temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
• You should replace an old mattress with one that offers the proper support.
Good luck with your weight loss efforts. You will find an abundance of weight loss articles here and one will provide you will the help you need.
Please let us know what is working for you, where you are in your steps to lose weight and ask for any help you may need along the way. We are always here.
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