Weight gain is one of the most unwelcome signs of middle age. Suddenly - your clothes are smaller than they used to be - especially around the waist. You may be eating less than you used to but losing weight is an uphill struggle.
Middle age weight gain may be a common problem but that certainly doesn't mean you have to throw in the towel and accept it as your lot. So, start your weight loss program now - it's never too late to reverse the middle age spread.
For most women, increases and shifts in weight begin during the years leading up to the menopause. But fluctuating hormones aren't the only cause of middle age weight gain. Middle aged men too suffer from the curse of the expanding waistline and some of the causes are common to us all:
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Reduced physical activity as you get older Slowing metabolism - metabolic rate slows with age and the ratio of fat to muscle increases. The less muscle you have, the fewer calories you burn Genes - if your parents stored fat around the middle then the chances are you will too.
So what can you do to shed this unwanted fat around your middle? Here's a foolproof five part plan you can start today:
1. Resolve to make permanent changes to what you eat
Healthy and safe weight loss is about finding a weight management regime that can be maintained throughout life. Crash diets lead to yoyo weight gain which is damaging to health and looks.
2. Start with small changes
Cutting calorie intake drastically is just too daunting for most of us. It will also be self-defeating since your body will assume that there has been a drastic permanent shut down in food intake and will go into survival mode. Your metabolic rate will reduce and fat will be stored rather than burnt as energy.
So - instead of reducing your calorie intake by 1,000, try reducing it by just 250 during the first week and then decrease a little more as each week passes until you reach your targeted number of calories.
Aim for a gradual weight loss of 2-3 pounds per week sustained over a long period until you reach your ideal fitness and weight.
3. Build up muscle to burn more calories
Cutting down on calories is important but you need exercise to replace some of the fat with healthy muscle. More muscle means you'll burn more fat so taking exercise is a real virtuous circle.
To build muscle you have to do resistance training - either with weights in the gym or by following an exercise routine at home. Or you can try yoga and pilates for improved flexibility and core strength.
4. Make time for cardio or aerobic exercise
As well as toning and building muscle - you should also take aerobic or cardio exercise for around 20 minutes 3 times a week as a minimum. Aerobic exercise is anything that raises your heart rate to 60-85% of its maximum level. Activities like running, swimming, dancing, using a treadmill or a rower in the gym are all great forms of cardio exercise.
Cardio exercise is essential if you want to meet your weight loss goals so find an activity you like and build in the time to your weekly routine.
But don't think of it as a chore. Cardio exercise releases endorphins - nature's feel-good hormones - into your bloodstream. Your mood will be lifted and you will feel energized and positive rather than tired. Cardio exercise also raises metabolism levels for a long time after the exercise is taken - up to a whole day in some cases. So just think of all that extra fat you'll be burning once you stop!
5. Drink some green tea to raise your metabolic rate
Weight loss is a simple equation - take in less energy (food) than you burn (exercise) and you will lose weight. The problem is that weight loss gets more difficult as your metabolic rate declines with age. Upping your exercise level and building more muscle mass will do a lot but if you want to really kick-start your metabolism try a natural fat burner like green tea.
Green tea has been shown in research studies to speed up metabolism and promote weight loss. Apart from that it also has amazing health-promoting and anti-aging benefits in its own right so you'll get thinner AND healthier at the same time.
So that's it - a five point plan to fight the mid-life flab. It's not, as they say, "rocket science", but follow it consistently and it is the best way to look younger and stay healthier for longer.
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