The 20 Best Ways to Lose Weight After 50

For many people, maintaining a healthy weight or losing excess body fat can become more difficult over the years.

Unhealthy habits, a sedentary lifestyle, dietary choices and metabolic changes can all contribute to weight gain after 50.

But with a few simple adjustments, you can lose weight at any age, regardless of physical fitness or medical diagnosis.

Top 20 Ways to Lose Weight After 50

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1. Learn to enjoy strength training

Although cardiovascular exercise has received a lot of attention in terms of weight loss, strength training is also important, especially for older adults.

As you grow older, your muscle mass decreases in a process called sarcopenia. This loss of muscle mass begins around the age of 50 and can slow down your metabolism, which can lead to weight gain.

After age 50, your muscle mass decreases by 1 to 2% per year, while your muscle strength decreases by 1.5 to 5% per year.

Therefore, it is important to add muscle-building exercises to your routine to reduce age-related muscle loss and promote a healthy body weight.

Strength training, such as body weight exercises and weight lifting, can significantly improve muscle strength and increase muscle size and function.

Additionally, strength training helps you lose body fat and lose weight to boost your metabolism, which can increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day.

2.  Team up

Introducing yourself to a healthy eating pattern or exercise routine can be challenging. Working as a couple with a friend, coworker or family member can give you a better chance of sticking to your plan and achieving your wellness goals.

For example, research shows that people who participate in weight loss programs with friends are much more likely to maintain weight loss over time.

Also, practicing with friends can strengthen your commitment to a fitness program and make the practice more enjoyable.

3. Sit less and move more

Burning more calories than you eat is necessary to reduce excess body fat. This is why it is important to be more active when it comes to weight loss.

For example, sitting at work for long periods of time can hinder your weight loss efforts. To deal with this, you can simply get up from your desk and become more active at work by walking five minutes every hour.

Research shows that following your steps with a pedometer or fitbit can increase weight loss by increasing your activity levels and calorie expenditure.

When you wear a pedometer or fitbite, start with a real step goal based on your current activity level. Then work your way up to 7,000 to 10,000 steps or more per day, depending on your overall health.

4. Increase your protein intake

Getting enough high-quality protein in your diet is not only important for weight loss, it is also critical to stop or reverse age-related muscle loss.

Whether you burn calories at rest or your resting metabolic rate (RMR), you lose 1 to 2% per decade at age 20. It is associated with age-related muscle loss

However, eating a diet rich in protein also helps to prevent or reverse muscle loss. Numerous studies have also shown that increasing the protein in your diet can help you lose weight and stay away from it in the long run.

Furthermore, studies have shown that older adults have a higher demand for protein than younger adults, making it more important to add protein-rich foods to their meals and snacks.

5. Talk to dietitians

It can be difficult to find a type of diet that encourages weight loss and nourishes the body.

Consulting a registered dietitian can help you determine the best way to lose excess body fat without having to go on an extra diet. Additionally, a dietitian can help and assist you in your weight loss journey.

Research shows that working with dietitians to lose weight can have significantly better results than not going it alone and it can help you maintain your weight loss over time.

6. Cook more at home

Numerous studies have shown that people who prepare and eat more food at home follow a healthier diet and gain less weight than those who do not.

Homemade meals allow you to control what is left in your recipes and what is left. It allows you to experiment with unique and healthy ingredients that capture your interest.

If you eat most foods outdoors, start by cooking one or two meals a week at home, gradually increasing this number until you have cooked at home.

7. Eat more yield

Vegetables and fruits are rich in essential nutrients for your health and adding them to your diet is an easy, evidence-based way to lose excess weight.

For example, a review of 10 studies found that an increase in the daily serving of vegetables was associated with a decrease in waist circumference of 0.14 inches (0.36 cm) in women.

There is another study of 26,340 men and women ages 35 to 65 who are underweight, have a small waist circumference, and have little body fat.

8. Hire a personal trainer

Working with a personal trainer can benefit those who exercise, especially teaching them the correct way to practice to promote weight loss and avoid injury.

Plus, personal trainers can encourage you to do more with responsibility. They can even improve your attitude about practicing.

A 10-week study of 129 adults showed that one individual workout at a time for 1 hour per week increased motivation and physical activity levels.

9. Comfortably rely less on food

Eating fast food, such as fast food, sweets, and processed snacks, is associated with weight gain and can interfere with your weight loss efforts.

Convenient foods are often high in calories and low in important nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This is why fast food and other processed foods are commonly called "empty calories."

Conveniently cutting down on foods and replacing them with nutritious foods and snacks is a great way to lose weight by moving on to dense and nutritious whole foods.

10. Find an activity that you like

Finding an exercise routine that you can stick to for the long term can be difficult. This is why it is important to get involved in the activities you enjoy.

For example, if you like group activities, join a group sport like soccer or a running club so you can practice with others on a regular basis.

If individual activities are more your style, try biking, jogging, jogging, or swimming on your own.

11. Consult with a healthcare provider.

If you are struggling to lose weight despite being active and following a healthy diet, deny in situations that can lead to weight loss, such as hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

This is especially true if family members can live with your conditions.

Inform your healthcare provider of your symptoms so they can determine the best testing protocol to protect the medical conditions behind your fight against weight loss.

12. Eat a diet based on whole foods

An easy way to make sure your body needs the nutrients it needs is to eat a diet rich in whole foods.

Whole foods, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, poultry, fish, fruits, and grains, are rich in nutrients necessary to maintain a healthy body weight, such as fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

In many studies, diets based on whole foods, both plant-based and animal-based diets, have been linked to weight loss.

13. Eat less at night

Many studies have shown that eating fewer calories at night helps you maintain a healthy body weight and lose excess body fat.

A study of 1,245 people found that for more than 6 years, those who consumed the most calories at dinner were twice as likely to be obese as those who consumed the most calories the day before.

In addition, those who ate the most calories at dinner were significantly more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that include high blood sugar and excess belly fat. Metabolic syndrome increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Eating most of your calories at breakfast and lunch, while enjoying a light dinner, can be a helpful way to promote weight loss.

14. Concentrate on body composition

While body weight is a good indicator of health, your body composition, which is the percentage of fat and fat-free weight in your body, is also important.

Muscle mass is an important measure of general health, especially in the elderly. Your goal is to build more muscle and lose excess fat.

There are many ways to measure your body fat percentage. However, simply measuring your waist, biceps, calves, chest and thighs can help you determine if you are losing fat and gaining muscle.

15. Hydrate in a healthy way

Beverages such as sweetened coffee drinks, sodas, juices, sports drinks and pre-made shakes are often full of calories and added sugars.

Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, especially sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, is strongly associated with weight gain and conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease.

Substituting sweet drinks with water and herbal teas can help you lose weight and significantly reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions listed above.

16. Choose the right supplement

If you feel tireless and relaxed, taking the right supplements can help you gain the energy you need to reach your goals.

As you grow older, your ability to absorb certain nutrients decreases and your risk for deficiency increases. For example, research shows that adults over the age of 50 are generally deficient in folic acid and vitamin B12, two nutrients needed for energy production.

Vitamin B deficiencies like B12 can negatively affect your mood, cause fatigue and make weight loss difficult.

For this reason, it is a good idea for people over the age of 50 to take high-quality B-complex vitamins to reduce the risk of deficiency.

17. Limit added sugar

Limiting foods high in sugar, including sugary drinks, candy, cakes, cookies, ice cream, sugary yogurt and sugary cereals, is essential for weight loss at any age.

Sugar is added to many foods, including items you don’t like, such as ketchup, salad dressings, and bread, so reading labels of ingredients is the best way to determine if an item contains added sugar. .

Look for "added sugars" on nutrition labels or check out the list of common sweet ingredients like cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup and agave.

18. Improve the quality of your sleep

Not getting enough sleep can hurt your weight loss efforts. Many studies have shown that not getting enough sleep increases the risk of obesity and can make weight loss efforts more difficult.

For example, a 2-year study of 245 women found that those who slept for hours or less at night could lose 33% more weight than those who did not. Better quality of sleep was associated with weight loss success.

Try to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night and improve your sleep quality by reducing the light in your bedroom and avoiding using your phone or watching TV before bed.

19. Try to fast from time to time

Occasionally, fasting is a type of diet that is only eaten for a certain period of time. Sometimes the most popular type of fast is the 16/8 method, in which you eat within an 8-hour period and then fast for 1 hour.

Numerous studies have shown that occasional fasting promotes weight loss.

Additionally, some test tubes and animal studies suggest that uninterrupted fasting may benefit older adults by increasing longevity, reducing cell loss, and preventing age-related changes in mitochondria, the part of the cell that makes Energy.

20. Be more aware

Eating spoiled food can be an easy way to improve your relationship, while also promoting weight loss.

Mindful eating involves paying more attention to your diet and eating habits. It gives you clues about your appetite and satiety, as well as a better idea of ​​how food affects your mood and well-being.

Many studies have shown that depressed eating techniques promote weight loss and improve eating behavior.

There are no set rules for captivating food, but eating slowly, paying attention to the smell and aroma of each bite of food, and keeping track of how you feel during your meal is an easy way to introduce mindfulness into your life.

BOTTOM LINE

While weight loss may seem more difficult with age, many evidence-based strategies can help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight after age 50.

Eliminating excess workable sugars, combining energy training into your workout, eating more protein, cooking at home, and following a whole-food-based diet are some of the methods you can use to improve your overall health and lose excess fat. bodily.

Try the tips above and before you know it, losing weight after 50 will feel like a breeze.

Article source healthline.com