Why is it so hard for women over 50 to
lose weight? The Answers!
WHY?
It’s a question women over age 50 frequently ask their doctors: Why am
I gaining weight when I haven’t changed my eating or exercise? We compiled the best answers to this problem and below are the questions and the most definitive answers.
WHY DO WOMEN OVER 50 HAVE A SLOWER METABOLISM?
As women age, they lose lean muscle mass, which slows their metabolism.
It happens almost automatically that most men and women tend to decrease activity and burn fewer calories, which leads to weight gain and seems to happen more quickly in women.
IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM?
It happens to everyone, Athletes, and even women who are really fit. It’s gradual, but around age 40–50, that’s when women tend to notice the creeping weight gain. When they were younger they could cut out a snack and lose weight. But now when they do that, the weight doesn’t budge.
Do I have to eat half as much to lose weight or how many calories is acceptable?
CALORIES MATTER!
Let’s say that you were equally active as when you were 20! You would still need about 200 calories less than you did at that young age. Once you hit your 60’s, 400–500 calories less would be easier to sustain your weight without gaining. At 50, about 2,000 calories a day is good, decreasing to 1,800 calories as you progress to 60 years old.
DO I HAVE TO WORK OUT TWICE AS HARD?
IF NOT, HOW OFTEN?
Some people think working out harder will burn more calories than they’re actually burning. Even if your exercise is intense, you can’t exercise off a bad diet, and contrary to popular belief, exercise alone will not lead to substantial
weight loss. A second note and something to consider if you’re working out twice as hard, you can get pretty hungry and overeat. There is no point working out twice as hard to eat twice as much. At least thirty to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily is recommended, along with reducing calories.
How can I boost my metabolism?
There are three ways:
Strength training increases your muscle mass and helps you burn more calories at rest, therefore increasing your metabolism. With the aging process, you lose muscle mass that you want to replace.
Eating a wholesome breakfast, fuels your body for your whole day. Skipping breakfast or a very light breakfast makes you hungrier later in the day. It’s best to eat a large breakfast, a moderate lunch, and a light dinner.
Eating lean protein, like fish, chicken, eggs and even tofu will help fill you for the day and help you build muscle mass, which in turn, boosts your metabolism.
Are there specific foods that can boost metabolism?
SUPER FOODS!
Superfoods are foods that have a very high nutritional density. This means that they provide a substantial amount of nutrients and very few calories. They contain a high volume of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Studies have shown spicy foods can boost metabolism, like
capsaicin, which is found in chili peppers. Drinking plenty of
water and also drinking green tea may help boost metabolism as well.
ARE THERE SPECIFIC FOODS I SHOULD NEVER EAT?
You don’t need to deprive yourself, there’s not a never-eat food. Heavily processed food, fried food, and alcohol are things you might want to avoid and at the very least not have very often. Processed foods like white flour and refined sugars, cause fluctuations in your blood sugar and contribute to your food cravings. If you have a day where you don’t want to avoid processed food or alcohol or fried food, then the next day just get back to healthy eating.
What are some helpful tools?
Weight Watchers and some programs like it are good because they teach you portion control, which is one of the keys to weight loss. My Fitness Pal app and other weight loss journal apps, of which some of them are free, can track what you eat. It also helps hold you accountable and makes you more cognizant of what you’re eating. There are many programs and products that can help you keep your activity level up. One product is Fitbit which tracks your activity so you can reach your daily goals.
Does sleep affect my metabolism?
This period of fighting the pandemic we all have been going through has shown how significant sleep is both for our mental and physical well-being. Sleep is extremely important regarding our weight. Studies show people who are sleep deprived consume more calories and tend to be more overweight than someone who has at least 7 1/2 hours of restful sleep a day.
Lack of sleep causes hormonal dysregulation and leads to food cravings. We all need to get more sleep to keep ourselves healthy and to not gain weight.
DOES HEREDITY PLAY A ROLE IN METABOLISM?
Heredity plays a role in everything. For people who have a fast metabolism, part of that is genetic. Some people can eat and eat and not gain a pound, then there are people who look sideways at a doughnut and they gain weight. People vary on how fast they lose weight. Some people will lose weight quicker, which is frustrating. With small improvements daily and some commitment, you will lose weight. After all, you can only work with what you have. It’s hard not to get discouraged when you trying to lose weight. Stick to a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly and the weight will come off.
DO CERTAIN MEDICATIONS SLOW METABOLISM?
There is a long list of medications that can cause weight gain. A few like anti-depressants, steroids, diabetes medications, and anti-seizure medications. They can make you retain fluid, lower metabolism, and feel hungrier so you
consume more. If you keep gaining weight besides eating well and exercising, you may want to ask your doctor if there are substitutes that don’t have those side effects. Improvement in medication and weight loss is happening all the time and chances are the Doctor can recommend a different medication to keep you on track. Don’t take matters into your own hand and abruptly stop taking them. Talk to your doctor if it’s possible that maybe a change would help.
You now know the most popular questions Doctors are asked about weight loss and weight gain when you are older and you can plan to offset some of the issues causing you to gain weight. Good luck to those willing to try!
Check out my website, which has some great recipes on keto and the Keto diet. Some people find it easy to follow and I have some great Keto recipes with more to come.
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