Putting on a bit of weight – a pound or two – each year as you grow older is fairly normal, but weight gain is not always inevitable. Many people simply assume that everyone gains a little weight as they get older. They tend to accept it as a part of growing old. You don’t have to do that.
We do put on weight as we age because we become more sedentary, move around less frequently, and eat more calories even when our metabolism has begun to slow down. But, there are ways to deal with weight gain.
Here in this post, we will discuss the top five ways to deal with weight gain as you grow older. Read on.
1. More Physical Activity
To prevent weight gain, it is important to add regular movement to your day. This is the MOST important advice that you shouldn’t ignore at any cost.
You can go on morning/evening walks more often, take the stairs at work, or hit the gym a few times each week.
You need to move around.
The chief reason why we lose muscle mass as we grow old, which in turn lowers metabolism, is that we spend too much time without any physical movement. After the age of 40, we lose around 8% of lean muscle mass with each passing decade.
When you are physically active, it will be much easier to preserve muscle mass and maintain a healthy metabolic rate. Activities such as regular exercise, lifting weights, etc. will also increase bone density. You can also try doing yoga at home or at a local fitness training center.
Remember, every little bit counts when you are dealing with weight gain.
If you are on medication, have an existing health condition or are recovering from an injury, be sure to speak with your doctor before you start with a new exercise routine.
2. Get More Protein
Taking more protein at each meal/snack not only helps in building and repairing muscle mass, but it also helps control the appetite.
The best way to use protein-rich foods to reverse the weight-gain cycle is to choose the leanest sources. You need to eat foods that are high in protein but low in fats.
Some of the leanest sources include non-fat dairy products, seafood, egg white, poultry breast, lean pieces of red meat, beans, tofu, lentils, etc.
Your high-protein breakfast for weight management can include skim-milk with some lean sources such as low-fat yogurt and an egg.
Your high-protein lunch/dinner for weight management can include 2-3 ounces of lean meat. You can have some skim milk during lunch and dinner as well.
3. Watch What You Eat
Bid adieu to foods (e.g. junk food) and drinks (e.g. soda) that provide little or no nutrient value.
Limit your carbohydrate intake as much as possible.
You can limit both the size and the type of carbohydrate you are consuming on a daily basis.
Carbs from whole gain, for instance, can be helpful in dealing with weight gain.
Each time you are hungry, try to eat something that’s low on calories and makes you feel fuller.
Many vegetables and whole fruits, for instance, provide a wide range of nutrients (along with fiber and water) for a comparatively small number of calories.
4. Be Realistic
As you grow older, you will need more time to lose weight. Someone 10 years younger than you can deal with weight gain more easily.
So, you must focus on the process instead of getting worried about weight gain. You need to eat right and keep yourself physically active. Your body will respond to these two major lifestyle changes in its own time.
5. Maintain a Diary
Do not let yourself believe that you cannot stop gaining weight simply because you are getting older.
You can keep a daily journal to keep yourself motivated. You can write things like – how much weight you lost or gained in a week, how much time you spent exercising/strength-training, and how much water/healthy-drinks you consumed each week.
You can monitor the progress you are making each week.
This way, it is easier to stay the course.
Author Bio
Sarah Remmington is one of the founders of Garcinia Cambogia 100 Pure supplements based out of Southern California with several other locations throughout the US. Sarah’s company has become a global brand and now a household name with the success of her most popular dietary supplement which has been featured on many different media channels.
