What gives? It seems like once you get to a certain age, everything starts going downhill. Suddenly you need reading glasses, you can’t get up off the couch without groaning, and, no matter what you do, you seem to be getting – how shall we say? Plumper?
Yup, no matter how young you feel otherwise, age becomes an increasingly unavoidable factor in your life. And it can affect your fitness, health and, yes, your weight. Here’s our top four ways to lose weight after age 50.
How to Lose Weight After Age 50
While there’s nothing you can do about the march of time, there are ways for you to help maintain your mental and physical fitness and manage your weight too.
Note: Don’t start any new physical activity without checking with your doctor first.
- Think About What’s Changed in Your Life – You don’t have to get too deep here. When you were younger, you were more active with your kids, out most nights a week at sports or dance classes, and just plain messing around with them. If you don’t have children, you probably went out more often, played on the corporate baseball league and/or enjoyed some travelling.
Is it any wonder you weigh more than you used too? So start putting some of that activity back into your life. It doesn’t mean you have to adopt a child and put them into sports. Instead, just like you used to get up after dinner and head to a sports field, get up after dinner and do something active. If you start slowly and maybe just go for a short walk, you’ll get into the habit. When you do, indulge your habit and start getting even more active. - Work on What Hurts – OK, don’t do anything that causes you extra pain or discomfort. But if you have hip issues for example, maybe try turning your upper body from left to right. Or ask your doctor or trainer for exercises to help your sore back. The point is that you’re getting joint and muscle pain (which can reduce your activity levels) partly because you don’t use them like you used to.
- Try Yoga – This one helps you improve your mobility, balance and range of motion. It also has a calming effect on the mental stresses and fatigue we all experience every day; those that can make you want to just flop on the couch when you get home.
- Eat a Healthier Diet – Yes, we know that we always tell you that. But it’s even more important now. If you are indeed less active now, then you’ll pack on even more pounds than usual due to a poor diet. Visit your nearest Herbal One location and meet with one of our nutrition consultants who will help you develop your own diet plan.
If you found this post helpful, check out our recent post about healthy snack ideas for weight management.