Age isn’t an excuse

How many times have you heard “gaining weight is part of aging”

Sorry, no. No, it is not.

You might be gaining weight as you age, but it is not a result of aging.

Here are a few common reasons for gaining weight. Not moving as much. Losing muscle mass because you aren’t exercising. Being sedentary for hours at a time. Eating too much. Eating high calorie, processed foods. Not sleeping. Not paying attention to how much you are eating.

Those are reasons you gain weight.

The good news is that simply getting older isn’t one of them.

Your metabolism might be slowing down, slightly, but it is more likely you just aren’t moving much and you are eating just a little more than necessary. 

It’s easy to eat a bit too much, regularly. Food is everywhere. You can eat anywhere. It is easy to be distracted while we eat.

However, there is one thing that might be getting in the way of your weight loss efforts.

Your brain.

Researchers have found that AGRP neurons in our brain are like a calorie control system. They regulate how many calories we burn. When we eat less they limit the number of calories we burn.

How do you overcome this? 

By not going on crash diets, by paying attention to what, when and how much you eat. By exercising regularly. By maintaining your muscle mass. By filling up on whole foods that are full of nutrients, not empty calories.

You know something else that never gets old?

Rewards.

Rewards for weight loss and exercise work. People participating in a weight loss program that received rewards lost twice as much weight and maintained their weight loss. The best part is you can reward yourself and that will work too! Just make sure your rewards are not food. 

Here are 12 more tips for losing weight successfully that anyone, of any age, can benefit from:

1. Eat breakfast.
2. Fill up on vegetables and fruit.
3. Be active during the day.
4. Drink more water.
5. Eat high fiber foods (see #2).
6. Read the label.
7. Use smaller dishes.
8. Plan your meals.
9. Don’t drink alcohol.
10. Don’t buy junk food.

Age isn’t an excuse for not staying healthy and losing weight is possible at any age.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla