Losing weight has not been an easy task for most of us, and it seems that after turning 50, it becomes even more problematic. Why? Because after turning 50, everything starts to slow down, including our metabolism. According to specialists, it is more challenging to lose weight after 50 because there are many changes our body goes through.
What are the difficult changes our bodies need to adapt to?
The American College of Sports Medicine informs that as we age, our bodies start losing muscle mass, and by the time we turn 50, we lose around 10 % of it. Besides the loss of muscle mass, older bodies also start to decline and feel the effects of our lifestyles. Our metabolism is slower, and this means that it becomes harder to lose weight. Hormonal changes affect older people, especially in the hormones responsible for regulating appetite and the feeling of hunger.
What can we do against ageing and weight problems?
Because our bodies go through so many changes as we grow older, it is also necessary to help them. Going to a regular check-up with your physician, sleeping around the same hour every night, eating healthy, and exercising can slow down the ageing process. To gain or maintain our muscle mass, we might want to start weight lifting and strength training. For those who want to increase their metabolic rate, it might be good to exercise constantly and drink plenty of water. A visit to the doctor can tell us if we need to take supplements and vitamins.
Refined sugars and starches are our enemies
According to research published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, reducing our daily intake of sugars and starch can help us lose weight. By choosing not to buy any more foods with sugar and starch and eating healthy, we can also help our body lose weight. All in all, to help our bodies fight off the extra pounds after 50, we need to make extra efforts. The extra efforts consist of good sleeping routines, avoiding starch and sugar, exercising and making sure we avoid stress.
