How To Lose Weight When You are 35, 40, or older!

Hormonal weight gain, ugghh!!!

Losing weight after for 40 or even 35 can be hard, but you can DO it!

As a person who makes my own clothes, I notice right away when I gain a couple of pounds. Most of my clothing is fitted so I can't hide behind stretchy waistbands.

I have always been weight conscious and started working out at a gym at the age of 16. I've been working out regularly since those days, excepting the four times I was pregnant and when my kids were little babies. ( Instead I worked out with videos during those times). Regular exercise always worked for me and I never really had to watch what I ate very much. 

But the last few years, and especially since I turned forty I noticed exercising alone wasn't working for me. My weight was creeping up and I felt I couldn't do anything about it. Within two years I gained over 10 pounds which was is lot of weight for me. My resting weight, the weight my body settles at when I am exercising regularly but not vigorously, and eating healthy, but not dieting, had just gone up 10 pounds for no apparent reason. And I wasn't happy about it. I felt matronly and no one likes to feel matronly, do they? 

The truth is our metabolisms slow down as we get older. Plus, our bodies start making more estrogen and less progesterone. Excess estrogen and excess insulin from sugars in the body equals weight gain. To top it off, this weight often settles in the stomach, the least attractive spot to have fat on your body! A little extra in the bust or hips often looks fine, but in the tummy? Tummy fat just looks bad no matter how small or big you are. Plus, it puts you at risk for heart disease.

In the past few months, I've done a lot of research and feel I have found a system that works for me....

No. it's not easy, but it does seem to work.

I've lost six pounds so far with five more to go.... 

So here are a few tips I have to share with you:

Exercising Tips

• Try to get at least 3 hours or more of exercise a week. Preferably MORE. Make sure you do equal weight training to cardiovascular exercise.

Weights are important because they build muscle. More muscle equals a faster metabolism so you can eat more without gaining weight. And you will get rid of those old lady turkey arms...

• But do you know what? Exercise alone won't make you lose weight. It takes about an hour to burn 400 calories walking briskly. Have a mocha latte afterwards, and all those results are gone. POOF!
• I would say when you are trying to lose weight your diet is 70% important and exercising is 30% important.

I see a lot of women at my gym who exercise a lot, yet they are still overweight. Obviously, they are eating the wrong things.

You can lose weight without exercise but you will still be flabby. Wouldn't you rather be firm and fit? Then you have to exercise.

Your heart will thank you!

Supplements

Go to the health food store and buy these supplements:

• Progesterone Cream: This helps rebalance your estrogen. It's a natural cream made from yams and the benefits for women over 35 are improved moods if you suffer from PMS and balanced estrogen, preventing that dreaded belly fat.
• CLA or Conjugated Linoleic Acid: This Amino Acid is supposed to reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass, and enhance fat burning.

Eating to decrease your insulin and lose weight

Another rotten thing about getting older is our bodies make more insulin which is created by specific foods in the diet. Lower your insulin and your body's metabolism will increase... but you will have to change your diet.

Eating Tips

• Cut out all refined flours, white rice, and corn from your diet. 

That means giving up bagels, buns, wheat bread, tortillas, white rice, cookies, cakes, etc. You can have one type of bread only: The sprouted, whole grain flourless type. Ezekiel is one brand you can find in a lot of shops. But only one slice Why not corn tortillas, you ask? OK you can have a corn tortilla once in awhile but don't make a habit of it. But no cornbread. Ever. All of the refined grains increase insulin in the body and make the body receptive to depositing fat. It's a bummer.

• Cut out all added sweeteners, real and artificial!

Real sugar, corn sugar and artificial low calorie sweeteners. That means no more diet sodas, the bloggers go to drink, right? The body tastes the artificial sweetness and automatically craves more. It's also said that although diet sodas don't have any calories, they make you bloated. Just ask Dr OZ! You need to shock your body into not craving sugar. If you really need something sweet have  apiece of fruit. I didn't say it would be easy!

• Make sure you eat lean protein in every meal and snack.

Greek yogurt, no oil hummus, nuts, and a tiny bit of cheese (1 ounce) are great snack items.

For meals aim for about 4 oz. of lean protein like salmon, lean beef, or chicken. Eating protein at every meal helps you feel fuller and keeps your blood sugar or insulin levels low. Eggs are a great source of protein. Hard boil some eggs and keep them handy for snacks, and putting in salads. If you really want to go lean try buying some egg whites and making an egg white and veggie veggie omelette in the morning. 

• Never skip meals.

If you aren't hungry at lunchtime or breakfast eat something anyway. When you skip meals your metabolism slows down.

• Give up white potatoes in all forms.

Eat potatoes, look like a potato, it's as simple as that. Although they are a vegetable, they have so much starch in them,  your body is tricked into believing they are sugar.

• Eat as many vegetables and most fruits as you want!

Get a good cookbook and look up some good side vegetable recipes because while you are trying to lose weight you will be eating mostly vegetables, lean protein. just don't put lots of butter or oil on them. Go easy on bananas, sweet potatoes, and carrots which have  a lot of starch.

• Try out whole grain side dishes instead or your usual refined flour sides

Quinoa, couscous, barley, brown rice, and amaranth all make good replacements for bread and potatoes. Plus they have tons of fiber in them that you need.

• Drink a large glass of water before every meal.

It will help to fill you up and is great for your skin.

• Don't eat anything after dinner!

No popcorn in front of the TV, no snacking at the fridge, nothing. Your body needs to have time to burn fat while you sleep. If it is busy digesting, it won't burn any fat. Why not take advantage of your body's natural fat  burning process?
 I think the one thing that works best for me in the no bread rule. I would love to hear back from you if you try some of these tips. Let me know if they work for you!


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