Fifty is big. It calls for big celebrations (it does mean you’re half of a century old), sometimes retirement, and of course, weight gain. When it comes to women, hitting 50 years old may not seem like a huge celebration because of one very unfortunate thing: menopause. It’s unpleasant for multiple reasons, but what may be the worst is weight gain. This is why these 10 best weight loss tips for women over 50 are so important if you’ve hit that half of a century mark.
Why do women often gain weight during menopause? Because of the hormone and appetite changes that occur. We all know from going through puberty that hormone changes mean appetite shifts, which can result in weight gain. Plus, during menopause, women’s body structures change. This makes it more difficult to lose the weight that’s already being stored on women’s bodies.
On top of menopause being a leading cause for weight gain in your fifties, other factors also aid in weight gain. These factors include:
- Lack of sleep
- Stress
- Depression
- Not consuming enough food
- Slower metabolic rate
So, whether you’re going through menopause or not, if you’re in your fifties and you’re trying to lose weight, these best weight loss tips for women over 50 are for you!
1. Get More Active
As we age, we tend to get less and less active for multiple reasons. Perhaps you recently retired and now have a ton of time on your hands. Maybe the kids are all grown and have moved out of the house. You may even just have more aches and pains that prevent you from moving around as much. Regardless of the reasons, women who are menopausal usually become less active due to the changes they endure.
Although all of the above reasons are valid when it comes to not exercising, exercise is essential for healthy weight loss at any age. So, at the age of 50, getting active in less strenuous ways can be great for both your body and mind. Try walking for just 30 minutes a day or give our 17-Day Walk/Run Plan a go!
2. Build Muscle
The older we get, the more muscle we lose. This muscle is more often than not replaced with fat, and it’s more often than not stored in our midsections. Building muscle is a great way to reduce fat on your body. It’s also great because it allows you to consume more calories without putting on any weight. Our muscles need food to grow and, fortunately, they burn off more calories than fat does.
3. Say “No” to Sugary Drinks
You’ve heard it before and I’ll say it again, drinks like energy drinks, fruit juices, and that beloved soda are loaded with sugars and unnecessary calories that only add to the weight you’re trying to lose. Sugary drinks are simply empty calories. They lack any nutritional benefits and don’t fill you up but still add to your daily calorie count. Thanks to the added sugars, such drinks also make you more prone to storing body fat–especially around your midsection.
On top of that, the most popular sugary drink of all, soda, harms more than just the number on the scale. It also negatively effects your:
- Heart
- Brain
- Bones
- Teeth
Why risk your health so drastically when you could simply swap out sugary drinks, like soda, for water? You could live a much healthier life and take steps closer to reaching your goal weight by making this simple change. This may be the easiest and most beneficial of these best weight loss tips for women over 50!
4. Eat More Veggies
If you’ve heard the saying “eat the rainbow” before, then you know that it means eating on plates of beautifully-colored foods like vegetables. So, eat the rainbow! Yup, I am telling you to simply eat delicious foods to lose weight!
As stated earlier, menopause causes weight gain because of the changes it makes to both your hormones and your appetite. With this tip, we’re focusing on the appetite part. If your appetite is going to increase and you’re going to eat more food, you should eat foods that aid in weight loss. Fill up on the good stuff that’s high in nutrients and low in calories.
Vegetables are by far the best foods to consume when trying to lose weight because of how high in nutrients and low in calories they are. Oh, and they’re delicious! Remember when I said that cutting out sugary drinks might be my favorite tip on this list of best weight loss tips for women over 50? Well, I think I changed my mind. I think this one is! I can’t think of anything bad about eating yummy, healthy food!
We have tons of SkinnyMs vegetable recipes and cooking tips. Find them here and get to cookin’!
5. Eat More Fruit
The second food group that’s usually apart of the “eat the rainbow” deal is fruit! Yes, fruit is high in sugar and shouldn’t be eaten in extremely high quantities when trying to lose weight–especially for women over 50 who are experiencing hormone shifts and more fat storage. That being said, you should opt for fruits that are lower in sugar like:
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Cranberries
- Clementines
- Watermelon
6. Control Your Portions
According to registered dietitian Manuel Villaoorta in his article on weight loss, as we age, our metabolic rates decrease up to 8% every decade. This means, of course, that once we hit that 50 mark, we can no longer eat like teenagers. Consuming healthy foods is of course essential when trying to lose weight, but portion control is also essential.
As Manuel Villaoorta also points out in his article, you cannot simply eat tons of healthy foods and expect to lose weight–especially with a slowed down metabolism. You must pay attention to how much of those healthy foods you’re eating in order to work with your slower metabolism.
In my opinion, this is one of the more difficult weight loss tips for women over 50 to follow. However, it is very important, which is why we’ve put together some information, tips, and recipes to help get you started. Check out 7-Day Portion Control Menu, 7 Portion Control Tips, and 10 Ways Portion Control Can Help You Lose Weight Quickly.
7. Eat Breakfast
Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. It can either be the reason you maintain your diet all throughout the day or the reason you binge eat during lunch or dinner time, ruining your diet. Eating breakfast not only gives you energy to get more active throughout the day, but it also keeps you from binge eating! I think it’s safe to say that we’ve been there, done that when it comes to binge eating, and man, does it stink!
You feel so awful all day, starving, and then when lunch or dinner time rolls around, you’re uncontrollable. Afterward, you feel bloated and gross, and you probably consumed way too many calories. It’s not worth it, and it’s such an easy fix. Just eat your breakfast!
I know that making breakfast can seem very tedious in the morning. This is why we’ve put together a list of 10 Quick & Easy Meal Prep Breakfast Bowls. You can prep the bowls in advance so when you wake up, no tedious activities are required! Just grab your pre-made bowl and wave goodbye to binge eating.
8. Eat When You’re Hungry
Now, you already know that skipping breakfast is a bad idea when it comes to losing weight over 50. However, did you know that it’s harmful to your weight loss journey to skip out on any meal when you’re hungry–snacks included? Well, it is!
If you’re hungry, it means your body needs nutrients. Depriving your body of those nutrients is not helping you in the slightest. Like skipping breakfast, not eating when you’re hungry will only lead to binge eating later on.
It can be difficult to figure out what exactly to eat that won’t sabotage your progress when you’re hungry in between meals. Luckily, with these weight loss tips for women over 50, we also have tips and tricks (in case you haven’t already noticed). With that being said, check out 32 Clean Eating Low-Calorie Snacks for some inspiration.
9. Eat Less
I know, I know, so many of these weight loss tips for women over 50 were sounding so good and rather easy, and then I hit you with this one. Eating less isn’t as easy as it sounds. I know that. Unfortunately, it may be necessary if you want to lose weight after turning 50. After all, that metabolism isn’t speeding back up!
Eating less, however, means something different for everyone. According to Erin Coleman, R.D., L.D. in this article, if you’re an active woman, you may be looking at eating around 1,600 calories a day whereas if you’re less active, you may be looking at a diet closer to 1,200 calories a day. Regardless of the calorie limit that’s right for you, cutting down on calories can really aid in weight loss, but you must remember to make sure you’re getting all of your nutrients in, too.
10. Stay Hydrated
I’m bringing this list of the best weight loss tips for women over 50 to an end with possibly the most-said tip: stay hydrated. I’m sorry, but although you’ve heard it again and again, I need to say it one more time. Drink water!
Drinking water aids in weight loss in a variety of ways. It helps prevent over eating, it helps you to not eat when you’re not hungry, it keeps you energized, it boosts your metabolism, and it aids in fat burning! Talk about the ultimate weight loss tool–especially for women over 50 who are gaining fat around the belly area. Just drink water whenever the idea pops into your mind and the simple step is sure to work wonders.
Actually, all of these tips are sure to work wonders! And you have them all at your fingertips! All you have to do is follow them and start loving your results.
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