A lot of men are looking for ways to lose weight after 50.
As we get older, our lifestyles change and maybe we aren’t as active as we once were.
Also, our eating habits have usually been adapted to a work schedule that may not be the best for maintaining a healthy weight.
If you’ve been looking for possible answers, please read on.
Here are 8 ways to lose weight that you may not have thought of.
Sleep Like A Baby
Are you getting Enough sleep?
Most of us probably don’t.
Did you know that sleep plays an important role in weight loss?
The experts say we should be getting around 8 hours of un-interrupted sleep per night.
I know that I do not receive that much at any one time.
I think a lot of us wake up at least once during the night.
They also say too much sleep can cause obesity and heart disease, so we need to find a balance.
At some point during the night, we go into REM sleep.
REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement, also known as Stage 5 sleep.
REM sleep is when we burn the most calories, because that is when our brains are the most active.
This is when glucose is broken down to fuel your brain.
Because of this, you are burning more calories.
On another note, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that a short nap during the day really helps me recharge.
Even 20 minutes gets me back on track, especially after lunch.
Drink Coffee
Coffee really is good for you (unless you are allergic).
At least that’s what Mayo Clinic says.
I hate to break it to you, but it has to be black coffee.
You can’t be putting all those other ingredients into it and expect it to burn fat.
What I mean by this is cream and sugar.
Those add-ins will spike your insulin and counteract what you are trying to do by drinking black coffee.
Which is to burn calories.
Did you know that caffeine increases your digestion speed?
That in turn, will burn more calories and ramp up your energy level.
I drink Lavazza black coffee everyday and will not eat anything before about 10:30 AM.
This may seem too early to eat when breaking a fast, but I wake up at 5:00 AM.
That means I’ve been active for over 5 hours already.
This is part of my Intermittent Fasting routine.
There have also been long-term studies showing that black coffee everyday helps in reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes .
Just a word of caution.
It may reduce the risk of cardiac arrest, but in the short term, can cause high blood pressure.
Now, if you have a reaction to coffee or your body just can’t process it, mark this one off your list!
Also, check with your doctor.
Eat More Protein
Increased protein intake will help reduce your appetite and give you the good calories that your body needs.
By eating protein instead of carbs and fats we are reducing the hunger hormone in our bodies.
This is one of the direct ways that our bodies burn more calories and we don’t feel like eating as often.
Protein from meat takes longer to digest and will keep you feeling full longer.
Protein digestion makes your body burn more calories and will reduce your appetite.
Keep a high protein snack handy so you can have quick access when you are feeling hungry.
I make my own beef jerky from London broil steak, and eat it throughout the day.
It’s a great healthy snack and packed with protein.
It also tastes pretty good if I do say so myself.
Cut Out Carbs
According to Healthline, the Food and Drug Administration recommends 300 grams of carbohydrates if you are eating a 2000 calorie diet.
If you want to lose weight, try cutting some of those grams out.
A gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories.
Bread and pasta are loaded with carbohydrates, so you may want to monitor your intake.
So if you restrict starches and sugars which are carbs, you will lose more weight.
Carb reduction can also lower your blood sugar and blood pressure, while raising your good HDL (cholesterol).
It is better to get your calories from protein and fats.
Think of burning fat as a slow burning fire with hot coals.
Carbohydrates are the equivalent of throwing gasoline on the fire for that quick flame.
Maybe you can think of a better analogy, but this one works for me.
Stop Adding Sugar
Lay off the extra sugar and soft drinks!
You don’t need to be adding sugar to your cereal or coffee.
Middle aged and older adults are at the highest risk for Type 2 Diabetes.
Glucose and fructose are the two main types of sugar.
Fructose can only be processed by the liver whereas glucose is processed throughout the body.
You need to stop adding sugar to your food.
Also, there are loads of sugar in soft drinks.
There are 39 grams of sugar in a can of Coke which is over 9 teaspoons of table sugar.
Actually, Coke is made with high fructose corn syrup, but you get my drift.
You are also looking at increased risk of Heart Disease and stroke from this habit.
With all of these calories you don’t get any vitamins, minerals, or protein…not even healthy fats.
High Intensity Interval Training
Have you ever heard of High Intensity Interval Training, otherwise known as HIIT?
This type of training is designed to get your heart rate up and burn calories.
The resistance will not be that tough and you will be taking shorter amounts of rest between exercises.
You perform an exercise for about 30 seconds.
If you rest for 10 to 30 seconds between exercises, you should be good to go.
Also, it doesn’t take a toll on your knees and back like running for 30 minutes does.
You will build stamina with the exercises and make your daily living more enjoyable.
Strength Training
Also known as resistance training.
There are a few different methods of resistance training that you can do.
We have machines, body weight training, free weights, resistance bands, and instability exercises to name a few.
Machines make your body perform the exercise in certain range of motion.
This means not all of your muscles will be used to keep the weight balanced.
Bodyweight training will incorporate all of your stabilizing muscles along with your major muscle groups, depending on the exercises.
You are using these muscles to maintain balance while moving your body through through space.
This gives you a more functional workout.
The nice thing about bodyweight training is that you can do it about anywhere without equipment.
Your body weight provides the resistance for the exercise.
Next we have free weights.
They will have some type of handle to grab such as, barbells dumbbells and kettlebells.
You will have to use stabilizing muscles besides your large muscle groups for these also.
If you use too much weight, you may injure yourself, so be careful with this one.
Resistance bands are an easy way to get a good strength workout.
They come in different sizes and lengths for varying amounts of resistance.
They’re usually color-coded so you can quickly identify the resistance amount.
Bands are also a lot safer to use than free weights and you control the amount of resistance on your muscles.
Cut Back On Bad Fats
What are bad fats?
Have you ever heard of hydrogenated fats?
I have, but I did not know what they were.
Well guess what, they are not good for you.
What they are, is the process of adding hydrogen to cooking oils that will give them a longer shelf life.
These are the same oils that restaurants will use over and over because they remain stable and the restaurant can use the same oil many times.
Your body has trouble breaking down the fats and they end up just sitting there in your body.
And that is why you get fatter, along with clogged arteries.
So stay away from those french fries and other deep fried foods that we like so much.
Conclusion
There are many ways you can lose weight as you get older.
These are just eight basic suggestions that you can add to your daily living that will have a positive effect on your body.
And they just make sense.
The two hardest are probably HIIT exercises and Strength Training.
You need to do some type of daily exercise or activity that will just keep your body moving.
Otherwise, your basic bodily functions will have problems.
If you find a workout program you like, give it a try.
You’ll want to keep it enjoyable, so you won’t dread doing the exercises.
Overall, diet is the major factor when losing unwanted pounds.
Always check with your medical professional before starting a new diet or exercise program.