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Losing weight when you are 40 years and older, becomes a real struggle. There’s a lot of factors coming into play when you are trying to lose weight in these years. Medical things as well as muscular. Let’s look at a few things that you should do when you’re trying to lose weight, age 40 and older.
Visit your GP
The first thing that I ask my clients upon our very first free consultation, is whether they have thyroid disorders, and have they tested it in the past? Your thyroid which is a butterfly gland in front of your neck, and it produces hormones that are responsible for your metabolism. This organ can either be underactive which slows down your metabolism or the organ can be overactive. This is why I ask my new clients to please visit their GP and get the thyroid tested especially if they struggle with weightloss.
Other things that your GP needs to test is for Diabetes and high blood pressure.
Medications
Certain medications also influence your efforts to lose weight. Certain antidepressants cause weight gain because it affects the serotonin that your brain release, the “feel good” hormone. With depression, some people stop eating, and when they use the antidepressants as prescribed to them, this causes weight gain because they feel better. This is not advisable to stop using your prescription. I am merely pointing out what some of the reasons are that you might be struggling with weight loss. Working with a dietician along with a personal trainer, if you are on antidepressants, can help you shed some of the weight and you can become healthier as well, overall. Remember, exercise and healthy living is not just about weight loss. It’s about being healthier overall as well, bringing you into a ripe age of 70 and up while still being mobile.
The children have left the building
Your children might have left the home in your years of 40 and older. This can also be a cause of weight gain because now you aren’t as active as you were before. You’re not running between errands or afterschool activities anymore. The laundry basket is now only being used every second or third day, and when you get home from work in the evenings, the book is your companion and not running between kids for their homework anymore or cooking or whatever a parent does.
Do not ignore goal setting
With regards to weight loss, you need to set a goal. You do need to exercise so that your energy expenditure is in a deficit. Two times per week at least being weight-bearing exercises and twice a week cardio which can be walking. Thus, you need to set this goal and diarise it as well so that other things do not affect your “appointment” with yourself. Also make sure that your goal is attainable which means that you can stick with it. If 30 minutes is all that you can do, then book it for that amount of time.
Dieticians?
Yes, they are valuable in helping you set up a healthy eating plan according to your goals and your health conditions. They did their education to be an asset in your weight loss goals. They will go through your medical history and medications you take, and advice you accordingly. They can also teach you the correct way to eat, what, and when.
All these things might seem a lot to do but it’s all worth it. If you are serious about weight loss, all these things need to be taken into consideration and even if you are only doing it to be healthier, then these things need to be checked out as well.