Some people are just lucky: They can eat whatever they want whenever they want, and they never seem to gain a pound. But, even those people with a high metabolism often face weight gain as they grow older.
Unfortunately, as we age, we have to be even more careful of what we eat because our metabolism begins to slow down. The simple fact is we may still be eating like we did when we were young, but most people still aren’t – often because they physically can’t – exercising as much as they once did. Additionally, the older people get the less active they tend to be.
Gaining weight is generally pretty easy as we age, but losing that weight can be a challenge. The key is to be vigilant and to know what you can do to keep the weight off. Following are some easy tips to get you started:
Make exercise a priority. Even just a walk around the block or parking far from the store is a way to ensure that you get some exercise. If you are physically able to exercise, talk with your doctor about the best exercise regiments for your needs and your ability.
Watch what you drink. The healthiest drinks, and those with the least calories, are water, coffee, tea, soy milk, soy products, skim milk, and low-fat milk. If you crave a soda, opt for the diet rather than soda with caffeine. Caffeine, too, will easily contribute to weight gain.
Get on schedule.. It’s good to eat your meals around the same time every day, and don’t skip breakfast. When your meals are irregular and you don’t eat breakfast, you’re on the fast track to gaining more weight.
Skip the seconds. No matter how much you enjoyed the meal, decline second servings.
To effectively make lifestyle changes, take a close look at your eating habits to determine what you can do differently. For example, when you’re relaxing and watching television at night, do you grab a bag of chips and just start eating? If so, you can cut out fat just by putting a handful of chips into a bowl. People who snack directly from the bag tend to eat much more, and therefore gain more weight, than those who limit themselves to a bowl.
Take a few days and evaluate when you eat, what you eat, and how much you eat, and determine where you can make adjustments. Even simple changes – like eating from a bowl instead of a bag – can make a big difference to maintaining or losing weight.
In addition, some doctors and other medical experts believe that the best way to lose weight is to exercise – preferably strength training – two or three times each week and to drop 100 calories from your diet every day.
Keep in mind that everyone gains weight as he or she ages. It’s a simple fact of nature. To remain at your ideal weight, be proactive. Watch what you eat, modify your diet with the aid of your doctor, and exercise regularly, if you can.
Of course make sure you consult your physician before you make any changes to your exercise program or diet.