For women over 40, losing weight can become incredibly difficult
due to a flux in hormones and a lifetime of poor eating habits and
sedentary behaviors.
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, dieters who regain weight are not simply falling back into old eating habits, they're battling their very hormones, making it a struggle every step of the way.
Barone Gibbs, assistant professor at the University of Pittsburg's department of health and physical activity explains, "not only does motivation decrease after you start losing weight, there are physiological changes, including a decreased resting metabolic rate. Appetite-related hormones increase. Researchers studying the brain are now finding that you have enhanced rewards and increased motivation to eat when you've lost weight."
However, just because it can be difficult to lose weight doesn't mean that you should just throw in the towel now and start chowing down on the chocolate. By making small changes to your current lifestyle and focusing on establishing healthy eating habits, you will slowly but surely lose those extra pounds.
Eat More to Lose More
More fruits and veggies, that is.
While it may seem counter-intuitive to eat more to lose more, focusing on which foods you can add to your diet may give you better results than the foods you have to give up completely.
Barone Gibbs points out, "Eating fruits and vegetables may not make as big a difference in your caloric intake, but that small change can build up and give you a better long-term results, because it's not as hard to do as giving up French fries forever."
How many servings should you aim for a day? In one study, individuals who ate two servings a day of fruits and vegetables (from what they were previously eating) lost three pounds and managed to keep the weight off four years later.
While this may not seem like much at first, every little conquest brings you one step further to reaching your goal.
Don't Skip Meals
Skinny teenage girls may be able to get away with "forgetting" to eat on occasion, but studies have shown that skipping meals will actually sabotage your weight loss goals rather than speeding your results.
In a study involving over 123 sedentary postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 to 75, women who skipped meals lost 8 lbs. less than women who ate regularly.
Researchers observed that those who skipped meals were more likely to overindulge by the time their next meal came around, overcompensating for the calorie deficit.
Additionally, "we also think skipping meals might cluster together with other behaviors," says Dr. Anne McTiernan, director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, "for instance, the lack of time and effort spent of planning and preparing meals may lead a person to skip meals and/or eat out more."
Keep Track of Your Calories
Though you don't have to keep track of every single calorie you put into your mouth, having a basic understanding of when, why, and how much you eat on a day to day basis can give you greater control over your eating habits.
Studies have shown that women who keep food journals consistently lost an average of 6 lbs. more than women who simply eyed their portions and made their best guess.
Why?
Because women who kept track of their calories held themselves responsible for everything they ate, steering dieters toward healthy eating habits and providing a little extra motivation to make healthier decisions about their diet.
Additional Suggestions
Sometimes it can be difficult to take control of your appetite, even if you're eating the recommended amount of calories per day and doing your best to eat a healthy diet.
Fortunately, some diet pills may be able to help balance your hormone levels so you can take charge of your weight loss results rather than listening to your stomach 24/7.
Some diet pills for women are more effective than others, of course, so you'll want to make sure you do your research before you try the supplement for yourself.
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, dieters who regain weight are not simply falling back into old eating habits, they're battling their very hormones, making it a struggle every step of the way.
Barone Gibbs, assistant professor at the University of Pittsburg's department of health and physical activity explains, "not only does motivation decrease after you start losing weight, there are physiological changes, including a decreased resting metabolic rate. Appetite-related hormones increase. Researchers studying the brain are now finding that you have enhanced rewards and increased motivation to eat when you've lost weight."
However, just because it can be difficult to lose weight doesn't mean that you should just throw in the towel now and start chowing down on the chocolate. By making small changes to your current lifestyle and focusing on establishing healthy eating habits, you will slowly but surely lose those extra pounds.
Eat More to Lose More
More fruits and veggies, that is.
While it may seem counter-intuitive to eat more to lose more, focusing on which foods you can add to your diet may give you better results than the foods you have to give up completely.
Barone Gibbs points out, "Eating fruits and vegetables may not make as big a difference in your caloric intake, but that small change can build up and give you a better long-term results, because it's not as hard to do as giving up French fries forever."
How many servings should you aim for a day? In one study, individuals who ate two servings a day of fruits and vegetables (from what they were previously eating) lost three pounds and managed to keep the weight off four years later.
While this may not seem like much at first, every little conquest brings you one step further to reaching your goal.
Don't Skip Meals
Skinny teenage girls may be able to get away with "forgetting" to eat on occasion, but studies have shown that skipping meals will actually sabotage your weight loss goals rather than speeding your results.
In a study involving over 123 sedentary postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 to 75, women who skipped meals lost 8 lbs. less than women who ate regularly.
Researchers observed that those who skipped meals were more likely to overindulge by the time their next meal came around, overcompensating for the calorie deficit.
Additionally, "we also think skipping meals might cluster together with other behaviors," says Dr. Anne McTiernan, director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, "for instance, the lack of time and effort spent of planning and preparing meals may lead a person to skip meals and/or eat out more."
Keep Track of Your Calories
Though you don't have to keep track of every single calorie you put into your mouth, having a basic understanding of when, why, and how much you eat on a day to day basis can give you greater control over your eating habits.
Studies have shown that women who keep food journals consistently lost an average of 6 lbs. more than women who simply eyed their portions and made their best guess.
Why?
Because women who kept track of their calories held themselves responsible for everything they ate, steering dieters toward healthy eating habits and providing a little extra motivation to make healthier decisions about their diet.
Additional Suggestions
Sometimes it can be difficult to take control of your appetite, even if you're eating the recommended amount of calories per day and doing your best to eat a healthy diet.
Fortunately, some diet pills may be able to help balance your hormone levels so you can take charge of your weight loss results rather than listening to your stomach 24/7.
Some diet pills for women are more effective than others, of course, so you'll want to make sure you do your research before you try the supplement for yourself.
Click here to read reviews of the best diet pills for women and see what the experts have to say about the leading brands and products.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jesse_Stagg
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