We all want to lose and shed that excess fat around our body, but despite the vast knowledge on social media, people above the age of 40 years, have problem shedding weight due to the change of metabolism that comes with aging. As we grow older, a lot of things start to change in our body, like the way our body responds to different foods, activities, and exercise. Here are 15 Ways to Lose Weight After 40 to Get Fit for that Bikini Body Beach Vacation.

Age is not an excuse to look unhealthy or unfit; there are different diet programs and training regimen that are unique to people over the age of 40 years. This types of training and diet regimen ensure that you look healthy and attractive without harming yourself or your body.

If you’re over 40, you may have noticed that it’s easier to gain weight and harder to lose it, than it used to be. Changes in your activity level, eating habits, and hormones, and how your body stores fat all can play roles. But a few simple steps may help you slim down. This step includes:

15 Ways to Lose Weight After 40 to Get Fit for that Bikini Body Beach Vacation

1. Eat More Fruits and Veggies

Fill half your plate with them at every meal. Produce tends to have more nutrients and less fat and calories than meat, dairy products, or grains. And it may help you feel satisfied, even if you eat less. Fresh fruits, like apples and berries, are also great in place of high-fat or high-sugar snacks.

2. Eating Breakfast

Experts recommend a healthy morning meal like oatmeal or whole wheat toast with fruit. It can help curb that mid-morning hunger that leads you to grab something unhealthy on-the-go or overeat at lunch. Small meals or snacks every few hours can keep your appetite in check all day long.

3. Eat Less at Night

If you get most of your daily calories at lunch (before 3 p.m.), you might lose more weight than if you have a big meal later. But the most important thing is still what you eat, not when.

4. Eat Healthily

A lot of extra fat and calories can come from the way you prepare food. Instead of frying food or cooking it in butter or lots of oil, try grilling, baking, or broiling. This is good advice at restaurants, too: Skip foods that are fried or that come in creamy sauces.

5. Smaller Portions

You might tend to be less active as you get older, and you may need a few hundred calories less than you used to. To lose weight, you may need to cut your calories back even more. Smaller portions and tracking your calories with a food diary or an app can help you eat less.

6. Focus

When you’re busy with work, kids, and life, you can be tempted to grab food on-the-go or multitask through a meal. But you’re more likely to overeat — and be hungry again soon after — if you don’t focus on your food. Sit down for meals and tune in to what’s on your plate (not what’s on your TV or computer screen). That helps your brain realize when you’ve had enough.

7. Avoid Soda

If you drink sugar-sweetened coffee, tea, soft drinks, or energy drinks, switch to water or another zero-calorie beverage. Your sweet beverages have lots of added sugar, which can make you gain weight and raise your risk for diabetes.

8. Reduced Alcohol

Beer bellies aren’t always caused by booze. But a “spare tire” is conventional in middle age, and alcohol can have something to do with it. A glass of beer or wine is about 150 calories, and that can add up if you drink often. Plus, alcohol can make you hungry, so you may eat more while you drink.

9. Active Lifestyle and Exercise

Between desk jobs, commutes, and family activities, many 40-somethings don’t have a lot of free time to work out. But it’s important — for your weight and your overall health — to fit in at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate physical activity (like brisk walking or light yard work) every week. Pencil times on your calendar, and make them a priority.

10. Build More Muscle

People naturally lose muscle after 40, especially women after menopause. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, this can slow down your metabolism and make it harder to shake those stubborn pounds. Strength-training exercises, lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises, like push-ups and squats at least twice a week can help you keep those muscles.

11. Stress Reduction

Tress can make you more likely to binge on unhealthy food, and it makes it harder for your body to break down fat. Try yoga, deep breathing, meditation, going for a walk, or reading a good book. Stress relief is different for everyone, so find what works for you.

12. Sleep More

All kinds of things can mess with your sleep after age 40, health problems, stress, medications, and, for women, menopause. But people who don’t get good-quality sleep are more likely to gain weight. If you skimp on sleep because you’re busy or stressed, try to change your habits and settle into a routine.

13. Thyroid Diseases or Malfunction

If you eat healthily and exercise regularly and still can’t lose weight, your thyroid might not be working as it should. This happens in about 5% of people, and it’s most common in women and people over 60. In addition to weight gain, it can also cause fatigue, joint or muscle pain, and depression. Medications can help, so get it checked if you think it might be an issue.

14. Work in Groups

For many people, it’s easier to lose weight with others than to do it alone. You might enter a weight-loss contest at work, join a group on social media, or ask a friend to go for early-morning walks or classes at the gym. Other people who share your goals can help keep you accountable and cheer you on as you make progress.

15. Consistency

Consistency is one of the most critical factors for any diet regimen or training routing to work out, you need to do it consistently to get the desired results.

Ways to Get Ready for Swimsuit Season, Dinner Gown, and Bikini

We all have that special dinner, anniversary, or beach that we have been planning for a long time, and there is just a problem of fitting into the beautiful dress we want to wear for the Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration.

These Few Ways Would Prepare You and Help You Get Ready for That Christmas Dress or Bikini Destination:

1. Good posture

Good posture is the quickest, easiest way to look better and several pounds thinner in your favorite bikini.  Slouching takes inches off your height and makes your tummy look rounder. Practice good posture by keeping your back straight and your shoulders back. Distribute your weight evenly on both hips. Your body and your reflection will thank you.

2. Move More and Get More Active

In the weeks before swimsuit and Christmas season, aim to move your body more. Every single piece of physical activity adds up.” So turn on some music and dance. Try a Zumba class. Use the stairs at work. Every ounce of sweat will bring you closer to your goal.

3. Push-Ups

To help get your body bikini-ready, “why not multitask?Push-ups are my No. 1 favorite because you can hit 5 muscles at once: biceps, triceps, deltoids, pecs, and abs. Start with a bent-knee push-up, and have a trainer watch once to check your form. If you have a medical condition, get a doctor’s permission before starting a new exercise program.

4. Squats

For the butt and thighs, Doctors and Fitness trainers recommend squats. A simple way to do these is to squat against a wall or an exercise ball, into an invisible chair. Keep your feet hip-width apart, knees over your ankles, and squeeze your abs to avoid arching your back. As you become stronger, you can hold dumbbells to increase the intensity. Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

If any exercise doesn’t feel right, stop and check with a fitness pro.  Depending on your condition, some exercises may not be recommended

5. Rows

Rows are terrific for beginners hoping to exercise their arms and back. You’ll need resistance bands or cables. Sit with your knees slightly bent and your back vertical. Gently lean forward to grasp the cable. Exhale when pulling backward. To go forward, inhale and extend your elbows. Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps.

6. Deadlifts

Deadlifts help tone the whole body, particularly the back, butt, and legs. You’ll need a barbell or dumbbells to do this one. Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width. Keep the weights close to your body as you lift them off the ground. Be sure to raise your shoulders and hips together, and avoid arching your back. The technique is essential, so you may want to get some pointers from a trainer. Do one set of 8-12 reps

7. Pilates Exercise

It strengthens the core of your body: your back and abs. Can’t get to class? Try a classic pose similar to the one shown here in your home. Lie on the floor and gently lift your legs and arms. Beginners should keep the knees bent and the arms parallel to the floor. As you become more advanced, aim to straighten your legs. Holding this pose will tighten the muscles in your back and tummy simultaneously.

8. Reduce Your Calories

You could do crunches ’til the cows come home, but still have a belly unless you rein in your calories. Skipping the fries in favor of a low-calorie fruit or veggie side dish is an easy way to start. Substantial benefits can come from cutting way back on refined carbohydrates: white bread, white pasta, white rice, and, of course, sugar. These foods “wreak havoc on your appetite.

9. Increase Protein Intake

Foods that are high in protein or fiber can help slow the digestive process. The result is that your stomach feels full longer and sends a message to your brain that you don’t need to eat more. You get more satisfaction with fewer calories.

10. Increase Your Fiber Intake and Skipping Salt

Besides curbing your appetite, fiber can prevent that archenemy of the bikini-clad: constipation and bloating. By keeping you regular, a high-fiber diet may help your tummy look flatter. Just be careful about adding too much too quickly and drink plenty of water. Some high-fiber foods, such as beans, can make bloating worse at first. Other sources of fiber include veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Salt makes you bloat like a blowfish, And the puffiness can last for days. Not a good thing when you’re planning to debut your new bikini. Cut back on salt by eating fresh foods instead of canned. Ask for the sauce on the side when you eat out. Another way to reduce bloating is to eat smaller meals throughout the day.

If you’re fuller in the hips and thighs, you might be tempted to mask your bottom with boy shorts. But this style can cut your thighs off at the wrong place. Opt for high-cut bottoms instead — they’ll make your legs look longer and leaner. For the top, choose a v-neck to draw attention toward your upper body. If your tummy is your trouble-zone, more so than your hips, you’re not alone. Thankfully, there are plenty of stylish one-piece suits that offer some camouflage. Side-detailing, wrap styles, and ruching all tend to make the middle look slimmer. Some outfits even come with built-in tummy control. To draw attention away from your waist, choose a deep v-neck.

The best way to fit into your Christmas dress, swim-suit, or bikini, is to have a healthy lifestyle that consists of a proper diet and an effective training routine. Having an active lifestyle can help eliminate different diseases or problems with obesity or being overweight. Having an active lifestyle includes smaller things such as taking the stairs, taking a walk while on a coffee break at work, doing things that keep you moving. If you have any unusual reaction after starting a diet or training regimen, contact your doctor.

 

References

Asp, K. (2017). What’s Best for Your Health Goals: Diet or Exercise?. [online] Real Simple. Available at: https://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/diet-or-exercise [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017].

HEID, M. (2017). Which One’s More Important: Diet Or Exercise?. [online] Prevention. Available at: https://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/diet-vs-exercise [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017].

Hoffmann, T. (2017). Eating the Right Foods for Exercise. [online] Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise-eating-healthy [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017].

Kueppers, P. (2017). What’s more important: Exercise or diet?. [online] HealthySetGo Blog. Available at: https://www.allinahealth.org/HealthySetGo/SingleArticle.aspx?id=36507242407 [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017].

Tarlens, D. (2017). Cite a Website – Cite This For Me. [online] Vitals.lifehacker.com. Available at: https://vitals.lifehacker.com/exercise-vs-diet-which-is-more-important-for-weight-l-1677532039 [Accessed 18 Oct. 2017]. 


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