Mid-Life Weight Gain

Fighting the Bulge

While time passes you will  get new lines on your face, a new  hair color and a new rounded  waistline.  The ever passing years are not at fault for all of the changes in your body. The eating habits, attitude and your approach to everyday experiences also play key roles in your body image.

As we age, our bodies nutritional needs change, we lose muscle and gain fat, especially if we do not exercise regularly. You won’t necessarily feel these changes on a daily basis. Your metabolism slows little by little, each decade after age 20. You won’t suddenly wake up 10 pounds heavier. It will creep up slowly. Fortunately, you can have some control over your changing body and your slowing metabolism. Here are some ideas to help you avoid midlife weight gain:

Cut Your Portion Sizes

To avoid weight gain it’s important that you eat enough high-quality protein such as lean meat, poultry and fish, but not in abundance. Also make sure you try to get your veggie and fruit intake. And most important, drink lots of water. Water will moisturize your skin and help it stay clear, smooth and younger looking, while also flushing out the body’s toxins.

Feed Your Brain

As you lighten your caloric intake, remember not to skip meals. Keep your brain sharp by consuming a variety of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Pick dark colored produce such as sweet potatoes, strawberries, blueberries, kale and beets. Although there are powerful antioxidants in some white foods, also, such as cauliflower, onions and garlic.

Balance Your Diet

Keep your blood sugar balanced by combining: almond butter with whole grain crackers; low-fat or part-skim cheese and whole grain bread; hummus and fresh veggies; or whole grain cereal and skim milk. A container of low-fat, low-sugar yogurt is a good protein-carb combination. These snacks will also control your appetite and help you lose weight.

Help Your Bones

At least 28 million mature Americans have osteoporosis and low bone mass. If you haven’t had your Vitamin D level checked, be sure to ask your doctor to take this simple blood test at your next visit.

The combination of vitamin D and calcium help strengthen your bones to prevent osteoporosis, so make sure to get 1,500 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D. The foods best for your bones  are low-or non-fat dairy products, canned salmon with bones, broccoli and fortified soy milk and orange juice. Pick products that have a high daily value (20 percent) for calcium. You can find calcium values on the nutrition facts panel of your food products.

A non-invasive bone density test is recommended for women aged 65 and older.

Get Plenty Of Rest

Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

If all else fails, consider a safe medication such as Xenical to help with the fight to cut weight loss.

How Antioxidants Work - Video

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blueberries are a great source of antioxidants