You’re not alone if you think that gaining weight and accumulating flab becomes so much easier at 50 years old. The task of losing weight and staying toned is very different at this age than it was ten years ago. Caroline Apovian, MD, a weight loss specialist at Boston University Medical Center, explained to AARP that the two main reasons individuals pack on extra pounds as they age are because they’re less active and they’re losing lean muscle mass. In addition, your metabolism changes, and getting a solid night’s rest can become more challenging, which—you guessed it—is connected to putting on unwanted pounds. Any and all of these factors can compromise your ability to torch calories.
It’s never a great feeling to be unhappy with your body, but the great news is that it’s never too late to map out a game plan and make some positive changes.
If you’re feeling flabby at 50, that can change starting today, because Eat This, Not That! spoke with Tyler Read, a personal trainer who’s been involved in health and fitness for the past 15 years, who shares great ways for you to melt unwanted fat away if you’re feeling flabby at 50. Keep reading to learn more, and next, check out Cut Unwanted Belly Flab With This 10-Minute Mat Routine.
Start adding low-impact activities to your daily routine.
If you’re feeling flabby at 50, it’s important to squeeze in some low-impact exercise each day. Read recommends, “For people over 50, increasing daily expenditure via walking or other low-impact activities is a great way to help lose weight over time.”
Low-impact exercises include bicycling, swimming, rowing, walking, tai-chi, and yoga. According to WebMD, these types of activities can boost your blood flow, help you avoid falls and injuries, prevent your muscles from wasting away, and improve your overall quality of life.
Resistance training is key.
Resistance training is simply golden when it comes to melting fat and toning your entire body. As a matter of fact, according to research published in the Current Sports Medicine Reports, “resistance training is medicine.” This form of exercise is chock-full of benefits, such as reducing visceral fat, along with enhancing movement control, the speed at which you walk, and your functional independence.
Follow a diet plan you’ll stick with.
If you want to melt fat like butter in a pan, it’s important to diligently follow a diet plan—one you’ll stick with. “Following a diet plan that keeps you at maintenance or caloric deficit are two of the biggest factors in successful weight loss,” says Read.
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Alexa Mellardo