Post-menopausal women often become frustrated when trying to lose weight. you can still lose weight. About two out of three post-menopausal women battle extra pounds, with the average weight gain anywhere from 10 to 15 pounds, according to the What’s Cooking America website. And, if they don’t gain weight, they still have a harder time maintaining their former weight before they went through menopause.
Belly Fat Bulge
Where younger women battle pounds mostly around the hips and thighs, excess pounds tend to gravitate around the stomach for middle aged and older women. Unfortunately, it can creep up at the rate of about a pound a year.
Reduce Calorie Intake
Because you need fewer calories to sustain your former body weight, it’s necessary to reduce the number of calories you consume each day.
Weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers are excellent for helping you learn to eat within a certain calorie range. Rather than counting calories, Weight Watchers uses points in their Flex Plan, as well as offering an alternate Core Plan.
The beauty of the program allows you to live life and not feel deprived. Instead of thinking of yourself on a diet, consider it’s a lifestyle. You just learn how to eat moderately and make wiser choices.
What’s more, you can find others your age at the meetings where you can share tips and recipes, besides encouraging one another.
Exercise More
Increase your exercise routine. In addition to firming your body, consistent exercise also promotes good bones and a healthier heart. And, it improves your frame of mind as endorphins are released during exercise. Regular exercise reduces your chances of diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
Walking—Start out walking as much as you’re able to walk. Then increase it as you continue your fitness program. Home treadmills are excellent if you don’t want to invest in a gym membership. If you don’t like to walk alone find a walking buddy or join other seniors who walk on a regular basis.
Weight Training—As women are prone to undergo osteoporosis following menopause, weight lifting can be beneficial because it strengthens bones and makes them denser. Also, as you age muscle tissue shrinks by about 30 percent. This is another reason why working out with weights is beneficial.
Women especially tend to suffer from osteoporosis after menopause. Weight lifting helps keep bones stronger. By following the proper steps of weight training, you can lose fat.
Stay Focused
When you were younger, you could probably get away with playing around with your weight loss program. However, your body is less forgiving as you age, so there’s less room for waffling back and forth, half-committed. Therefore, it’s vital that you stay focused on your goal of losing weight when tempted to backslide.
Set Mini Goals
If you have a lot of weight to lose, it can be overwhelming to dwell on your goal weight when you first start your food program. Instead, set mini-goals. For example, strive to lose 10 percent of your weight at a time. Then, after you’ve accomplished that objective, aim for the next 10 percent of weight loss.
Finally, be patient. If you stick to your food plan and exercise regularly, you will burn calories and lose fat. However, it takes more time when you’re older, so don’t give up. The extra time it takes to lose weight is worth it because you’re worth it.
Originally published on Suite 101.