How I lost 18 kg after 50 and what to do if you also want to lose weight

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Three proven tips to help you get in shape at any age.

Blogger Steve Spring shared a motivating story about how he decided to lose weight and was able to do it. Perhaps she will inspire you to get off the couch and finally take care of yourself. Lifehacker publishes a translation of his advice.

Two years ago, I fell ill after returning from a trip to South America and ended up in the hospital. Although my illness soon passed, I was told some rather frightening things. It turned out that I had 18 extra pounds of weight, the percentage of fat in my body was 32%, cholesterol rose to 203 mg / dl, and glucose to 109 mg / dl. I had to do something, otherwise I would not have lasted long.

I didn't know where to start. For many years I did not think about nutrition and did not play sports. Getting in shape after 50 is not easy. As you age, it becomes much more difficult to lose weight and build muscle. But over the past two years, I have been able to improve my health. I lost 18 kilograms, brought my body fat to 20%, and lowered my cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Here are three methods that have been most helpful to me. Hope they help you too.

1. Try different diets for one month and choose the one that suits you

I've tried a lot of diets. I started with the Whole30 power system. It completely eliminates the use of sugar, dairy products and grains. And this is exactly what I love, so it was hard. And it took a lot of time to prepare food. But this month I lost 5.5 kilograms.

Then I tried it. It turned out to be not as difficult as I thought. With this approach, you can eat any food, but only at a certain time. It was most convenient for me to have breakfast at 11:00 and dinner at 19:00. It took 8 hours with food and 16 hours of fasting. Although you are allowed to eat whatever you want, I tried to eat healthy food and only occasionally allowed myself pizza or burgers.

I also experimented with. It was not difficult to stick to it, because it allows fatty tasty food. It works well for weight loss, but it does more harm than good in the long run.

In the end, I came to the conclusion that strict diets and rules didn't work.

They accelerate weight loss but do not guarantee long-term results. If you want to be healthy for a long time, you need to eat healthy foods.

Now I just try to eat a balanced diet. I eat fewer processed foods, more fish, lean meats, whole grains and olive oil. I also drink about three liters of water a day.

Try different diets in action. Stick to each for a month and draw conclusions. But if at the beginning you feel that the diet is not working or hurting you, move on to the next one. As a result, you will find a meal plan that is right for you.

2. Walk 10,000 steps a day

To lose weight, you need to move. You don't have to sign up for a marathon or go to the gym to the point of exhaustion. Just add more physical activity to your life.

I decided to start by walking - 10,000 steps a day. It helps lower blood pressure, stabilizes blood glucose levels, and improves mood, according to research. I didn't stop until the phone showed that I had walked 10,000 steps. It was hard at first. Sometimes I had to go outside when I just wanted to relax or be with my family. But I forced myself and did not miss a day.

You do not need to go exactly 10,000 steps, the main thing is to move more than before.

Walking is easier to start with because it doesn’t require a tremendous amount of effort. And in bad weather, you can go to the nearest supermarket and walk there. Or exercise on a treadmill.

3. Create a simple 30 minute workout

If you just go on a diet, you will lose not only fat, but also muscle mass. To avoid this, you need to do strength exercises. This can be home weight training, barbell training in the gym, or crossfit.

If you haven't done anything like this for a long time, choose any of the types. The main thing is to start without delay.

I hadn't been to the gym in years and had to start with something simple. In this case, it is very helpful to work with a coach. It will help you not get injured if you get down to business too zealously. Develop a simple exercise plan. This will help you know exactly what to do and not miss classes. Gradually complicate your workouts.

If you have enough self-discipline to do without a coach, practice at home. There are many videos and tips on how to design workouts online. The main thing is to do at least 30 minutes.

conclusions

I am not a doctor, trainer, or nutritionist. I don't know what state your body is in now. But I know that healthy food and exercise is good for everyone. Walk more and find the workout system that's right for you. Don't put it off until later. To live longer, start taking care of your health today.