When it comes to losing weight, many middle-aged women find it challenging as fat becomes a stubborn tissue that accumulates easily but is hard to shed. This difficulty arises because metabolism slows down during middle age, muscle mass decreases, and the basal metabolic rate drops, leading to an increased likelihood of gaining weight. How can one effectively control weight and maintain the physique of youth? There are two primary methods to control weight; if you follow them, you too can slim down.
1. Control Your Diet and Avoid Overeating
There are multiple ways to control your diet, and the more you practice, the faster you will lose weight!
– Maintain regular meal times instead of skipping meals, and adhere to a low-oil, low-salt, and light diet to reduce the chances of overeating.
– Avoid eating too quickly and develop the habit of chewing food thoroughly and eating slowly to control food intake effectively. Stop eating when you are 80% full to control stomach capacity.
– Refrain from snacking, especially on puffed foods, processed sweets, and fried foods, which are high in calories and unhealthy. Replace them with natural fruits to effectively control calorie intake.
– Drink a large glass of water before meals to reduce hunger and control food intake. Avoid drinking soup or eating fruit after meals to prevent excessive calorie and sugar intake.
– Reduce the intake of refined carbohydrates and increase the consumption of whole grains. A fist-sized portion per meal is sufficient, such as oats, brown rice, tubers, and legumes, which are low-GI foods rich in dietary fiber, providing a long satiety period, controlling blood sugar, and promoting intestinal movement to maintain metabolic energy.
– Increase vegetable intake to at least one pound of high-fiber vegetables per day. Eat a large portion of vegetables first during meals to reduce the intake of other high-calorie foods, which helps in weight loss.
– Drink water actively, with a daily intake of around 2-3 liters, to reduce the feeling of hunger. It is recommended to drink a cup of water every hour during the day and reduce water intake at night to avoid frequent trips to the bathroom and affect sleep quality.
2. Engage in Physical Activity
Exercise can increase metabolic activity, effectively strengthen the body, and create outstanding body contours. Instead of choosing high-intensity, high-fat-burning exercises, opt for exercises that suit you and are easy to maintain.
– If you have a larger body weight and lower physical fitness, start with exercises such as brisk walking, square dancing, cycling, and swimming, for about 40 minutes each time.
– If your physical endurance has improved, increase the intensity of exercise by choosing activities like jogging, jumping jacks, aerobics, and jumping rope, for 20-40 minutes each time, and exercise 4-5 times a week.
– In daily life, try to walk more instead of sitting still. Walking 8,000-10,000 steps per day can effectively promote blood circulation and reduce fat accumulation.
– If you want to have firmer body contours after losing weight, a moderate amount of strength training is essential. You can purchase dumbbells and resistance bands for home training and choose compound exercises like squats, push-ups, bench presses, shoulder presses, deadlifts, and rowing to strengthen muscle groups, which can increase your basal metabolic rate and help you lose weight faster.
These are the two effective methods for controlling weight. Good habits require persistence, and time will allow you to successfully lose weight and transform into a better version of yourself.
