The Key to Weight Loss in Your 40s and 50s – 7 Top Tips
Updated: Feb 19, 2020
When you get older it’s harder to lose weight.
And when you try, it just doesn’t work.
You need to do something different.
Now, instead of jumping on a new fad diet (which never works in the long run!) you can resort to one little-known secret to losing weight past 40…
Controlling your insulin.
This is the only real solution you can stick to in the long run.
So, here is how it works…
What is insulin?
It’s the hormone that moves sugar from the blood into your cells where it’s either used up as energy or turned into fat.
This makes it your fat-storing hormone (!!!).
So, when you eat, and start digesting, the sugar enters the bloodstream. Your body pumps out insulin to remove that sugar and move it into your cells.
Constant eating means that there will be constant sugar and insulin in your blood as well. Unless you do some exercise at that point to use the sugar up, your body will store it for later. It stores this in your cells as fat.
In other words, by controlling your insulin level you will control your weight as well.
My 7 simple ways to control your insulin level for weight loss in your 40s and 50s
Reduce your sugar intake. This is the obvious one. There are NO nutrients in pure sugar and it goes straight into your bloodstream.
Reduce snacking. The constant grazing on foods means that your body is constantly pumping out insulin. Unless you are exercising at that point, it will go straight to your cells as fat storage. Constant insulin in your blood may cause your cells to become insulin resistant. This is a precursor to diabetes.
Drink 1.5-2L of water/herbal teas each day. Often you are peckish because you are thirsty. So, if you are heading for the snack cupboard, drink a glass of water or herbal tea first.
Always include lean protein. Protein takes longer time to digest. By including lean protein in every meal, you slow down your digestion. This means that sugars enter your bloodstream more slowly. This results in less insulin pumped out. If you feel that you need a snack in the afternoon, make sure you include some protein.
Increase the amount of fibre by eating more vegetables. Fibre stabilises your blood sugar because it slows down the digestion process. Sugar will enter your blood more slowly, resulting in less insulin release. Vegetable fibre also makes you feel full for longer because it swells up as it absorbs water.
Reduce the amount of processed foods. By eating whole foods, you are in control of the amount of sugar, salt and other chemicals that you are eating.
Exercise. When you exercise you use up the sugar in your blood. Exercise is an excellent way to control your insulin. It will also decrease your insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.
If you find it hard, then start by introducing Tip 1 and Tip 2. By reducing your sugar intake and drinking more water you have actually won half the battle already.
Once you feel confident with those you move on to Tip 2 to reduce snacking.
If you need to have a mid-afternoon snack, a great first step is to make sure it's a healthy one that includes protein. If you need some inspiration, download my Free Hormone Balancing Snack Collection.
Hope this helps!
Gabriella
