Six Powerful Ways To Control Your Weight

By sarah elspeth

Poof. You turned 40. Do you feel like you instantly packed on the pounds? Does it seem like you are doing everything right, yet your body is working against you? Controlling weight gain after 40 can be a challenge.

The body changes after 40; you can blame it on hormone fluctuations, menopause, health issues or stress. It can feel like it’s super easy to gain and tough to lose. But it doesn’t mean you have to give up. You could achieve your best body yet by implementing some fantastic tools into your life. Let’s look at six practices that can help you control your weight after 40 and help you feel and look your best.

There is nothing better in life than having a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, many women over 40 have trouble falling and staying asleep. This can be for various reasons, including stress, low estrogen, night sweats, hot flashes or migraines. It sounds like a lot of fun, doesn’t it? It’s a raw deal that poor sleep leads to increased hunger and weight gain due to the “feed me” hormone ghrelin. Establishing good sleep patterns will help you keep the weight off and help with leptin production. This hormone has the opposite effect of ghrelin by indicating that you’re full and satiated to your brain. A few simple changes can help you enhance the quality of your sleep and, in turn, keep the pounds off. One of the easiest and most effective techniques for keeping weight off after 40 is portion control. It is easy to feel the pressure to finish everything on your plate when your husband serves up a meal or at a restaurant where there are usually huge portions. If you eat more calories than you need, your body stores it as fat. Portion control will help you make sure you’re eating only what your body needs, which will help you reduce your overall caloric intake. By learning portion control, you can influence how much your food is stored as fat. Essentially you can assume responsibility for your own body and weight.

What your drink during the day is one of the essential aspects of weight loss after 40. Research shows that those who stay hydrated by drinking lots of water consume fewer calories than those who skip the aqua. For women over 40, drinking more water can have some pretty incredible benefits on many aspects of your health, and weight loss is right at the top. To stay well hydrated, you should double the amount of water you’re drinking now. An easy way to manage this is to buy a pretty bottle and keep it filled throughout the day. You’d be surprised how easy getting your water intake up is when sipping throughout the day. Water gives you natural energy, so not only will you notice the weight melting off, but you’ll also have an extra skip in your step. Mindfulness Meditation (MM) is a powerful tool in helping to halt stress and emotional eating. MM helps you become aware of your own emotions and thoughts, and as a result, you can become more mindful regarding how your moods correlate to overeating. It is also beneficial in helping you have more patience and tolerance with yourself when changing your eating habits. Through Mindfulness Meditation, you will learn how to have more forgiveness for yourself so that when you do reach for the potato chips, it’s not as hard to get back up and recommit to your goals.

A daily walk is a powerful way to shed weight and keep the weight off. Walking assists you in burning calories

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and decreases your risk of injury and osteoporosis. By keeping your weight down because of a brisk daily walk, you’ll put less strain on your joints, minimizing your risk of physical wear and tear. Walking outside is also excellent for your mental health. The more time outdoors, the happier you’ll be, translating to less emotional eating. Throw on some comfy shoes and get out into the fresh air; your body will thank you.

Figuring out a creative hobby you’re passionate about can do wonders for weight loss. When the mind has nothing engaging to focus on, the first thought it goes to is food. By keeping your hands and mind busy, you won’t be reaching for that tasty junk food. Another fantastic benefit of getting creative is way less TV. One of the fastest ways to gain weight is to sit around in front of the tube. It is too easy to reach for your favorite snack while watching a show. By keeping yourself busy with a fun activity, you won’t be thinking about TV or that sugary treat you have hidden in the cupboard.

Mid-life can be some of your fittest and healthiest years if you are willing to take control and live in the healthiest way possible. Weight loss after 40 is entirely possible, and you may even exceed your expectations. With a few simple changes to your daily routine by implementing these exceptional habits and tools, you’ll have no problem shedding and maintaining your weight.

Sarah Elspeth is a Ph.D. student, registered counselor, health coach, yoga teacher and freelance health writer. Her passion is to help women heal and find their best health yet. Sarah believes that women need to slow down and make themselves a priority. By addressing underlying issues and teaching them life-changing tools, they can connect to joy, balance and optimal health.

Contact Sarah – https://sarahelspeth.com/book-consult/ – for your free discovery call today.

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