If you’re 35 or older, you’re probably trying to figure out how to avoid that dreaded middle-aged spread. After all, we secretly want our skinny jeans to fit long after they’ve become a fashion faux pas.
But just how the heck do you do this?
In truth, avoiding middle-aged weight gain involves some effort. It’s a combination of a number of factors that add up to fewer pounds of accumulation in the long run.
This all begins with making an effort to adopt a weight-busting lifestyle. Simply put, you’ve got to make maintaining your weight a priority.
Check out these five important lifestyle factors that have been proven to put a damper on middle-aged spread. Follow these steps and you’ll be more than two steps ahead of the game.
- Make good food choices.
It’s no secret that weight loss is about making good choices and creating a calorie deficit. But what does this mean?
Good choices include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as adequate amounts of protein and whole grains. Choose healthy, well-rounded foods that nourish the body.
According to The New York Times, a 2012 study published in the journal Menopause found that postmenopausal women not partaking in hormone therapy who consumed fruits, vegetables and whole grains had fewer hot flashes. These women also had a three time greater chance of losing weight.
And it’s no surprise that other research has associated low-calorie diets and exercise with weight loss. The New York Times reports that one trial, called the Women’s Healthy Lifestyle Project, observed premenopausal women as they crossed into menopause. Half of the subjects followed a roughly 1,300 calorie per day diet. The women were given a goal of burning somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 calories a week through exercise. Five years later, the women in this group showed more lasting results than those who didn't follow the regimen.
So make good food choices and ramp up your activity level to maintain a healthy weight.
- Keep a food journal.
There’s something to be said for accountability, especially when we must be accountable to ourselves. This is why keeping a food journal can be helpful when it comes to avoiding middle-aged spread.
According to Shape, a Kaiser Permanente study reported that food journaling is a great way to shed pounds. In fact, the study showed that food journaling could double the pounds lost.
This is thought to be because we miscalculate how many calories we burn through activity and how much food we really need. Plus, we sometimes forget what we eat in general. Add these factors, and weight accumulates.
According to Shape, a study conducted at Cornell actually used hidden cameras to observe diners to see if they remembered what they ate while dining out. The results were fascinating. Thirty percent of those filmed thought that they ate 30 percent less bread than they really ate. This goes to show that mindless eating is common.
To combat this, keep a food journal. By keeping track of what you eat, you’ll be aware of these common misperceptions.
- Load up on flavonoids.
- Get out and get moving.
- Limit sugary beverages.
According to NHS Choices, a study found that flavonoid-rich fruits may aid weight loss. In the study, about 250,000 people were followed for more than 24 years. Researchers concluded that consuming anthocyanins, which are a type of flavonoids found in fruits like blueberries and strawberries, was associated with fewer gained pounds. Flavonoid polymers found in tea and apples and flavonols found in tea and onions showed the same result.
When it comes to staving off middle-aged spread, physical activity is essential. In other words, sitting on the couch every single night after work won’t cut it.
According to the Mayo Clinic, aerobic activity is key to promoting both weight loss and weight maintenance. It's important to include strength training because muscle mass speeds up the metabolism.
The Mayo Clinic says healthy adults should engage in moderate aerobic activity for about 150 minutes weekly (minimum) or vigorous aerobic activity (like jogging) for at least an hour and 15 minutes total per week. Further, strength training should be performed at least twice per week. It’s OK to exercise more frequently as long as you don’t push yourself too hard too fast.
Sugary beverages have become the target of scientists. In general, too much sugar is bad for the body. And according to Prevention, sodas are some of the worst choices.
This is because one regular can of soda can contain 10 teaspoons of sugar. Yikes! Harvard researchers have even found that consuming one or more sugar-loaded drinks on a daily basis can double the risk of diabetes development within four years.
Plus, Prevention reminds readers that sugary beverages don’t lead to satiety. This can wreak havoc on your waistline. One study, conducted at Purdue, observed subjects who consumed one of two things: 450 calories of jelly beans or 450 calories of sugary beverages. Subjects tracked caloric intake for four weeks. At the end of the study, jelly bean eaters were shown to counter calorie intake by reducing the number of calories consumed in a day. But beverage drinkers didn’t make calorie cuts.
Sugar-loaded drinks have been linked to weight gain in general. According to Fit Day, it is estimated that just two sodas daily can pack on between 24 and 35 pounds per year.
And the opposite is also true. Eliminating two cans of soda daily has been linked with up to a 20-pound weight loss over the course of six months in some people. Decreasing soda intake from two sodas to one per day may produce 16 pounds of weight loss over the course of a year.