FIVE WAYS TO FIGHT THE FLAB
1 EAT MORE PROTEIN AND FEWER CARBS
Protein is the building block of muscle, and since muscle mass diminishes as you age, you need to up your intake.
HOW: Ensure you have protein with every meal. Healthy sources include nuts, seeds, fish, dairy and lean meat. Avoid refined carbs in the form of white bread and pasta and stick to wholegrain varieties which release glucose more slowly, causing less weight gain.
2 MAKE SURE YOU WORK THOSE MUSCLES
The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you’re not exercising. So, as you age, it’s important to do what’s called resistance training – exercising with some form of weights – to keep your muscles strong.
HOW: Light weightlifting two to three times a week will help both men and women. You need to use weights that are heavy enough to exhaust your muscles with 12 repetitions, yet light enough to complete eight comfortably. Get advice from a personal trainer or local gym to get started. Yoga, which uses the weight of your own body for resistance, can also help build muscle.
3 ELIMINATE STRESS
Midlife can be a time of high stress – juggling troublesome teenage kids, elderly parents and high-pressure work. But research has linked high levels of the stress hormone cortisol to an accumulation of fat around your midriff.
HOW: Eliminating as much stress as possible from your daily routine will help cut the amount of cortisol your body makes. Trying a local mindfulness or meditation class can help here. And delegate more to colleagues and family members, so you’re not trying to do it all.
4 USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP
Being sedentary for too long decreases the activity of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which helps us burn fat around the middle. Standing, however, burns twice as many calories as sitting.
HOW: Use opportunities to stand more, whether on public transport or while talking on the phone.
5DON’T LET LACK OF SLEEP AFFECT YOUR APPETITE
Our sleep quality often declines in middle age, but when you’re short on sleep your appetite increases, meaning you eat more and gain weight.
HOW: Set a soothing bedtime routine that includes a warm bath, and turn off all screens and dim the lights an hour before going to bed.