I work with a lot of mid-life adults on weight loss. Mid-life is a prime time when individuals come to see me because the same tricks they used to use just don’t work anymore. They also have gained a lifetime of knowledge to know that when you want to get something done, you cut to the chase and hire an expert.
Many of these ladies and gentleman may be doing everything right, but just aren’t getting the results they expect. They jump on the scale and see it hasn’t budged. We’ve probably all been there and know how upsetting that can be. Unfortunately, weight loss isn’t so linear after mid-life. See, the calories-in-calories-out model is very outdated, and it fails to consider the many variables that can affect fat loss.
Let’s examine a few here:
Chronic Stress – Remember back in the 80’s when they predicted that with the large-scale introduction and use of computers, we’d save so much time that we’d only need to work 20-hours per week? Ha! If anything, technology has made us busier and more stressed. Yet, as humans, we still have the physiology that evolved thousands of years ago, before all the advent of this technology. Cortisol is a stress hormone that helps us with stress. We need cortisol, it is a good thing. But when someone is under too much stress, they can over-produce cortisol. The result? An increase in centralized abdominal fat, and inability to lose body fat. Get stress under control. Utilize yoga and meditation. Get massage. Go for a walk, preferably in nature, several times per week. Outsource your work if possible. Turn off electronics by 9pm and use the later evening hours for reading and relaxation.
Lack of High Quality Sleep – Getting seven to nine hours of solid, high quality sleep is super important for fat loss. Sleep actually helps to bring down the stress hormone cortisol, which as we just learned, can turn someone into more of a fat-storer than a fat-burner. When individuals don’t get a good night’s sleep, the next day can be a disaster. Studies show that a person will gravitate towards eating high calorie foods like sugar and fat, to try to gain energy. They will overeat during the day because of a poor night’s sleep. We’ve all been there – that chocolate chip cookie or afternoon latte is so easy to say “yes” to when you are tired and exhausted. So, get your sleep! It helps your focus and your waistline.
Sluggish Thyroid – Be sure to have your doctor consistently monitor your thyroid function to make sure it is optimally functioning. It is best to have a full thyroid panel, where TSH, free T3 and T4 are tested. A good doctor should be able to look inside the ‘normal’ range to make sure you are not on the low end or high end of ‘normal’. A sluggish thyroid impacts your metabolism. Ask anyone who has had their thyroid out of whack, and they can tell you that weight loss isn’t all about calories-in and calories-out. Hormones have a huge impact on how your body metabolizes energy, and consequently fat loss.
High Insulin Levels – Speaking of hormones, let’s take a close look at insulin. The body works hard to keep blood sugar in a normal range. But the overconsumption of carbohydrates can lead the body to oversecrete insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps to escort the blood sugar into the cells to be burned. When someone eats a lot of carbohydrate, the high insulin levels that result will turn off all fat burning. See, insulin signals to the body that it is ‘fed’, no need to burn body fat. Just the opposite of what someone wants if they are trying to lose body fat. This especially rings true as one ages, as the body becomes less responsive to insulin’s effects. This in turn means someone who is older, might have to produce twice as much insulin to get the same job done, as they did when they were a teenager. Dial down the carbs to lower the output of insulin, and help make your body more responsive to the carbs you do eat. Also, have your doctor order a fasting insulin test, to measure how much insulin your body is producing. It is a great insight, and will give you an idea if your weight loss is stalled because of too much insulin.
Do you need help budging the scale and reaching your goals? Be sure to check out my Weight Loss Coaching package — one of the most popular coaching services I’ve offered over the past nineteen years!
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