Sylwia Razak Nutrition

Sylwia Razak Nutrition

Losing Weight After 40: Top 5 Ways To Shed Pounds

Sylwia Razak

Have you been trying to lose weight?

I know it’s hard, but it’s even harder if you don’t know what foods to eat. Most people think that fat and calories are bad for you, but the truth is that some fats are actually good for your body.

Balance your blood sugar when trying to lose weight because not only does it help with hunger, but also helps keep your metabolism up so you can burn more calories throughout the day!

Sounds simple? It is!

The science behind blood sugar balancing is very simple. Your body is designed to burn glucose for energy. Carbohydrates such as grains (bread, pasta, rice), sugar and fruits are broken down into glucose in the body.

But in today’s typical western diet, the wrong types of carbohydrates are consumed excessively resulting in too much blood glucose.

The excess is stored as fat leaving the body craving even more food to meet its energy requirements.

The body has lost blood sugar control and weight gain becomes inevitable.

If your blood glucose levels are balanced, you’ll have a steady supply of energy and a healthy but balanced appetite.

This is the reason you’ll have no problem maintaining your ideal weight. But, if your blood sugar levels are too high, you’ll store fat and if they are too low, you’ll feel tired and lethargic. Balance is key.

A quarter of all people who struggle with weight problems have difficulty keeping their blood sugar level balanced. The result is exhaustion and weight gain.

The key to balanced blood sugar levels is having 3 regular meals a day with an afternoon snack but only if you get hungry between lunch and dinner.

Plus you need to focus on adding a good source of protein, good fats and lots of fibre. Those 3 micronutrients help to slow down the release of sugar into the bloodstream and keep you full and satisfied for longer.

Follow these 5 steps every day and watch as the pounds start melting off!

1) Eat breakfast within an hour after waking up

Eating a healthy high protein breakfast is a game-changer as it will give you the energy to start your day and help you maintain a steady blood sugar level throughout the morning.

Breakfast should provide nutrients like protein, fiber and good fats that are necessary for good health as well as boosting your concentration, memory, mood and energy levels throughout the day. High sugar cereals or traditional Weetabix or toast are disastrous to your blood sugar levels and your waistline.

Porridge is often a breakfast staple for those who are focused on healthy eating. Like all foods, porridge can be made in many different ways and with many different ingredients but the key here is to add some source of protein such as a tablespoon of almond butter or two tablespoons of milled seeds and nuts.

If you have porridge with no added protein and additionally sweetened up with honey or lots of fruits, you will spike your blood sugar levels and you’ll end up feeling hungry within an hour that will just lead to cravings for sugar or carbs in general.

Eggs are another popular breakfast option, they’re so versatile, too! You can fry them, scramble them, hard boil them or make an omelet out of eggs with vegetables. Eggs also provide you with protein. They are also natural superfoods as they contain lots of nutrients.

 

2) Drink lots of water throughout the day

 

A great way to stay healthy is by drinking lots of water. Humans can survive for up to three weeks without food, but they will only live 3 days without water.

Water helps your body function properly, and it keeps you feeling full longer which means you’ll eat less food throughout the day.

Being thirsty is a sign that your body needs water.

The reason it makes you hungry is that thirst and hunger are interconnected in our bodies. When we get thirsty, many of us feel like eating something sweet or salty to satisfy our cravings for food.

Start your day with a big warm glass of water with lemon to hydrate your body after night, add some lemon to prep up your digestion system and help your body detoxify. You need to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day. If you don’t like drinking plain water, try adding a splash of lemon or cucumber.

 

3) Eat protein at every meal

 

Protein is an important part of a healthy diet, but most people aren’t getting enough. This can lead to fatigue and weight gain.

Many women feel like they don’t need to consume protein because their bodies naturally produce enough. This is untrue!

While your body does create some proteins on its own, you can’t rely on this alone for optimal health and wellness. Proteins needed for the production of neurotransmitters, immune cells, hormones, repair and rejuvenation of skin but also help strengthen your muscles and bones while also aiding in weight loss by increasing metabolism.

It’s important to include plenty of lean meats, beans, nuts, seeds and eggs into your diet if you want to stay healthy and active throughout life!

On average, women need 0.36 grams of protein per pound (0.8 grams per kg) spread out evenly over three meals plus snacks per day so they can keep their blood sugar stable.

 

4) Don’t skip any meals

 

It’s been shown that people who skip breakfast tend to overeat later in the day. In fact, skipping meals can actually cause you to gain weight!

The study also showed that those who skipped breakfast were more likely to be overweight or obese than those who ate breakfast, even if they did not eat a larger lunch or dinner.

When you don’t eat your morning meal, your body gets confused and sends hunger signals throughout the day which can lead to overeating later on. To avoid this cycle of overeating it is important for you to have regular meals every day.

 

5) Avoid sugar as much as possible

 

Sugar is a major culprit when it comes to obesity. It has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. If you reduce your sugar intake, I guarantee that you will have more energy during the day!

If you want to quit sugar right now, try my free sugar detox programme – 5 day’s of support from me to banish sugar cravings once and for all.

A lot of people use the term “sugar” as a catch-all to describe any type of sweetener, but that’s not always accurate. There are many different types of sugars out there, and they’re all created from different sources. To get an idea of how varied sugar can be, here are some other names for sugar you may have heard before:

  • Agave nectar
  • Barbados sugar
  • Barley malt
  • Barley malt syrup
  • Beet sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Buttered syrup
  • Cane juice
  • Cane juice crystals
  • Cane sugar
  • Caramel
  • Carob syrup
  • Castor sugar
  • Coconut palm sugar
  • Coconut sugar
  • Confectioner’s sugar
  • Corn sweetener
  • Corn syrup
  • Corn syrup solids
  • Date sugar
  • Dehydrated cane juice
  • Demerara sugar
  • Dextrin
  • Dextrose
  • Evaporated cane juice
  • Free-flowing brown sugars
  • Fructose
  • Fruit juice concentrate
  • Glucose
  • Glucose solids
  • Golden sugar
  • Golden syrup
  • Grape sugar
  • HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup)
  • Icing sugar
  • Invert sugar
  • Malt syrup
  • Maltodextrin
  • Maltol
  • Maltose
  • Mannose
  • Molasses
  • Muscovado
  • Palm sugar
  • Panocha
  • Powdered sugar
  • Raw sugar
  • Refiner’s syrup
  • Rice syrup
  • Saccharose
  • Sorghum syrup
  • Sucrose
  • Sugar (granulated)
  • Sweet sorghum
  • Syrup
  • Treacle
  • Turbinado sugar
  • Yellow sugar

I use honey, maple syrup or stevia (my favorite) instead of sugar, but still in minimal amounts. Remember that the more sugar you eat, the more you crave it.

By studying the food labels on packaging, you’ll now be able to identify sugar and know how much sugar is inside each serving so that you can choose healthier options when possible…and enjoy your treat guilt-free!

 

I told you it was simple!

 

For many people, the idea of losing weight is a daunting task. Whether it be through diet or exercise and whatever else you can do to make your body healthy and happy, there are so many different ways that some people find hard to stick with. All you need for weight loss success is understanding what food works best for your body.

About The Author

London Nutritionist, Sylwia Razak is passionate about food and wellness. When she’s not serving her clients, she either baking, mixing up essential oils or out taking a road trip with her family.