Did you used to think that once we turned 50 it was okay to be fat?
Many of us start to reach that age and begin to put on the weight. We blame menopause, our ages, etc. But what if we don’t want to get fat at 50? I always told myself I would not be fat at 50. Well at 49 I reached that point. I thought about it on my 49th birthday but it wasn’t until I had my well visit recently and learned that my BMI classified me as fat that I made a decision. I would do something about it. Turning 50 doesn’t mean having to be fat!
Average American Woman
Today, the average American woman is 5’4″, has a waist size of 34-35 inches and weighs between 140-150 lbs, with a dress size of 12-14. Fifty years ago, the average woman was 5’3-4″ with a waist size of approximately 24-25″, she weighed about 120 lbs and wore a size 8.
What has happened to us over these years? Is it because we started to work and live more stressful lives? Is it the environment, the food, the lifestyles?
What We Can Do?
There are things we can DO. We don’t have to sit around and assume we will be fat at 50. We don’t have to starve or go under the knife (In most cases to lose weight).
We can make a decision to be healthier. That is really the first step to lose weight. You must decide to do it!
We can change our eating habits slowly. If you change your habits drastically it will be hard to maintain them. You could lose lots of weight in the beginning but then put it all back on. It’s best to start slow like the turtle who wins the race. A friend of mine sent me this article on eating for females 40 and over – we may need more protein it turns out.
We can exercise or exercise a little more if you already were. I always loved walked and decided recently to jog some of it now. Jogging does burn more calories so if you can try to jog some too.
Make gradual changes so they will stick. Do a little change at a time. Trying to cut back eating and running daily from doing nothing will be hard to stick to. Add a little more each time as you go along.
Do it for you and only YOU! Don’t try to lose weight for anyone else. Another reason to consider is the health law changes coming up. Many companies will be doing Biometric tests on you. If you are considered fat or have other health issues you may pay more for your healthcare.
Get more sleep. Something I have really needed. It’s hard when your body starts to make changes affecting your sleep patterns. There are several medical reasons why sleeping helps you to lose weight. Lack of sleep leads to you eating more as your body craves it. It has to do with your hormones. We have read here what those nasty hormones can do to you.
Use Apps to Aid Your Weight Loss
To help aid in this goal of mine I found a great app to help you know how far you are walking or jogging. It is called Runtastic. I downloaded to learn how far I went on a walking path. I usually go to a track but it had an event going on that morning so I went to pretty walking path. I had no idea until I downloaded this app how far I have gone. Not only that but this app also:
- Plays Music
- Tells You Calories Burned
- Shows Your Pace
- Calculates Your Speed
Buy Clothing to Exercise In
I had been exercising in old tee-shirts and shorts. I always bought new sneakers every few months not to hurt my
We may not have the time or money like the famous women – Jodie Foster, Sharon Stone, Madonna or Kim Catrall but we can at least look our best still at 50. We can’t compare with the money they have to allow time for exercise, some for long hours at the gym. They don’t have to do housework, cook or shop. We can do it all! After all we have the experience.
So did you always think it was inevitable that we had to be fat by 50?
