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If you were asked for weight loss tips, what would you reply almost automatically? Let me guess: eat less and exercise more? We have been hearing that for so long that it has almost become a mantra. But what if I told you that it is not the whole truth, perhaps not even close? The answer is not really in calories, low fat products or endless exercising. The answer lies in insulin, which is the primary regulator of fat storage. Controlling your insulin levels will help you control your weight and stay healthy. You can do that by adjusting your food regime, which means reducing your carbohydrate intake and starting to use fats as your energy source. A low carb diet will help you get leaner and make you feel more energetic. And all this can be achieved without having to be hungry all the time!

We will start by taking a closer look into how insulin works before going into the weight loss tips. It is important to understand the process behind them. Everything we eat can be broken down to basic macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fats. We have been told that the healthy way of eating is to eat a lot of carbohydrates and very little fat. The market has boomed with products suitable for this diet, but the results have not been what was expected: people have more and more obesity problems and certain health issues like heart problems and vascular diseases even when they follow a low calorie / low fat diet. And this is why: the reason lies in carbohydrates, not in fats.

We are surrounded by carbohydrates. Our daily meals consist of pastas, breads, soft drinks, potatoes, pastry.. Sugar, white flour and starches. Foods high in carbs are cheap. Unfortunately our bodies are not really capable of dealing with the modern Western high carb diet.

The human body has different ways to process different nutrients. Carbohydrates are converted into glucose (blood sugar), which in turn is used as energy. When you eat carbohydrates, your blood sugar level will rise fast. A high blood sugar level is dangerous, so the body tries to modify it by producing a lot of insulin. Insulin will work to reduce the blood glucose by turning it into glycogen and then storing it in the liver and in the muscles. The amount of glycogen which can be stored this way is limited, and all the excess glycogen will be turned into body fat. The insulin continues to work even after the blood glucose level has been returned to normal, causing the blood sugar level fall lower than the optimal. The body will take the low blood sugar level a sign of needing more food. And this way you will start feeling hungry again soon after you had a big high carb meal. Your energy tanks are full, but you feel the need to eat more. Since most of the snacks we are used to are high carb snacks, the whole process will start from the beginning and your insulin levels will stay elevated. This continuous cycle can have serious long-term effects like insulin resistance and diabetes. Our blood sugar level rises fast only after eating carbohydrates. Fats and protein do not have the same effect.

So, now when we know how our body works, we can go on figuring out what to do about it. Let’s talk about the weight loss tips!

Turn your body into fat burning mode
If you want to lose weight, you have to make your body burn the body fat. That will only happen if there is no glucose available. There are two different ways of doing this: eating less than you consume (low calorie diet) or reducing your carbohydrate intake. A simple way of starting a low carb regime is to eat less white bread, rice and pasta and to avoid sugar. Carbohydrates are not essential to our well-being: every necessary carbohydrate can be made from either protein or fat.

Eat more fats
You can replace the high carb foods with natural fats and protein: eggs, dairy products, vegetables and meat. You will get energy and vital nutrients. Fats also produce satiety, and you will not be hungry that soon after a meal.

Eat regularly and enough
It is important to learn to listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry, at least 3 times a day, until you feel satisfied. Avoid binge eating and snacking.

Pay attention to the food quality
Try to eat real foods with a lot of nutrients. Organic food is excellent. Avoid highly processed foods, which nutritional quality is usually low. Also stay away from food additives and artificial sweeteners, which can be harmful to your well-being and health.

These tips for weight loss have already helped many people to lose weight and feel better in many ways. They can fit into their old clothes, their skin and hair look great, they have less cellulite and they generally feel healthier and happier about themselves. You can make it happen too!



By: Kathy P. Allen

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Weight loss for women over 40 is a different story than when they were 20 and needs to be dealt with as such. Middle-aged women are not just dealing with slower metabolisms, they are often dealing with hormonal imbalances which have side effects such as poor thyroid function, bloating, fluid retention and weight gain. Furthermore, by the time women get to their forties, many are chronically sleep deprived which is another factor that affects weight gain and loss. Most of them are also shopping and cooking for family members who can often effectively metabolize foods that they cannot.

Diets or dieting for women over 40 do not achieve the best weight loss results. The best approach to losing weight for middle-aged women is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Give your body what it needs to function optimally and avoid foods that are nutritionally deficient as well as loaded with chemicals that overburden the liver. Given the eating, sleeping and exercise habits of modern women this change can be quite radical. It means avoiding packaged, processed foods that are high in sugars, fats, and chemicals and low in fiber and nutrients. This includes so-called diet products including diet sodas. Artificial sweeteners are much worse than natural sugars and can in fact be addictive.

A healthy diet for women over 40 will differ slightly to a good diet for a younger person. As we age, the body becomes less efficient in processing carbohydrates. Therefore, in order to lose body fat middle-aged women need to eat fewer carbohydrates. A diet that is high in protein, fruits and vegetables with plenty of pure water is the key to regaining health and fitness. It is also important to eat breakfast to kick start the metabolism for the day.

A number of smaller meals throughout the day are better for weight loss than three big meals. This is because larger meals release a lot of insulin into the blood which can interfere with metabolism. You will burn more fat with lower blood insulin levels. Some women may think that cutting their food right back will mean even lower insulin levels, lower calories and greater weight loss. However, if you cut back on your food intake too much you will lower your metabolic rate substantially and retain body fat. They key to losing weight is to eat only life giving, nutritious foods that your body can easily metabolize.

However, eating healthily is only the first step towards weight loss for women over 40. It is necessary to engage in regular aerobic exercise and strength training in order to increase their metabolic rate, burn fat and build lean muscle which uses more energy than fat.

Sleep is also important. Women who do not get eight hours of regular sleep a night are more likely to be overweight than those who do. If you make these lifestyle changes, yet you are finding losing weight is still difficult, you may be dealing with a hormonal imbalance. Estrogen dominance can cause weight gain which is difficult to shift. If this is the case, a natural low-dose progesterone cream may be helpful in restoring balance.

Weight loss for women over 40 does not have to be complicated. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle, you will be able to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight easily.

By: Sasha Jade

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