• What causes middle-age weight gain?
• Getting the right nutrition
• Exercise: What and how much?
  • Cardio: How much should you do?
  • Strength training: 6 exercises (with a free PDF)
  • Yoga: 3 ideal beginners routines
  • More workouts & fitness guides for over 50s

You’ve reached middle age and you’re doing better than you think. The past 40 (ish) years have been spent discovering your sense of self and navigating the challenges of life. But when you look in the mirror, it’s obvious you’ve gained more than just wisdom over these years. That’s right… middle age spread came to pay you a visit in all the wrong places. Don’t panic! You’re good with challenges. Now let’s wage war against that muffin top!

What causes middle-age weight gain?

So, what causes middle age weight gain? The truth is, some factors are in your control and some aren’t. A big player in all of this is hormonal change. You guessed it… menopause. However, hormonal changes with age not only effect metabolism in women but men as well. Genetic factors also play a role in how active your metabolism is closer to middle age. Some of the more adjustable factors are lack of sleep, overeating or poor diet and decreased activity level. In short, let’s focus on what you can control:

• Eat better
• Move more

Nutrition

So, what causes middle age weight gain? The truth is, some factors are in your control and some aren’t. A big player in all of this is hormonal change. You guessed it… menopause. However, hormonal changes with age not only effect metabolism in women but men as well. Genetic factors also play a role in how active your metabolism is closer to middle age. Some of the more adjustable factors are lack of sleep, overeating or poor diet and decreased activity level. In short, let’s focus on what you can control:

1. Eat foods that will nourish your body and support MOVEMENT.
2. Eat portions that will help you and not hurt you

This is important: do not skimp on nutrition. You want to eat foods that will propel you toward health. Increase portions of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and high fiber foods. A study out of University of Massachusetts Medical School showed that simply eating 30 grams of fiber a day helped participants lose weight, lower blood pressure and process sugar better. The amazing part is that this group was stacked against a group that followed a more complex, restrictive diet and still showed better results. This emphasizes the power of just one change!

If 30 grams of fiber daily is a goal you want to take on, don’t worry. You don’t have to eat broccoli at every meal. Some other high fiber foods include beans, berries, potatoes, avocados, nuts and popcorn. Yes you read that right, I said popcorn. So it isn’t all bad news!

Some foods to include less of in your diet are fatty meats, sweets, alcohol and fried or processed foods. The small, simple substitutions can add up and set you up for success. For example, replace butter with olive oil or throw out that soda and reach for water instead. This is a steady and confident walk toward a healthier life, not a clumsy sprint!

Pay attention to what you are eating but also to how much. In your 50’s, you may need to cut out around 200 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight. The good news is that this may look as simple as drinking one beer rather than two. If you want to lose weight, you may need to cut out more calories, but it is best to consult your doctor to determine how much less you should be eating. Keep a close eye on what empty calories may be sneaking into your diet and wreaking havoc.

Exercise: What and how much?

Cardio

Possibly the most important step toward shedding that extra weight is breaking up with your couch *insert sobbing noises*.In other words: get up and get moving. A good, sustainable goal is 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling. If you prefer more vigorous cardio exercise such as running, 75 minutes a week is also recommended.

Strength training

Great work! Your treadmill has now graduated from its humble role as dusty coat rack. Now that you’re getting that cardio in, let’s talk strength training. Say it with me: STRENGTH TRAINING IS MY FRIEND. First and foremost… it builds muscle. The more muscle the merrier, meaning less fat and higher metabolism. It also increases bone density, which is especially important for middle age women.

We recommend 20 minutes a day, 8-12 repetitions of some of the exercises listed below, with 30-60 seconds rest in between.

Begin by kneeling on your mat. Lean forward and place your hands and forearms on the mat. Your elbows should be directly under your shoulders. Then, lift your hips up toward the ceiling, propping yourself up onto your toes, so your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.

Keep your belly button tucked in towards your spine and squeeze those glutes!

Acuéstate boca abajo en la esterilla. Coloca las palmas de las manos en el suelo a la altura de los hombros, un poquito más abiertos. Mantén la tensión en el tronco y levanta el cuerpo hacia arriba y luego baja.

Do 3 sets of 6 reps.

Squats are a great exercise that work several muscle groups at once - glutes, core, legs - and help to strengthen our body and increase flexibility.

Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Extend your arms out in front of you. Bending your knees (but not your back), lower your glutes towards the ground, pushing your weight into your heels. Go as low as you can and then go back to the starting position and repeat.

Grab some light weights and hold them either side of your head with your elbows bent. Your palms should face forward. Stand straight, with your knees slightly bent to protect your lower back.

Push your arms up into the air until they're almost straight, then go back to the starting position and repeat.

This is a simple but effective exercise for working your lower legs, which helps us with our balance.

Stand straight. Holding a dumbbell in each hand (if you don't have dumbbells you can use cans or bottles of water) and lift yourself onto your tiptoes and back down again.

Do this for 30 seconds and repeat once for a total of 2 sets. You can do more sets to challenge yourself.

Bird dog is a great exercise for strengthening your core,which helps us to stabilize our spine, improve our posture and prevent falls and injuries.

Start on all fours on your mat. Slowly extend one arm our in front of you, while doing the same with the opposite leg behind you. Finish with those limbs in a straight line. Then gently bring them back to the starting position and repeat with the other extremities.  

Do 30 seconds to start. Do 2 more or rounds if you can, with a 15 second rest in between each round.

Yoga

If you want a great way to strengthen your body without stressing your joints, one of our favorite exercises is yoga! Before you get too intimidated, know that no one is expecting you to jump straight into the human pretzel pose. No matter your experience level, there is a yoga routine for you. Regular yoga practice not only strengthens muscle but increases flexibility (which is a main contributor to mobility as you age.) It is also good for the heart, improves balance, sharpens the mind and decreases depression/anxiety..

Here are a few beginners yoga routines to get you started:

If you made it this far reading, you have the motivation to kick those love handles to the curb. One final tip for this journey: team up! Don’t try to do it alone. Dive into the resources here for you and don't look back! Now you’re ready to stop the spread!

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