In my youth I could eat anything I desired and as much as I desired and gained not one pound. Of course, number one I was young with a high metabolism rate, and number two I was active. I would be outside nearly all day; riding my bike, playing at the local playground, swimming, and of course catching lightening bugs at sunset.
As the years have passed my metabolism has slowed, metabolism is the way your body gets energy from food. The other issue with age is your body composition, which is the amount of fat and muscle of your body is much different than it was in your youth. At age 71, I have to be careful of my food choices and movement is essential.
The energy your body gets from the nutrients in the food you eat is measured as calories. The more calories you eat, the more active you must be to maintain a healthy weight. Don’t freak out; being active does not mean becoming a gym rat. Prior to Covid-19, I was at the gym three times a week, since Covid, I have resorted to walking. No power walk or fast pace, just a leisurely walk either in the park, my fave, or around my neighborhood for at least 30 minutes – 45 minutes. In inclement weather, I walk around my home, which includes up and down the stairs to my She Cave, goal is 10,000 steps.
The more active you are, the more calories your body requires. However, with age your body may require less food for energy. The important thing to remember is your body requires the same amount of nutrients. The essential nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. I will discuss the importance of these nutrients at a later date.
Ok, you now know the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight, but how do you do that? There are many factors that can affect your body weight. They include, genetics, age, gender, lifestyle, and family habits, culture, sleep, and even where you live and work. Many of these factors can make it difficult to lose weight or to keep it off. For instance, culture, I grew up in a Southern cooking for the most part environment, although my Mother would cook from other cultures as well, she wanted us to know other foods. But, when we had greens and beans, a smoked hamhock, with other seasoning, was the thing that gave them flavor. Today, I use smoked turkey wings, but I admit when I go to the Amish market and see some good “Hocks”, I do not pass them up.
Being active and choosing healthy food has health benefits for everyone despite your age or weight. It is important to choose nutrient dense foods and be active at least 150 minutes per week. That is 2.5 hours, not a day , that’s in a weeks time. Shedding just 5 percent of your body weight has significant benefits. It is enough to decrease total body fat, visceral fat ( the dangerous kind that hugs your organs), and liver fat. At one point in my life, at 5″5″ tall, I weighed 180 lbs. Picture that, it wasn’t pretty. But losing 5 percent of that weight , equivalent to 9 pounds would lower the blood pressure, and improve insulin sensitivity. That can mean a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. An additional 15 percent weight loss continues to cause even more measurable improvements, such as blood lipid regulation.
Here’s the point, don’t get frustrated when you are down four pounds instead of the 40 pounds, which may be your goal. I want you to remember this: meaningful change takes time. Be sure to keep in sight the way your small improvements have already done your body good!
Next week I will discuss tips to assist on your weight loss journey.
Until then, Peace, Love, and Blessings
