Remember when you could stay up late; eat from your favourite fast food joint, workout a couple of hours a week, and stay relatively fit?

Once you put 40 in your rearview, everything seems to change.

Just looking at those fries seems to tighten the belt…

Don’t get your 8 hours?

… More lbs. added.

And workouts?

…Sweating it out any less than daily seems to be a waste of time.

Here are the dos and don’ts of fat loss over 40.

DON’T GO ALL IN DAY ONE

Whenever you decide it’s time to make a change, don’t try to make that change all at once.

Success statistics show over and over, those who tackle one new habit at a time will more consistently succeed than those who attempt to implement two or more new habits into their routine.

Imagine the success rate for someone attempting 5 or 10!

DON’T JACK UP YOUR CARDIO

Although this is the most common approach to fat loss, especially in those over 40, putting more miles on the bike or treadmill will only work against you.

Calories burned during aerobic activity are fickle and short-lived.

Spend 30 minutes burning 250 calories only to see it disappear with the post-workout treat that you “earned”.

DON’T FALL FOR THE NEXT FAD DIET

There’s a reason juice cleanses, detoxes, and fancy supplements from the rain forest all stay near the top of the Google search results… because they don’t work.

It is feasible that some short-term results can be attributed to these gimmicks but it’s less to do with the product itself and more to do with the fact that they replace other bad habits that held back your results.

DON’T BASE ALL SUCCESS ON THE SCALE

Too many variables influence total weight to allow the scale to be a primary success determinant.

Water retention, carbohydrate intake, time of day, menstrual cycle, lean muscle and many more factors will impact the number you see on the scale.

Base successful fat loss on how your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror or use more objective body fat testing systems.

DO MAXIMIZE YOUR SLEEP ROUTINE

Quality sleep is a missing link to fat loss over 40.

Poor sleep leads to an increase in stress hormones and a decrease in metabolism, two cornerstones of a fat loss regiment.

Cold room, minimal light, no devices, adequate mineral intake, nasal breathing…

The list for creating a healthy sleep environment is lengthy but worthwhile exploring.

DO EAT WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY

Fasting is “in” and rightfully so, delaying meals is a simple way to reduce total calorie intake but…

Not eating to the point of needing to binge on anything insight will be counterproductive.

The solution is eating when you’re hungry.

Don’t graze, don’t snack, eat.

What should you eat?

DO BUMP UP YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE

When it is time to eat, focus on protein intake.

Protein is the number one most important macronutrient when it comes to fat loss.

It’s satiating, meaning it fills you up more than fat or carbohydrates.

It helps regulate blood glucose levels.

It gives your body the important building blocks for maintaining muscle.

How much? If it’s coming from real food sources… much more than you think!

DO LIFT WEIGHTS

While cardio is the “go-to” when it comes to exercising for fat loss…

Resistance training, especially over 40, is fundamental.

The more muscle you have…

• The better your insulin sensitivity
• The more space you have for glucose
• The more calories you’ll burn just sitting around doing nothing

DO DRINK H2O

Drinking more water will reduce the signals of hunger.

Research has shown that being adequately hydrated can reduce calories consumed by over 200 per day.

That’s equal to 2 extra pounds of fat loss per month!

DO IT FOR YOU

The best reason to change is not because you recently gained a few pounds, have a beach vacation upcoming or you saw your old flame looking great.

It’s because you believe that you’re worth it.

Working on your self-esteem may be the world’s most under-valued fat loss tip.

Now that you’re in the know, go ahead and make it so.

Dr. Steven Gall has been offering exceptional chiropractic care to infants, children and adults for over 25 years. He has spent his life learning, and improving his knowledge, skills and ability to provide his care. As a public speaker and health coach he strives to assist people in seeing and attaining a life of extraordinary health. Contact the office to join others who have started the same journey.