High School Weight Training Classes

High School Weight Training Classes

Tips For Weight Loss After 35

Many people find weight loss in their mid-30s and 40s to be more challenging than it was in their 20s. One contributor is a more sedentary lifestyle due to keeping up with the demands of parenthood and your job. Other factors include stress and hormonal changes. Your metabolic rate slows by about 5 percent every 10 years, so a 35-year-old burns 100 fewer calories per day than he did at age 25. Weight loss after 35 may take more patience and persistence, but it is a goal you can achieve when armed with information.

Set a realistic goal weight. People often long to return to the days of their high school weight, but having impractical goals sets you up for failure.

One way to set a practical weight loss goal is to look at a healthy weight range for your height. This calculation is called body mass index, or BMI. You can find your current BMI with an online BMI calculator. A normal weight range is a BMI score of 18.5 to 24.9. For example, a normal weight range for someone who is 5’6″ is 115 to 150 lbs.

Set a pounds-per-month goal. Aim for an average of one to two lbs. per week over the long term, or about four to eight lbs. per month. Initial weight loss may occur at a faster rate, but try not to feel discouraged when this rate slows. Even if you only lose half a lb. per week, that adds up to 26 lbs. over the course of a year.

You can calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR),; the number of calories your body burns at rest. You can find this figure with a BMR calculator. For example, a 40-year-old, 5’6″ woman weighing 150 pounds burns about 1,420 calories per day.

Calculate a calorie deficit goal. Losing one lb. requires a deficit of 3,500 calories, so if you want to lose 2 lbs. per week, you need a deficit of 7,000 calories per week, or about 1,000 calories per day. For example, if your BMR is 1,500 calories and you stick to a 1,200-calorie-per-day diet, you create a deficit of 300 calories per day. You would need to burn an additional 700 calories per day through exercise to meet that goal.

Evaluate your diet to see where you need to cut back on calories. One way to do this is to track every single thing you eat, as well as the number of calories for each food, in a food diary. After about a week of normal eating, review your food diary to see the sources of excess calories. For many people over age 35, snacking on the go and high-calorie work lunches are common culprits.

Incorporate fitness into every day. Try a combination approach, rather than relying solely on cardio to help you lose weight. Aim for about 30 minutes of cardio per day, but also include strength training, such as weight lifting, several times a week. Consider joining a workout class geared toward the over-35 set. Remember that small lifestyle changes, such as taking the stairs rather than the elevator and parking at the far end of the lot at the mall, can add up to significant weight loss over time.

With the right attitude and with realistic weight goals, you CAN lose weight after 35!

MCHS Strength Training Video 10-11 Opening Scene