Have you struggled to lose weight and finally met your goal (perhaps thanks – in part - to My Neat Health's line of products)? Or are you noticing extra pounds sneaking up on you as you age? Age-related weight gain is quite common because as we age, our metabolism slows down, muscle mass decreases, and fat mass increases.
However, maintaining a healthy weight makes you look and feel better and helps you avoid a higher risk of stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, and more. So, what can you do to minimize weight gain? Fortunately, there are many small steps you can take to keep from gaining weight.
- Move More – When it comes to maintaining weight, moving more doesn't necessarily need to be an additional hour-long, sweating-your-wazoo-off, structured exercise. Instead, it could be NEAT, which stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. NEAT is the energy used to carry out any daily activity that isn't formal exercise. Examples of NEAT include washing the car, walking the dog, gardening, or playing with your kids.
- Track Your Food Intake and Activity – Tracking your food intake isn't necessarily a fun activity, but sometimes you eat without thinking about it, and the pounds begin to sneak up. The same can be said for your activity level. For example, if you worked outside the home for ten years and suddenly started working in your home office, you may be surprised how many fewer steps you take in a day. Tracking can help.
- Monitor Your Weight – One study found that "regular weight monitoring may effectively prevent weight gain." If you weigh yourself every day or at least once a week, you'll notice any weight gain more quickly. If you notice a few pounds sneaking up on you, take a look at how your current lifestyle may be contributing to the weight gain. Are you exercising less or eating more than usual?
- Eat Breakfast – Studies show that people who lose weight and keep it off tend to eat breakfast. Why? Because eating a healthy breakfast can help you avoid getting hungry and overeating later in the day.
- Eliminate Bad Habits – Look for bad habits you can eliminate. If you find yourself mindlessly eating junk food while watching TV after dinner, stop (or replace it with a healthier alternative). If you finish your kids' meals even when you aren't hungry, stop. If you feel the need to empty your plate despite being full, put less food on your plate.
- Add Muscle – Add strength training a few times a week to increase muscle mass and speed up your metabolism. Muscle-building exercises can also improve balance, sleep, and mental health.
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Eliminate Just 100 Calories a Day – You may be surprised by how easy it is to eliminate just 100 calories a day. For example:
- Drink sparkling water instead of soda.
- Replace mayonnaise or cheese on sandwiches with mustard, lettuce, and tomato.
- Use less salad dressing on your salads and use vinaigrette instead of creamy dressing.
- Read Nutrition Labels – Food labels can be misleading. For example, a product claiming to be zero trans-fat means there's less than .5 grams per serving, but that doesn't mean much if the service size is ridiculously small. "Light" products are processed to reduce either calories or fat, but some manufacturers add sugar to accomplish this.
- Get Enough Sleep – "Research suggests an association between sleep restriction and negative changes in metabolism," The Mayo Clinic reports. "In adults, sleeping four hours a night, compared with 10 hours a night, appears to increase hunger and appetite — in particular for calorie-dense foods high in carbohydrates." Experts suggest that healthy adults get seven to nine hours of sleep.
- Make Eating Healthy Easier- My Neat Health products – from meal replacement bars to healthy entrees - are formulated by health experts and medical professionals specifically for weight loss and management. With a pantry full of our products, you can't go wrong. Check out our complete product catalog.