Weight loss for middle-aged women is not an easy journey. Hormonal changes, natural aging, and life pressure make weight control challenging. However, with correct scientific knowledge, middle-aged women can completely regain a healthy figure and live more positively.
Hormonal changes slow down weight loss
According to the Mayo Clinic - one of the world's most prestigious medical research hospital and research institute systems (based in the US), estrogen decline during premenopause and menopause changes the way the body distributes fat, especially accumulating more in the abdomen, making weight loss more difficult.
In addition, Harvard Health Publishing, University of Harvard, USA) shows that the body's basal metabolic rate (BMR) decreases by an average of 2-3% per decade after the age of 30, causing the body to consume energy more slowly and gain weight more easily.
The important role of a high-protein diet
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a diet rich in protein combined with reducing refined starch helps improve body composition and effectively support weight control in middle-aged women.
Supplementing adequate protein helps maintain lean muscle mass, promote metabolism, while limiting refined starch helps reduce the risk of belly fat accumulation - a dangerous factor for cardiovascular health.
Strength training to maintain muscle and metabolism
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults do strength training at least twice a week. These exercises help maintain muscle mass, increase metabolism and support effective weight control.
Exercises such as light weightlifting, squats, plank or strength yoga not only help to tone the figure but also reduce the risk of osteoporosis in middle-aged women.
The importance of sleep in weight control
Research from Stanford Medical Center (Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, USA) shows that middle-aged women who sleep less than 6 hours a night are 12% more likely to gain weight than those who sleep enough 7 to 8 hours a night.
Poor sleep disrupts hormones that control hunger and satiety, making the body cravings, especially foods rich in sugar and fat.
Manage stress to support the weight loss journey
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), chronic stress increases blood cortisol levels - a hormone directly related to visceral fat accumulation, especially in middle-aged women.
Therefore, reducing stress through meditation, yoga, gentle physical activities or simply maintaining personal interests also play an important role in weight control.
Weight loss in middle-aged women requires patience, correct understanding and a comprehensive strategy: adjusting diet, exercising intelligently, taking care of sleep and managing stress.
Not only to improve their figure, this journey also helps middle-aged women maintain physical and mental health, and live more fully every day.
