It’s Possible You’re Going Too Hard Trying to Lose Weight Fast
As we march towards the summer season many women are throwing themselves into diets in order to lose weight fast before hitting beaches and vacations. It seems pretty simple – eat less, exercise more. But if you’re going too hard, it can easily backfire and you’ll find yourself making no progress or feeling like Paula Abdul’s song and taking two steps forward and two steps back.
In midlife excess stress impacts our health and waistline so if you’re trying to lose weight it’s not about going as hard as possible, it’s going as hard as you need and resting in between. That’s going to vary by person and body but if you balance a healthy diet and consider how much, what and when you eat along with the right exercise and appropriate rest and recovery you’ll see better results that last longer (so you aren’t in the same boat leading up to the 4th of July or Labor Day, etc.) than a crash diet or burning yourself out on cardio.
What to Do To Burn Fat and Lose Weight in a Healthy Way
Even with a calorie restriction make sure you do the following.
- Get enough of a balanced mix of your macronutrients, including protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
- Eat a balanced and healthy breakfast.
- Get a mix of strength and cardio training. HIIT or SIT training is great for women in midlife to burn fat and keep their muscle (especially if you’re getting enough protein).
- Rest and recover between training sessions. This includes sleep, stress release, and stretching.
A Diet Caution
A diet under 1200 calories can make it difficult to ensure you’re getting enough calories. Start with your protein and vegetables to ensure you have enough fiber and then fill in with fats and carbs, ensuring you have enough of everything to stay fueled.
It seems counterintuitive, but you really can go too hard and wreck your nervous system in the process. Do enough but not so much your body goes into preservation mode.
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