LOSE WEIGHT. and the 3 most important things they should do instead.

Transcription

1 Why Women and Men Over 50 shouldn t try to LOSE WEIGHT and the 3 most important things they should do instead. When it comes to the subject of weight loss, it s a strange day and age we live in. It seems we can t turn on a television or read a magazine without seeing another advertisement on how to easily lose weight. Such ads usually offer instantaneous results that will be effortless and painless if we d simply take this pill or drink this potion or eat this newly discovered super food. Of course, we all wish it were that simple but deep down, we suspect the products being sold are more a money-making gimmick than a true prescription for healthy weight loss and improved health. I m not saying there aren t helpful products available but I am saying even the best products don t include the one thing you need the most. And the good news is, the thing you need the most is actually free. Here is the truth that doesn t sell. You will have an extremely difficult time shedding stubborn excess body fat and keeping it off permanently if you only change what you put in your mouth. Eating clean is important, of course, but if your goal is to shed excess body fat and end up looking, feeling, and being healthier, you ll need to do more than change what you eat. Thankfully, there are 3 realistic things anyone can do to achieve their health goals and they are all free. However, before I explain what those three things are, I want to explain why losing weight is a misguided goal for a person of any age. And if you re an older adult, this is even more important because losing weight can actually do your body more harm than good if you don t understand what kind of weight to lose. Allow me to explain. There are 3 kinds of weight you can lose: Water, Fat and Muscle.

2 Which of the 3 do we want to lose? FAT, of course, and perhaps some water weight, but definitely not muscle. But what kind of weight do we usually lose when just changing how we eat? MUSCLE, fat and water. That s right, many people go to great efforts to change how they eat because they want to lose excess body fat and water weight. Unfortunately though, studies have shown that when people go on a typical weight-loss program or diet as much as 30% of the lost weight actually comes from their healthy muscle tissue. They may end up smaller but are now weaker and in fact, less healthy. It s sad but true. Genuine fat loss is very hard to achieve because, if you don t know what you re doing, you ll lose muscle and water along with some fat. So though the numbers on the scale may go down some much of the weight loss could represent the thing you need to keep most: muscle tissue! This would be bad because, as you probably know, muscle tissue plays the primary role in your ability to move and thus live at an optimum level as you age. But did you know that muscle tissue is also metabolically active? This makes it the number one determinant of your metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn at rest) so if one of your goals is to permanently lose body fat, you definitely DO NOT want to lose any muscle. But get this. If you re an older adult, you are very likely already losing your precious muscle tissue even if you aren t on a diet. That s right, the average middle-aged American from the age of 30 and beyond loses approximately ½ pound of muscle tissue per year. Argh! We want to keep muscle yet we lose it effortlessly. We want to lose fat yet we seem to gain it effortlessly! But there is good news. You can learn how to lose fat AND keep muscle so you can look great and feel fantastic as you age! So if you ve been trying to lose weight without that kind of success, it may be time for you to reexamine your approach. You can start with these easy steps. The 3 Things to Do Instead of Trying to Lose Weight Number One: Replace the words lose weight with improve body composition. The late great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, If you want to be terrific, you must be specific. And when it comes to weight loss, I trust you now understand why the phrase lose weight

3 is just not specific enough. So to get more specific, start saying to yourself and others that you want to improve your body composition by losing excess body FAT while adding lean muscle tissue to your body. This will remind you of the science behind what you are doing and help you stay focused on what matters: maintaining muscle matters more than the number on your bathroom scale. If that sounds like too much of a mouthful to recall and repeat, you can simply say you want to change your shape because, in reality, that is what you mean. Perhaps you want to lose the spare tire of excess body fat around your waist (or perhaps your hips, thighs or neck area) but no doubt, you d also like to see your muscles looking toned all over your body. The amazing thing is, when you add muscle, it not only helps burn the spare tire, it gives you that toned appearance, and in short order, your shape (body composition) has changed for the better even if the numbers on the scale don t show the dramatic weight loss you thought you needed to see to achieve your goals. Number Two: Make increasing lean muscle tissue and getting physically stronger in your movement patterns your top health goals. When you improve your body composition, you are doing far more than simply improving your appearance. You ll also notice you re more flexible, energetic, and have better balance. And since maintaining and increasingly mobility as we age is critical, your first and foremost health goals should be to add more muscle to your body. At the very least, determine to maintain and protect what muscle you currently have. For if there is anything like a true fountain of youth it is how much muscle tissue you carry on your body. Conversely, the fountain of feebleness is to underestimate the effects of gradual muscle loss and try to counteract the effects of aging through diet alone. At the risk of being redundant, allow me to re-emphasize this important truth. When you lose muscle you can actually damage your health, weaken your immune system, experience energy loss, lose sleep, and find your body composition changing in unflattering ways.

4 In effect, you help speed the aging process while reducing your body s mobility, balance, strength, and power. You simply can t let that happen if you want to live well and finish strong. Instead, make it your number one health goal to add muscle because you understand that your muscles are your life preserver, your fat incinerator, your energy engine, your movement powerhouse, and your body enhancing batteries. Number Three: Find and faithfully follow a science-based method/program to add muscle and measurably improve your body strength. As with any worthy life endeavor, it s important you find a method/program you can rely upon to help you reach your goals. And let s be honest. When it comes to your health and wellness goals, there are far too many welltraveled roads leading to failure and frustration so it s important you choose your path with due consideration. There isn t a one-size-fits-all program out there so I always encourage my clients to ask questions to sort through the maze of fitness programs and promotions. Can I do this program in the place/space I have available? Are the exercises appropriate for my stage of life? Can the exercises be modified for my injuries or health challenges? Is the time and money investment reasonable? Will I be able to do the program long term without further investment? Does it fit my lifestyle and schedule? Can I see myself committing to what is recommended for at least 30 days? These questions, and others you think of, can help you determine what you need and what will work best for you. A program that may work great for you, may not work for your best friend. But this I know: a random approach will yield random results. To get the results you re after, you ll want a quality method. I encourage you to check out my program, the W.I.S.E. Method as an option, but having said that, let me also say, it isn t for everyone. It s uniquely designed for those near or beyond 50 years of age who can invest minutes a day doing a handful of Whole-body, Intelligent, Strengthening, Essential exercises.

5 You can check it out for yourself here. But if the W.I.S.E. Method isn t for you, don t give up your search! Continue to look until you find a program that clicks with you. Whatever you choose to do, remember to follow these three steps. Replace the words lose weight with improve body composition. Make getting stronger and increasing muscle tissue your top health/fitness goal. Find and faithfully follow a proven, science based method to get stronger, add muscle and measurably improve your body strength. Allow me to leave you with one last thought. When our bodies improve, our hope improves, and as our hope improves, our mental, emotional, and spiritual health feels revitalized. If you re over 50, like me, perhaps you ve found that these things matter more with each passing day. If so, I hope you will join me in not just getting older in years, but wiser in the ways of aging with robust health, remarkable vitality, renewed strength, and enduring hope that some of your best years are still to be lived. Fred W. Schafer, M.S., CFT "The W.I.S.E Method" Questions? Please us at: thewisemethod2018@gmail.com