No More Diets

I am a female in her late forties battling weight for the first time, how can I lose it?

Many people start to gain weight in their forties. Its a time when your metabolism tends to slow down by a small amount. And because this is generally coupled with a reduction in daily activity and also a reduction in the amount of lean muscle tissue - also a sign of ageing - the change in weight can be startling.

On the other hand if you experiencing a dramatic weight gain without changing your eating or exercise habits, it may be worth a visit to your doctor (a good idea in any case if you are not sure what is causing a weight gain) to see if your thyroid is working well. Problems with this gland often arise in the forties.

If all is well, then it’s no more different losing weight in your forties than at any other time. It’s not inevitable that you have to be overweight just because you’re over 40. (I’m there myself!)

This is a great time to start to exercise if you aren’t already because it really does make the difference between being healthy and unhealthy in later life. Just make sure you take it gently at first if you’re not used to it and find activities which you love rather than something which bores you so that you enjoy it rather than feel it’s a chore.

And the usual guidelines on eating healthily and modestly apply - you’ll find a number of posts here to help you. Maybe you could start with Lose Weight without calorie counting

Just remember that constant yo-yo dieting is a pretty miserable way to live your life - try getting into good habits now that will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life.

What kind of exercise can a person do when they have foot problems and are grossly overweight?

Excess weight can often take its toll on your back, knees, feet, ankles and hips - it’s one of the very best reasons for losing weight - getting full mobility and freedom back. But if some exercise is difficult just now yet you want to make fitness part of your weight loss plan, there are a few things you can try. Here are some suggestions:-

• If you feel comfortable going to the pool then swimming is a great exercise as your body weight is supported by the water and prevents strain on your joints
• If you are able to pedal without putting too much pressure on your sore feet you may find that a recumbent stationery bike is suitable if you can find one with a seat which allows you to sit on it in comfort otherwise a portable pedlar type machine may be a good starting point
• Yoga is great exercise too which you can do from any starting point - you don’t get aerobic benefit from it but it does burn calories, strengthen your muscles and give you flexibility too.
• Any exercise which tones your muscles is great as muscle tissue burns calories even while at rest and you can shape your body at the same time as you lose the fat - concentrate on exercises which you can do seated and on arm and chest exercises until your feet are better able to take your weight.

If you want a set of 36 exercises which you can do from the comfort of your chair take a look at personal trainer Jeff Ball’s book Get Fit While You Sit - he also includes an exercise at that link that you can do right now for your stomach while still seated.

Of course, once you lose a bit of weight and are able to get back on your feet you’ll probably want to include some aerobic activity (assuming your foot problems are weight related) - at that point walking is a great gentle exercise that you can do anytime, anyplace, anywhere - even round your own home - and gradually build up your aerobic fitness.