5 Diet Hacks to boost metabolism for men & women over 40.

Fat loss or fat gain is primarily attributed to a caloric deficit or surplus. In simple terms, consuming more calories than your body expends = fat gain, consuming less calories than you need for daily energy demands = fat loss.

In the real world however, and in my own experience with my own fat loss efforts, as well as the many clients I have worked with online , it never seems to work this way and it’s also not a long term and sustainable way to Lose fat.

 You WILL hit a plateau sooner or later, even though mathematically, it seems you should be dropping fat. Some of the causes and why this occurs (hormonal issues, metabolic adaptation, thyroid suppression etc) are beyond the scope of this short article.

Although simply counting & dropping calories works for some people (rarely, if ever, long term), the vast majority will give up due to insane cravings & hunger.

Because of this, we recommend to our clients that are looking to make permanent changes to their body composition, that hunger must be kept at bay or minimized substantially. Remember this: “Hunger goes against nature, and nature always wins”.

Here are 5 simple “diet hacks” you can implement to lose fat & increase your level of fitness, while avoiding or minimizing metabolic slowdown.

1)  Eliminate refined Carbohydrates and Sugars.

Eating more protein can substantially reduce appetite, as well as increase the metabolism

If your goal is shedding body fat, increasing protein intake will be the most effective way, while minimizing hunger. Numerous studies suggest that diets high in protein increases your metabolic rate and reduces appetite.

Protein increases metabolism through T.E.F (thermic effect of food). This means that protein burns energy simply by the process of digesting & metabolizing the high protein meal consumed.

 This can result in an additional 50 to 100 calories burned per day. Protein is also the most satiating macronutrient as well. This means you feel fuller, longer! 

 
Bottom Line: increasing protein intake will rev up metabolism, curb hunger and reduce body fat.

2. Stop consuming soda & other calorie containing beverages

Another simple way to reduce calories is to eliminate liquid calories from the diet. These sugar laden drinks spike your blood sugar through the roof, causing your pancreas to release enormous amounts of insulin, causing fat storage, as well as a host of other potential health problems, this will also leave you feeling lethargic, bloated & craving even more sugar after the subsequent blood sugar crash.

An example of these beverages would be: soda pop, orange juice and all other beverages that contain sugar.

These beverages are a major problem for individuals trying to lose fat.
Sugar is a poison that is hazardous to your health as well as fat gain. It can lead to many health & metabolic conditions, raising the risk of many different diseases.

 Bottom Line: avoid sugar containing drinks and juices for health & weight loss.

 3. Resistance training should be a priority

Long-term caloric restriction WILL reduce metabolism. This will inevitably lead to frustration when the individual, who may need or want to lose a lot more fat hits an extended plateau, even after lowering calories to near starvation levels.

This will also lead to loss of muscle mass reducing metabolism even further.

An effective strategy to guard against excessive muscle loss is to give the body a reason to hold onto the muscle by performing relatively heavy resistance training.

Heavy resistance training has been proven to prevent muscle loss during long-term calorie restriction. If you can’t get to a gym, then consider doing some body weight exercises that use large muscle groups like push ups, squats, sit ups, etc.

Of course, exercise also has a plethora of other benefits that go way beyond just weight loss… such as a longer life, lower risk of disease, more energy and feeling better every day

Bottom Line: Lifting weights is important, because it inhibits muscle loss and prevents the metabolism from slowing down.

4. Increase water intake for maximal fat loss

Certain studies have shown, (although I’m not necessarily convinced) consuming 16 ounces or more of water, 30-45 minutes before a meal, resulted in over 30% more fat over a 3 month period.

When combined with a low carb, high protein lifestyle, drinking more water appears to be beneficial for those needing to lose weight.

Bottom Line: Studies have shown that drinking water can boost metabolism. Drinking it a half hour before meals can help you eat fewer calories.

5. Reduce carbs for faster fat loss.

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Certain studies have shown that eating a low-carb diet can lead to 2-3 times as much weight loss as a calorie restricted low-fat diet. Other health benefits have been noted, especially for people with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

If you’re not comfortable going on a very low carb diet plan, at least make an effort to eliminate or substantially reduce starches such as oatmeal, rice, potatoes, pasta and replace them with vegetables such as: broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach. Consuming these high fiber, extremely low calorie vegetables will not only greatly enhance your fat loss efforts, but do wonders for your health and greatly reduce hunger as well.

Bottom Line: Choosing a diet void of processed food will be a massive improvement.