Guys, losing weight — heck, evening maintaining weight! — as you get older, is tough. It’s a constant dialogue among friends lately. Realizing I’m closing in on 40 years old, I’m finding it’s easier than ever to put the weight on…. and much harder to take it off.
While I’m generally more focused on how I feel compared to the number on the scale, as a Weight Watcher lifetimer I do use my weight for accountability. I need to. Somehow even when I can barely button my pants, it’s not a fact that I’m gaining weight until the scale starts climbing. I’m not shy about my weight… my ideal weight is 125 but a few months ago it was hitting 130, 131. The number was generally symbolic that I was feeling sluggish and clothes weren’t fitting me as well. Plus, I LOVE to eat, especially when I travel. I crave salads and good foods yet I love indulging when I travel to try new cuisine and restaurants. I don’t like to feel like I’m starting a vacation at my heaviest.
I mentioned to you I started working out with Bell Gia, a local personal trainer and all around awesome, super knowledgeable person. It hasn’t been as steady as I would have liked due to my sprained ankle (that yes, two+ months later still hurts… I’m doing PT) however I’ve learned so much that I wanted to pass it along. The savvy tips below are a combination of helpful nuggets Bell has shared along with a tried-and-true rules that have worked for me over the years.
Beyond the obvious — cut out the sugary drinks, the alcohol, oversized portions, etc — here are some fresh tips to help you slim down if your current route isn’t making a dent!
As always, please consult a registered dietician with any specific advice – these are merely suggestions that have worked for me.
Switch up your breakfast.
I was eating one or two slices of a seeded bread (60-70 cal each) with almond butter on top. DELISH… and I thought an excellent choice. Bell disagreed and suggested I swap it for two hard boiled eggs or two scrambled eggs with spinach. I eat it each morning with my coffee and the protein really fills me up, and sustains longer than my other breakfast. For a little more flavor, I add the “everything but the bagel” seeds from Trader Joe’s on top… really good!
Limit certain “healthy” foods.
Yes, avocado, nuts, acai, almond butter, green juices and others are GREAT for you. In moderation. I swear acai bowls were making me fat. LOL. There is so much sugar in there, and combine that with toppings like almond butter, granola, more fruit, etc., we’re likely eating 800+ calories and who knows how many grams of sugar. Consider portions and do your research. Count out a serving of nuts, make sure your green juices are primarily all greens, not a bunch of fruits. Eat half an avocado instead of a whole. And, when it comes to snacking, my go-to are rX bars… they’re SO good, and only made with the ingredients you see on the label. So far, I’ve found them most affordably at Target, and then Trader Joe’s.
Minimize fruits, especially in the morning.
This is another suggestion from Bell…. avoid eating fruit before noon. I’m cutting down the number of hours I eat sugar each day and only eat fruit — pineapple being my favorite — from around 1 to 5 pm daily. This way, I’m minimizing my overall sugar intake, even with natural sugars, and I’m actually not craving “sweet” foods as much throughout the day. Be sure to also watch your portions. These natural sugars, and possibly extra calories from mindless overeating of good foods adds up to unwanted extra calories, can slow down weight loss.
Stop the BLT’s.
Nope, I don’t mean the sandwich, I mean the BITES, LICKS and TASTES. This is a Weight Watcher favorite that I always consider. Grabbing a few almonds while looking for a mid-afternoon snack, stealing a bite or three of you little man’s grilled cheese or popping in a few bites at a party all adds up. That mindless snacking isn’t worth it and it could be what’s holding you back from dropping weight. If you’re going to indulge… indulge and recognize what you’re eating.
Mix Up Your Workout Routine
I have always head to the elliptical and the treadmill, doing my 30ish minutes of cardio about 2-3x/week. After talking to Bell about where I want to add strength and muscle, she suggested I switch it up and use the recumbent bike to burn calories and work the booty. Well actually, she said it in a much more articulate way with a lot of words I maybe only half understood but that’s the gist of it. 😉 I can really feel different muscles working and feeling the result.
Starving? Pay attention to cardio.
Ok, Ok, cardio is great. I really love getting my heart rate going, getting out a sweet… it has such a calming effect. Keep doing it! But, at least for me, too much and I’m STAR-VING. ALL. DAY. And, since I’m not a tri-athlete or marathoner, I can’t justify eating like crazy after one workout (just like I don’t need Gatorade after my workouts). Give thought to your post-workout hunger… how to quench it (maybe you need more protein) or how you can mix up your workouts to better balance what your body needs.
With the above, I’m at 125.5 and feeling SO much better. I’m mixing up my workouts — still about 2-3x/week for about an hour. Have any other tips or methods that have worked for you? Hand it over…. we need to share all the insights we can!
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My Best Tips to be Healthier, Stronger, More Fit | THE MODERN SAVVY
March 11, 2019 at 5:00 AM[…] sharing today some of my best tips. If you’re looking to lose weight, go to this post about six ways to lose those nagging five pounds… really helpful tips you can easily implement. There’s a little overlap here, but the […]
Marie
September 19, 2017 at 3:30 PMThx for this post !
Do you have any tips to have motivation to workout ?
Angela Cruz
July 16, 2017 at 12:44 PMI love this post so much! Thanks for the RX bars recommendation, it’s now on my Target list.
Alyson
July 17, 2017 at 11:15 AMSo happy you found this useful, Angela! Definitely let me know what you think… the peanut butter and chocolate sea salt are definitely my favorites.
Sid
July 12, 2017 at 8:11 PMNo fruit before noon!!! Yikes. I loved the tips.
Alyson
July 13, 2017 at 4:02 PM… just her suggestion to minimize over all sugar intake! Always helpful to chat with a registered dietician, too., though I know it’s helping me.
Heidi
July 11, 2017 at 4:47 PMThese are great tips and I especially agree about switching up your work out! I think for me I just need to give up my nightly glass of wine but I just can’t seem to do it 🙂
Heidi || Wishes & Reality
Alyson
July 11, 2017 at 6:40 PMAwww, yeah that glass of wine — and depending on how big — can really add up. Consider swapping it out for a hot cup of tea, or do it every other night… or weekends. It makes a difference.
Shannon
July 11, 2017 at 1:34 PMThank you for sharing this!! I’m trying to lose 20 lbs after a recent health scare and I decided it’s time for me to take back control over my health and well-being. I lost 40 lbs. years ago on weight watchers, but I have had trouble connecting to the new program and the new way of counting points. Long story short, I never really found maintenance. In my mind, was never thin enough and after 10 years of over-exercising and under-eating, I gained back about 30lbs. I can honestly say that I have a better relationship with food now, and I’m finally ready to let go of this 20 lbs. I’ve been carrying around. I know it’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it. I just have to figure out the best way to do it.
Alyson
July 11, 2017 at 6:41 PMHi Shannon… wow, proud that you’re in the mental place now ready to make a change and have a healthier relationship with food. Take each day one day at a time, and have fun with it. Getting moving should be fun, and I always remember from my WW days that the food will be there when I’m where I want to be. It was a helpful reminder to put it off now because I will only get to my goal faster. I’m here if you ever need anything!!
Liz
July 11, 2017 at 10:21 AMTrue! It may also be water weight- especially if you have a high protein diet. My cousin is a pilates instructor and personal trainer. She eats high protein low carb- didn’t know why she was gaining weight. Her nutritionist said that some protein, especially chicken, can hold water so she recommended taking probiotics, and her water weight was gone in a month.
Jackie
July 11, 2017 at 8:24 AMI also find that if I get a piece of new workout clothing, it re-motivates me…for awhile at least.
Kellyann
July 11, 2017 at 8:13 AMYes, yes, yes!!!! Such an important topic. I was a WW leader for 15 years and you are absolutely correct. I weigh myself everyday to maintain my weight but every Summer I go up a bit and then have to work to get back down. The biggest misconception is with healthy food and you’re right you can’t eat too much, people tend to think if it’s healthy or fat free it’s okay to indulge. I am chuckling over your comment about acai bowls because I feel the same way, lol! My bestie and I were just talking about this yesterday because we do it every Summer, we have more time to relax and drink which leads to eating more and moving a little less = weight gain. Time to get back to basics! You, my dear look fabulous, thanks for sharing great tips!
xo,
Kellyann
Kimberly
July 11, 2017 at 8:12 AMLove this post! My weight always seems to fluctuate in the summer (and not in the right direction), so I needed this!!
http://www.pennypincherfashion.com
Alyson
July 11, 2017 at 4:58 PMHa, same! It’s so easy to indulge in extra glasses of wine or whatnot during relaxing days at the beach or camping.
Jackie
July 11, 2017 at 8:09 AMThis was great information Alyson. Thanks so much!! I feel motivated to eat better…I had eggs this morning instead of fruit and feel more satisfied. I read somewhere that although exercise is definatly important for lots of reasons, that most of weight loss comes from diet. I’ve found this to be true for me. I just need to be more disciplined about both.
Alyson
July 11, 2017 at 4:58 PMWoohoo! So glad the new morning breakfast satisfied. I love eating fruit, but I don’t find it satisfies in the long run — not filling, and perhaps makes me want more sweet items. I absolutely agree that so much of weight loss comes from diet… it’s the exercise that helps tone and define as you’re losing.
Michelle
July 11, 2017 at 6:37 AMHow tall are you? Just wondering because you look great and I’m curious as to how attainable 125 would be for me (I’m 5’5″ and seem to be stuck at 135)
Alyson
July 11, 2017 at 4:57 PMI’m 5’3, and for what it’s worth, Bell thinks I can be at 120. Not sure I can, lol, but I do think if I wanted 122-123 would be realistic. I bet 130 would be realistic for 5’5.