Women over 50 have some special considerations when it comes to losing weight. If you have been on a diet for a few weeks and your weight loss has begun to plateau, you are not alone. It is common to have a slowdown of weight loss after a few weeks, but even though this is common, it does not have to happen.After the age of 50 your metabolism slows, which can make it harder for your body to burn fat. This slowing of the metabolism is partly due to a drop in estrogen that comes with menopause and partly due to a loss of muscle mass that tends to occur with age. These factors combined with the wrong diet and exercise can easily land you on a weight loss plateau.Use these tips to break your weight loss plateau:1. Drop The Grains For A Week. Grains, especially whole grain foods are good for your body. However, they also cause a spike in insulin when you eat them and this can lead to increased fat storage, especially if you are one of the millions of people who is insulin resistant.For one week reduce or eliminate bread, cereal, pasta and other grains from your diet. You can replace the lost calories with salad greens and protein foods, to keep hunger away.2. Cut Out The Trans Fats. Trans fats are found in most boxed or bagged meals and convenience foods. You will even find them in pre-packaged meals that are labeled "diet foods." Trans fats have been shown to increase fat storage, especially in the belly area, which is a hard place for women over the age of 50 to lose.3. Time Your Exercise. You may be exercising, but if you are not taking full advantage of the best times to exercise you might find that your fat is not burning off.To break a weight loss plateau shift your aerobic exercise to first thing in the morning, before breakfast. This is the time of day that your body has a natural metabolic boost and it is more likely to burn stored body fat for energy.Another way to time your exercise for more energy and fat burning is to exercise before a carbohydrate meal. Your muscles store carbohydrates for energy. After a workout the stored carbs in your muscles are depleted. By eating carbs soon after a vigorous workout the carbs are shuttled into your muscle to be used for energy, instead of being shuttled into your fat cells for storage.
