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5 Simple Dinner Rules That Help You Burn Fat Overnight

These easy adjustments to your evening meal can support your weight-loss goals.

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Dinner plays a significant role in weight loss, as what you eat and when you eat can influence how your body processes calories while you sleep. A few simple changes can help your body burn fat more effectively and leave you feeling lighter and more energized in the morning. These five dinner rules are designed to support digestion, boost metabolism, and promote fat loss—without making your meals feel restrictive.


Eat Protein with Every Dinner

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Protein is essential for muscle repair and maintenance, which helps boost metabolism. Include lean sources like grilled chicken, fish, tofu, or lentils in your dinner. Protein also promotes satiety, preventing late-night cravings and overeating.

RELATED: This Is Exactly How to Lose Body Fat This Year

Load Up on Non-Starchy Vegetables

Many,Different,Non-starchy,Vegetables,On,A,Wooden,Background.,Harvest,AndShutterstock

Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, zucchini, and peppers are low in calories but high in fiber and nutrients. Filling half your plate with non-starchy veggies supports digestion, keeps you full, and helps regulate blood sugar levels overnight.

Avoid Heavy Sauces and Dressings

Woman,Squeezing,Fresh,Lemon,Over,Bowl,With,Salad,At,CountertopShutterstock

Rich, creamy sauces and dressings can add unnecessary calories and fat to your meals. Opt for lighter alternatives like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice to enhance flavor without compromising your weight-loss goals.

Don’t Eat Too Late

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Eating too close to bedtime can disrupt digestion and hinder fat burning. Aim to finish dinner at least two to three hours before you sleep to give your body enough time to process the meal. This helps prevent bloating and supports overnight metabolism.

RELATED: 9 Weight Loss Tricks A Dietitian Uses During The Holidays

Keep Portions in Check

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Large dinner portions can lead to overeating, especially if you’re winding down for the evening. Use smaller plates to control portions and focus on mindful eating. Balance your meal with appropriate servings of protein, vegetables, and whole grains to keep it satisfying but calorie-conscious. By following these simple dinner rules, you can optimize your evening meals to burn fat overnight and wake up feeling lighter and more energized. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Dinner plays a significant role in weight loss, as what you eat and when you eat can influence how your body processes calories while you sleep. A few simple changes can help your body burn fat more effectively and leave you feeling lighter and more energized in the morning. These five dinner rules are designed to support digestion, boost metabolism, and promote fat loss—without making your meals feel restrictive.


Eat Protein with Every Dinner

Top,Down,View,On,Delicious,Meat,And,Potatoes,Dinner,InShutterstock

Protein is essential for muscle repair and maintenance, which helps boost metabolism. Include lean sources like grilled chicken, fish, tofu, or lentils in your dinner. Protein also promotes satiety, preventing late-night cravings and overeating.

RELATED: This Is Exactly How to Lose Body Fat This Year

Load Up on Non-Starchy Vegetables

Many,Different,Non-starchy,Vegetables,On,A,Wooden,Background.,Harvest,AndShutterstock

Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, zucchini, and peppers are low in calories but high in fiber and nutrients. Filling half your plate with non-starchy veggies supports digestion, keeps you full, and helps regulate blood sugar levels overnight.

Avoid Heavy Sauces and Dressings

Woman,Squeezing,Fresh,Lemon,Over,Bowl,With,Salad,At,CountertopShutterstock

Rich, creamy sauces and dressings can add unnecessary calories and fat to your meals. Opt for lighter alternatives like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice to enhance flavor without compromising your weight-loss goals.

Don’t Eat Too Late

Golden,Face,Alarm,Clock,At,8,O'clock,Close,Up.Shutterstock

Eating too close to bedtime can disrupt digestion and hinder fat burning. Aim to finish dinner at least two to three hours before you sleep to give your body enough time to process the meal. This helps prevent bloating and supports overnight metabolism.

RELATED: 9 Weight Loss Tricks A Dietitian Uses During The Holidays

Keep Portions in Check

Balanced,Diet,And,Healthy,Foods.,Plate,With,Different,Delicious,ProductsShutterstock

Large dinner portions can lead to overeating, especially if you’re winding down for the evening. Use smaller plates to control portions and focus on mindful eating. Balance your meal with appropriate servings of protein, vegetables, and whole grains to keep it satisfying but calorie-conscious. By following these simple dinner rules, you can optimize your evening meals to burn fat overnight and wake up feeling lighter and more energized. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

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Fact-Checked

Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices.

We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including scientific studies and medical journals.

If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing editors@bodynetwork.com.

Do you want to burn fat without having to make major changes to your life? According to experts, there are a few simple things you can do to majorly amplify fat loss. Mike Diamonds, MD, founder of Sculpt by Science, is social media famous for sharing helpful hacks on how to get into shape and lose weight. In a recent clip, he reveals some little-known tips for burning belly fat. “These are five fat loss cheat codes. I wish I knew when I started,” he says at the start of the YouTube Shorts clip. We also asked our Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, to weigh in.


Walk for Cardio

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“Number one, walking should be your main form of cardio,” says Diamonds, citing research that has shown that it burns the most fat. “I’m not sure it actually burns the most fat, but low to moderate intensity cardio is great, especially for beginners,” says Collingood. “Walking is simple—it doesn't take any equipment other than a good pair of shoes,” she adds. It can also be social. “Meet friends or family or take the dog with you for a nice brisk walk.”

RELATED:5 Best Exercises for “Bra Bulge” After 50

High Protein Diet

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Next, “the formula to being able to build muscle and lose fat is a high protein diet,” claims Diamonds. “30 to 50 grams per meal multiplied by a caloric deficit and weightlifting.” Collingwood agrees that you “definitely want protein to maintain and build muscle,” adding that it also keeps you satisfied.

Seven to Eight Hours of Sleep

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“Three, sleep a minimum of seven to eight hours,” says Diamonds. “Sleeping any less will feel like playing Call of Duty or FIFA in hard mode.” Collingwood agrees that sleep is “absolutely necessary,” recommending 7 to 9 hours “to recover the body and help with hormone regulation.”

Morning Workouts and Exercise in Afternoon

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“Train in the morning and eat in the afternoon. Myself and my clients find the most productive formula is to train in the morning and then break your fast after midday,” claims Diamonds. “Morning is great for training but if you wait several hours to eat you are leaving yourself open to poor recovery,” notes Collingwood. “It is better to eat something within an hour after training, especially if training is intense or long.”

RELATED:3 Best Practices for Walking, by a Podiatrist

Eat the Same Food Every Day for a Week

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And his last tip, “track your diet for one day and then eat the same food every day for a week. This will make your journey so much easier,” he says. “Tracking what you eat can be very eye opening, but it’s not necessary to eat the same thing every day,” says Collingwood. “Variety is better for the gut microbiome and to keep you from getting bored or feeling deprived.”

💪🔥Body Booster: In order to maximize belly fat, start by taking a look at your diet and making sure you are meeting the protein recommendations for your height, weight, and gender.

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Fact-Checked

Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices.

We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including scientific studies and medical journals.

If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing editors@bodynetwork.com.

It seems too good to be true, but you can actually burn belly fat while you sleep. Max Posternak, a fitness trainer and influencer who founded Gravity Transformation, regularly shares tips and tricks on how to blast fat and get into shape efficiently and effectively. In a recent viral video, he discusses a few things you can do to accelerate weight loss, even when you are resting. “Here are three extremely effective tips to burn more fat while sleeping,” he says at the start of the clip. Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, also weighs in on his tips.


Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Iodine, Zinc, Selenium, and Vitamin D

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First, you want to “optimize your thyroid function mostly by making sure that you're getting enough iodine, zinc, selenium, and vitamin D,” says Posternak. “Make sure you're having iodine, salt for iodine, oysters for zinc, seafood for selenium and sunlight exposure, or a supplement for vitamin D.” How does this help? “Optimizing your thyroid function can increase your metabolism by up to a thousand calories a day.”

Build More Muscle

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Next tip? Build more muscle. “Not only does muscle mass require a lot of calories to maintain even while you sleep, but it also increases insulin sensitivity and depletes glycogen stores, which will help recycle carbohydrates rather than storing them as fat,” he says.

RELATED: 13 Strategies to Burn Body Fat Faster Than Ever Before, From a Champion Bodybuilder

Eat More Protein

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“And the third thing is to eat more protein, at least 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight,” says Posternak. “This is because protein has a high thermic effect. This means that the amount of energy it takes for your body to digest, process, and store protein is much higher when compared to other nutrients. Some studies estimate that between 15 to 30 percent of the calories taken in from protein are used right back up during the digestion process.”

Body Network’s Resident RDN Weighs In

Tara_Collingwood2Diet Diva/Facebook

Collingwood agrees that thyroid function is important when it comes to burning fat. However, “eating more of these nutrients isn’t going to necessarily make your thyroid work ‘better’ or burn more calories,” she says. A deficiency in the nutrients he mentions could affect thyroid function, but there are plenty of foods you can eat for these nutrients if you don’t enjoy oysters and seafood,” she adds.

Or, if you don’t like any foods with these nutrients, you can always take a multivitamin just as a catch-all to ensure daily intake. She completely agrees with his muscle-building suggestion. “The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn 24 hours a day, even while you sleep! You also burn more working, exercising, and relaxing,” she notes. And, yes,” protein burns calories while digesting, keeps you full longer, and helps you preserve muscle while trying to lose weight,” she says.

RELATED: 5 Best Cardiovascular Exercises to Lose Body Fat

One More Tip: Move All Day

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Collingwood offers another tip. “Increase your metabolism for the entire day by staying moving as much as possible,” she encourages. “Sitting all day long, which most of us do, significantly reduces metabolism. Try to go for a 3 to 5-minute walk every 60 to 90 minutes throughout your work day to keep that metabolism up!”

💪🔥Body Booster: If you want to burn more fat while sleeping amp up protein and build muscle while you are awake.

FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback
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We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. We strive to only recommend products that adhere to our philosophy of eating better while still enjoying what you eat.

You’ve heard that “you are what you eat,” but when it comes to weight loss, you are also how you sleep. Science has found a link between sleep and obesity, which means that cleaning up your sleep hygiene can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Celebrity fitness trainer and health and wellness expertJenna Willis maintains that there are a few bedtime rituals that can help prime your body for weight loss overnight.


Drink a Cup of Herbal Tea

Her first recommendation is to drink a cup of herbal tea. “Enjoying caffeine-free herbal tea, such as chamomile or peppermint, helps relax your body and aids in digestion, creating the perfect conditions for overnight fat burning,” the Los Angeles-based fitness expert, whose clients include Camila Cabello and Lala Kent, tells Body Network.

Studies Find That Tea Offers Lots of Other Health Benefits

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Science agrees with Willis and then some. Numerous studies have shown that a variety of teas may boost your immune system, fight off inflammation, and even ward off cancer and heart disease.

Eat Your Last Meal Five Hours Before Bed

Next, make sure to go to bed on an empty stomach, says Willis. “Eating late can cause your digestive system to stay active while you sleep, leading to discomfort, indigestion, or acid reflux,” she explains.

It Will Give Your Body Time to Digest

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There are other benefits to eating your last meal earlier. “Stopping food intake earlier allows your body to fully digest, promoting better rest, as your body is focused on rest rather than digestion!” she says.

RELATED:This Diet Is More Effective Than Ozempic, Says Weight Loss Coach

Avoid Late-Night Snacking

She also recommends avoiding the urge to snack at night. “Giving your body a break from food a few hours before bed allows your metabolism to focus on burning stored fat instead of digesting late-night snacks,” she says.

There Are Benefits of Time Restricted Eating

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Avoiding late night snacking and eating your last meal earlier in the day are part of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting works by “prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat,” explains Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Next, be consistent with your sleep schedule. “Sticking to the same bedtime and wake-up time each day helps regulate your body’s internal clock, enhancing metabolism and promoting fat burning,” says Willis.

RELATED:I Lost 50 Pounds in 75 Days with the 75 Hard Challenge

Sleep Boasts So Many Benefits

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There are so many benefits of sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.

Turn Off Screens

Another great nighttime health habit? Turn off your screens. “Minimizing blue light exposure from devices before bed supports melatonin production, improving sleep quality and boosting overnight weight loss,” says Willis.

RELATED:3 Proven Tips to Lose Even More Pounds on GLP-1 Drugs

Follow Jenna Willis on Social Media

Jenna Willis is one social media. You can follow her on Instagram or Facebook or head over to her website for more information. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Abram Anderson
Abram Anderson/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want to burn fat without counting calories or spending hours at the gym? Abram Anderson is a weight loss coach who regularly shares tips on how to burn fat fast. In a few new video post, he reveals simple hacks for burning fat that take very little effort. “Do you want to lose weight faster than what you're currently doing? But you do not want to count calories, you do not want to take supplements, and you don't want to have to use willpower?” he says, going on to reveal them.


Focus on Speeding Up Your Metabolism

To burn fat fast, you need to rev up your fat-burning system. “One of the tips that I give,” he says in the post, “is to try to speed up your metabolism. There's a few different ways to speed up your metabolism extremely easily.”

RELATED: 5 High-Protein Breakfasts Hollywood Trainer Magnus Lygdback Swears By

Do 30 Seconds of an Activity Right Before You Eat

The first suggestion he has? “You can do 30 seconds of an activity right before you eat. You'll be able to increase your insulin sensitivity right before you eat. You'll be able to eat the same number of calories and store less as fat that way, plus you have a higher metabolism,” he says.

Or, Add Spices to Your Food

“Or you can try to eat spicier food,” he says. “If you were just to add spices to your food, you can literally eat the same number of calories once again and actually burn more of them without having them stored as body fat,” he claims.

Two Tablespoons of Fermented Food Per Meal Helps Melt Body Fat

In another video, he reveals something you should add to every meal to melt body fat. “According to scientific research, two tablespoons of a fermented food with meals” is all you need “if you want to improve your microbiome and melt body fat drastically,” he says.

RELATED: Weight Loss Coach Lost 40 Pounds and Kept It Off for 14 Years With These 5 Changes

Kimchi Is the Best One to Eat

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“It's not just any fermented food. According to our data, it seems that kimchi seems to far outweigh the benefits for weight loss and microbiome health compared to anything else,” he continues. “So the yogurt just doesn't cut it. But if you could have kimchi in your diet, it can do absolute wonders.”

Disruption of Blood Sugar Leads to Overeating

“If you want to learn how to stop overeating so you can melt body fat easier, this is the advice that we give to our clients inside of our health and life coaching program. And it's helped them melt 20, 50, a hundred plus pounds of body fat without counting calories,” he continues. “This advice might work for you, too. By far, the biggest thing that is leading to overeating is a disruption in your blood sugar levels.”

Here Is the Secret to Prevent Binge Eating

Healthy,Food.,Selection,Of,Good,Carbohydrate,Sources,,High,Fiber,RichShutterstock

“What happens is you eat something that's high in carbohydrates and easy to digest, and you get a blood sugar spike. When you have a blood sugar spike, even if you're staying in normal ranges, your body will release insulin, which will cause a blood sugar spike down. That spike down causes you to feel uncontrollably hungry, where you feel like you can eat everything in sight,” he says. “The solution to this is to add in complex carbohydrates, water, and a food from nature inside of that meal, and that's how you prevent binge eating.”

And, Walking Is the Most Effective Workout for Losing Body Fat

“Walking has proven to be the most effective exercise for losing body fat, at least for my clients,” adding that “it doesn't actually require a whole lot of effort in order to see phenomenal results with it.” However, when you walk matters. “If you choose when you do your walk, you can actually maximize your results. So if you were to actually walk first thing in the morning or walk immediately after a workout for whatever reason, that seems to increase the amount of body fat you lose. And my theory is twofold,” he says.

Walking in the Morning Can Help Curb Cortisol Levels When They Are the Highest

“One, when you walk in the morning, you get sunshine, and your cortisol levels are the highest. You can actually curb that and better metabolize stress hormones because cortisol has been shown to be both anabolic to fat and catabolic muscle. So you can curb that if you walk in the morning,” he says.

RELATED:8 Tips to Make Losing Weight Feel Effortless, From Proven Experts

Walking Post Workout Can Utilize the Afterburn Effect

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The other best time to walk? “Two, if you were to walk after a workout, you actually utilize something called the afterburn effect,” he says. This is “where you burn additional calories even after your workout, and it's like extending it.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want to lose weight this year but aren’t sure how? Follow a step-by-step approach from a top expert. Trish Koeslag is a women’s nutrition and fitness coach whose mission is to help women over 40 simplify macros and movement to lose weight. In a new social media post, she reveals how she lost 23 pounds in a little over half a year. “I went from 130lbs to 107lbs in 7 months, in perimenopause,” she says in the post, admitting it was “hard” and “wasn’t sustainable.”

She Started by Eating in a Calorie Deficit

Her first step? “From March to July, I ate in a calorie deficit,” she writes. “If you need to know your calorie deficit, comment MACROS and I’ll send you my free macro calculator.”

She Lifted Weights

Next, she started weightlifting. “I strength trained 4x/week,” she writes. According to the Mayo Clinic, strength and weight training help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training may also help you:

  • Develop strong bones
  • Manage your weight
  • Enhance your quality of life
  • Manage chronic conditions
  • Sharpen your thinking skills.

Walking 12,000 to 15,000 Steps Per Day

She also starting getting her steps in – lots of them! “I walked 12-15K steps every day (not including cardio),” she writes. A 2018 study published in the journal Obesity found a link between walking 10,000 steps a day and weight loss and weight management. Other studies published by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in JAMA Neurology and in JAMA Internal Medicine also linked walking 10,000 steps a day to less dementia and less cardiovascular disease overall, with less heart disease, less heart failure, and fewer strokes.

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

She Also Did More Cardio

Aside from walking, she did cardio workouts. “I did cardio 4-6x per week ranging from 40-60 minutes,” she writes.

She Drank a Lot of Water

Hydration was also a part of her plan. “I drank 4L of water (with LMNT electrolytes),” she writes. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is essential for various reasons. Water helps eliminate waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature regular, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.

She Got Enough Sleep

Those weren’t the only healthy habits she incorporated into her routine. “I slept. I kept stress levels low. I prioritized whole foods,” she said. What are the health benefits of sleep? According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.

She Took a Diet Break

Her next stage involved upping her calories. “I took a diet break from July to September. Calories got bumped up to maintenance for 2 months, cardio got reduced, steps stayed the same. Diet fatigue set in hard, and my Coach and I knew that it was time to call it,” she writes.

RELATED:8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat

Then, She Started Fat Loss Again in September

After a few months, she was ready to shred again. “In September, I picked up fat loss again and worked my ass off for a photo shoot that I had booked,” she said.

She Achieved Her Goal, Then Reverse Dieted

“I achieved my goal – but that lifestyle was unsustainable. So, we reversed out of my deficit, brought calories back up, cardio back down and now I live happily ever after in maintenance until I want to cut again,” she said.

It Wasn’t Easy, But Rewarding

“Fat loss isn’t easy but the reward for achieving a goal is priceless,” she concludes. She also recommends downloading a macro calculator. “It will tell you how many calories and macros to eat for your goals,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, don't missI’m a Nutritionist and Here Are 25 Weight Loss Truths You Need to Hear.

Jessica Valant
Copyright jessicasvalant/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Balance becomes increasingly crucial as we age, and the statistics are eye-opening. Research shows that people over 50 who can't balance on one leg for just 10 seconds face twice the mortality risk in the following decade. Physical therapistJessica Valant, with over 25 years of experience in rehabilitation and movement training, has developed a straightforward 10-minute routine to help improve your stability. As a respected PT, Pilates instructor, and women's health expert reaching over 800K YouTube subscribers, Jessica emphasizes that better balance is achievable at any age. These exercises, which you can do right in your own home, could significantly improve your stability and confidence in daily activities.

Understanding Balance and Why It Matters

"Balance happens when we include many different parts of what's going on," Jessica explains. "We have strength, we have mobility happening. It includes our eyesight, our vestibular system." This comprehensive approach to balance training addresses all these components, making it particularly effective for adults looking to maintain or improve their stability.

Setting Up Your Safe Practice Space

One of the best aspects of this routine is its simplicity. "All you need is a chair or a kitchen counter or a bathroom counter or a wall or anything close to hang on to," Jessica says. She emphasizes that wearing supportive shoes is perfectly fine, especially if you have any foot concerns.

RELATED: 3 Simple Stretches Made This Coach More Flexible in 2 Weeks

Foundation Exercise One Toe Raises

The routine begins with toe raises, a fundamental movement for ankle strength. Standing with feet hip-width apart, rise onto your toes and lower back down. "I want you to work on doing this without holding on to anything at all," Jessica advises, though she recommends starting with support if needed. For an extra challenge, try closing your eyes during the movement.

Building Knee and Hip Stability

"When falls happen, a lot of times they'll happen stepping off a curb or going downstairs," Jessica notes. To address this, she introduces mini squats. These aren't deep squats but rather gentle knee bends that improve mobility in your hips, knees, and ankles – all crucial for preventing falls.

Mastering Single-Leg Balance

The critical test of balance is standing on one leg. Jessica guides through this gradually: "This is called a single leg balance, but also we're doing a little bit of weight shifting. We're teaching that left leg how to hold the weight on its own." Start by holding onto support and work toward independence.

Dynamic Balance Through Marching

Slow marching exercises simulate real-world movements. "Try not to look down at your feet when you're doing this," Jessica instructs. "The more we kind of hunch and try to walk like this, the more likely we are to fall." Keep your posture tall and eyes forward.

RELATED:8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat

Lateral Stability Training

Side leg lifts add another dimension to balance training. "The sneaky part as a physical therapist, what I'm making you do right now is hold your weight on that left leg," Jessica reveals. This strengthens the standing leg while improving side-to-side stability.

Advanced Hip Mobility Work

The hip circle exercise combines lifting, opening, and lowering movements. As Jessica explains, "This is a lot of hip mobility, which believe it or not, really good for our balance and just for overall health in those joints." This movement builds both mobility and strength.

Essential Ankle Mobility

Calf stretches are crucial for maintaining ankle flexibility. Jessica demonstrates how to stretch while maintaining proper alignment, emphasizing the importance of keeping the back heel down and maintaining tall posture.

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

Progressive Challenge Training

"This isn't a single day workout to fix everything," Jessica emphasizes. "This is the long game." The routine concludes with balance challenges that can be progressively made more difficult, such as closing your eyes during exercises when you're ready. Always prioritize safety and work within your comfort level.

Jessica's repeats her key message: "You can do it every single day, or again, just pick and choose pieces of it to do at your kitchen counter anytime during the day to help your own balance, meet your body where it is and know that long-term you are doing something good for yourself." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week

Nikkiey Stott
Copyright nikkieystott/Instagram

Don’t let your age be the excuse you use for not being in shape. You can be strong and fit in at any age, says one expert. Nikkiey Stott, BSN, Fitness Coach and co-founder of Warrior Babe, helps “women manage macros, build muscles, & boost confidence.” In a new post, she reveals the top five exercises you should do if you are over 40 that offer the most bang for your buck. “Do these 5 power moves if you’re over 40,” she writes. “Want to stay strong, fit, and functional at 40, 50, or even 60+? Save these 5 moves to your weekly workouts.”

Squats

The first power move she recommends is a butt-buster: Squats. “Build lower body strength and protect your joints,” she says about the glute and leg exercises, which she also demonstrates in the video.

Pushups

Another effective exercise that offers full-body benefits? Pushups. “Strengthen your chest, shoulders, and arms while improving core stability,” she says.

Deadlifts

Next on her power moves list? Deadlifts. “The ultimate move for a strong back, glutes, and hamstrings,” she says about the exercise, which requires weights.

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Standing Shoulder Press

Grab a pair of free weights or a bar and do a standing shoulder press, she suggests. “Keep your shoulders strong and mobile as you age,” she says.

Lat Pulldowns or Dumbbell Rows

Lastly, choose from two exercises, lat pulldowns or dumbbell rows. “Boost upper back strength and posture,” she says.

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10,000 Steps Per Day

In another post, she also recommends walking “10,000 steps per day,” which she says equals “70 marathons per year.” A 2018 study published in the journal Obesity found a link between walking 10,000 steps a day and weight loss and weight management. Other studies published by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in JAMA Neurology and in JAMA Internal Medicine also linked walking 10,000 steps a day to less dementia and less cardiovascular disease overall, with less heart disease, less heart failure, and fewer strokes.

Strength Training

And, of course, she also recommends investing time in strength training. “Committing to 3 workouts a week = 156 workouts a year,” she adds. According to the Mayo Clinic, strength and weight training help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training may also help you:

  • Develop strong bones
  • Manage your weight
  • Enhance your quality of life
  • Manage chronic conditions
  • Sharpen your thinking skills
And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these20 Superfoods for People Over 50.