Do you want to up your weight loss game? Michaela Bentley is a CPT & Nutrition coach. At the age of 58, she looks half her age! In fact, she maintains that she has a much better grasp on diet and exercise now than she did in her forties. In a new Instagram post, she reveals the game-changing habits she has learned. “3 things I wish I had known about losing weight when I was in my 40s,” she writes.
Walking Can Burn More Fat Than Running
If you are pounding pavement or running vigorously on the treadmill to lose weight, stop, says Michaela. “You burn more fat by simply walking more (Zone 2) than long sessions of steady state running. Cardio is massively important for general health but not a good choice for fat loss. Doing too much of it can even lead to overtraining, further hindering fat loss,” she writes in her post.
Severe Calorie Restriction Will Backfire
Don’t try starving yourself thin. “Severe and prolonged calorie restriction will only make things worse in the long run because it can lower your metabolic set point over time,” writes Michaela, explaining that “these changes are, of course,e not permanent, but it can set you back.” Also, “extremely low-calorie diets can also cause binging because your body thinks you are starving. It’s unsustainable. A more moderate approach of a modest deficit of 200-500 calories below maintenance is recommended to lose weight.”
Lift Weights
She also recommends strength training for weight loss. “You burn more calories at rest with resistance training because the more lean muscle you have, the more efficient your metabolism becomes. Lifting heavy weights will help you build lean muscle and lose fat,” she says.
Strength Training 3 to 5 Days a Week
In another post, she reveals a few more weight loss principles. As a 58-year-old personal trainer and nutrition coach, I’ve learned how to stay strong, lean, and fit. “Here are six principles you need to understand,” she says. “In order to lose weight, you need to lift weights 3-5 days per week.”
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Walk 7,000 to 10,000 Steps Per Day
And get your steps in. “Walk at least 7000-10000 steps per day,” she says. 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.
Do 2 Hours of Zone 2 Cardio a Week
Her next recommendation? “Get 2 hours of zone 2 cardio per week for health,” she says, specifying this is not for weight loss. What is zone 2 anyway? It is a low-intensity, steady-state workout that involves working out at 60–70% of your maximum heart rate.
Get 7 to 9 Hours of Sleep
Rest is also important, stresses Michaela. “Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night,” she recommends. 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.
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Eat 30 Grams of Protein Per Meal
Next, amp up your protein intake. “Eat around 30 grams of protein at each meal. If you have fat to lose, you need to eat with a moderate calorie deficit, but this doesn’t include using extreme fad diets to achieve this, and you shouldn’t stay in a calorie deficit indefinitely. It’s a good idea to cycle between deficit and maintenance calories in order to encourage the building of lean muscle and not plateau,” she says.
Hydrate
Lastly, you need to hydrate. “Drink half your body weight in oz of water per day,” she writes. For example, a 120-pound woman would drink 60 ounces of water per day. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is important for a variety of reasons. Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues. 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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