I Lost Weight After 50 With These Simple Changes

Certified weight loss life coach Pahla B knows a thing or two about the challenges of losing weight over 50, especially for women dealing with menopause. Pahla has excellent advice for anyone trying to shift those stubborn pounds—and she says it's all about mindset. This will lay the foundation for long-term success. Here's what the former "yo-yo dieter" did to lose weight in her 50s and keep it off.

Don't Eat Food You Don't Like

Pahla doesn't believe in forcing yourself to eat something because it's healthy—for example, olives or strawberries. She simply found what worked for her and foods that she actually enjoyed and fit them into her diet. Pahla believes in eating to fuel her body.

Believe In Yourself

Pahla says the most essential part of weight loss is simply deciding to do it in the first place. Once you've decided to lose weight, it's easier to have a plan of action and commit to a different lifestyle. This is another way mindset is critical.

Fluctuations and Downward Trends

Pahla says not to panic about weight fluctuations. They are a normal part of weight loss. As long as the trend is downward, you're on the right path.

Calorie Counting

Pahla reminds people that calories are different depending on many factors—what's right for someone else may not be right for you. Setting a calorie target for yourself is the foundation of self-trust that will take you not just to your goal weight but to a lifetime of easy maintenance," she says.

Be Consistent

Pahla suggests being honest about whether you are hitting your calorie goals. "The only way to know for sure what's going on with your calories is to look at your numbers and do the math," she says. If you're not tracking, explore why not in terms of your mindset.

Water and Weight Loss

Pahla reminds listeners of her podcast on how vital water is for weight loss. "The right amount of water, by the way, is your weight in pounds divided by two, and that's the number of fluid ounces that you will drink each day," she says. "You're going to get adequate sleep, and you're also the very least important of all of this weight loss formula is exercise moderately for funsies, not because it drives weight loss."

Learn To Focus

Pahla says to focus on one goal at a time and know what to say no to. "You're going to pick one goal, and you're going to go all in, and really, what you're going to do is exactly what I did," she says. "You're going to make a list, and then you're going to prioritize one through whatever, 57 or however many things you have, and then you start with number one, whatever that number one thing is, that's the thing in your heart that you want most."

Hunger and Satiety

Pahla says it's essential to learn what actual hunger and satiety signals feel like. "Right now, depending on where you are in your weight loss process and depending on where your brain-body connection is, you simply might not have the hunger signals that you can count on," she says. "So what I suggest is that especially if you are just getting started with weight loss, counting calories is the way to go so that your body can get used to an amount of food."

Don't Over Exercise

Pahla says if you have a very active day—for example, with lots of yard work—don't force yourself into a workout. "Should I still do the exercise? No on that day, or would it cause increased inflammation and possible waking? It really could, and slash probably does. There's almost no way that that won't be over-exercising for you."

RELATED: I'm 50+ and These 7 Fat-Blasting Habits Keep Me in the Best Shape of My Life

Journaling

Pahla recommends journaling to help with the weight loss process and maintenance after goals are reached. "Find all the thoughts that feel lousy about weight loss and about weight maintenance so that you can feel amazing," she says. "Weight maintenance can feel amazing, and I know this doesn't sound like an answer, but it's the thing that I'm going to say to you. You can literally do anything in weight maintenance. You can reach any other health or fitness goal you want." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.