My 20 Secrets to Being in the Best Shape of My Life at 50
Age isn't an excuse for not getting into shape. Just ask Rae Bright (@LiveYourselfYoung), a "50-something who is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle, wellness, weight loss, and happiness with a passion for helping other women to do the same." In a recent viral video, she reveals all her secrets for "staying fit and healthy" – including what she eats in a day.
To Lose Fat, You Need to Be in a Calorie Deficit and Increase Steps
"If I wanted to lose some body fat, I would need to be in a calorie deficit," Rae says at the start of the video. "I would also increase the amount of steps I walk in a day."
Food and Macronutrient Tracking Is Also Key
She also recommends keeping track of food intake and macronutrients, explaining that adjusting them affects fat loss. "Macronutrients, also known as macros, are nutrients that the body uses in relatively large amounts and therefore needs to receive daily. There are three macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats counting. Macros are similar to counting calories but differ in that it considers where the calories come from."
Meal Prepping Is Her "Secret" to Staying Fit and Health
"So what is my secret to staying fit and healthy? My secret is to meal prep. Meal prepping is the art of planning and preparing your meals or parts of meals ahead of time with the intention of saving time, sometimes money, and having access to healthy meals," she says.
Get Plastic Containers
"There is no right or wrong way to do it. Whatever works best for you and your schedule," Rae continues. "You just need some containers and some time dedicated to prep. If I were starting again, I would not use plastic containers, but as it is kind to the planet, I will keep using them."
Devote an Hour to Meal Prep
Even an hour can set you up for success for the week ahead, she says, revealing that on Sundays, she preps veggies for the week. "And then when we come to cook in the evening, we can just throw the veg in the wok and cook a one pan meal adding whatever protein sauce we choose for that day. On the days I'm at home, I only prep my dinner. Even prepping just one meal ahead will give you the benefits of meal prepping. I promise on days I am going out, I will prep food to take for the day."
Eat Nutrient-Dense Foods
She makes sure to eat nutrient-dense foods. "I also focus on eating colorful and less processed foods," she says. This includes "eating plenty of vegetables and eating balanced meals, meaning that they contain fats, carbs, and proteins that we talked about, and making sure I get plenty of fiber."
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Keep It Simple
"I eat quite simply. I tend to make meals from foods I like rather than follow recipes," she adds. "I will eat the same things most days but always add diversity with my vegetables, pulses, and beans. I try to avoid highly processed foods as they are addictive." She adds: "I also like to eat five or six times a day rather than eat the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
Hydrate in the Morning
Her morning routine starts with water. "I always start my day with a pint of warm water, warm. I aim to drink at least eight points of water a day. Drinking plenty of water has so many health benefits and it helps suppress hunger too. A good tip is to drink a glass of water before every meal," she says.
Mobility Exercises
"I then do a few mobility exercises to start the day. I like to have a morning routine and these simple acts soon turn into habits," she says.
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Coffee
Now it's time for coffee. "I make a pot of coffee and have a black coffee whilst checking emails before getting in the shower and getting ready for the day. When I drink a cup of coffee, I have a pint of water chaser to rehydrate me," she explains.
Meal 1: Protein-Packed Breakfast
Breakfast is Rae's favorite meal of the day, and she packs it with protein. "I like to cook chocolate porridge with porridge, oats, and chocolate protein powder. I use water and cook them in the microwave. I like my oats quite thick. For a while, I was eating a plant-based diet, but I have now added some dairy back in, and here I am using whey protein," she says.
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Intermittent Fasting
She is also a fan of intermittent fasting. "I have been doing intermittent fasting for three years now. Intermittent fasting is not a diet. It is an eating pattern. It doesn't restrict you in how much you should be eating, but it does restrict you in when you should be eating," she explains. "It's harder to overeat if all your daily calories are crammed into an eight-hour window than if you spread them out over 15 to 16 hours. I am happy to drink black coffee whilst I'm in my fasting window, but I wouldn't add milk at the moment. I start my eating window at 11:00 AM, and then I eat all my calories for eight consecutive hours, so my eating window ends at 7:00 PM."
Meal 2: Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter and Protein Shake
Then it is time for a second meal. "My second meal of the day is rice cakes with peanut butter and a protein shake with almond milk using pea protein powder," she says.
Meal 3: Pita with Lentils, Hummus, and Veggies
For her third meal, she filled pita bread with poi lentils, hummus, blueberries, cucumber, and spring onions. "I really like these pita breads because they don't have added sugar. Some pitas do have added sugar, so check the ingredients before you buy."
Snack: Greek Yogurt
"I will then have a snack. I have a sweet tooth, but because I find highly processed foods like cakes and biscuits addictive, I have found an alternative Greek yogurt with banana and toffee flavoring. It reminds me of a banoffee pie," she says. "I have a 250-gram portion of yogurt, which is half the tub, and with the other half, I add chia seeds to have later in the day or the next day."
Other Healthy Snacks
She has some other snack suggestions. "Other good healthy snacks that are quite sweet and that I enjoy are sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes."
Meal 4: Stir Fry
"I use a one-pound method to cook dinner, starting with some frozen veggies," she says. "Doing this means I don't need to use any oil, and then I add the prepared veg and some pink Himalayan salt, put on the lid, and let them cook for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly," she says. "Adding plenty of fiber into your diet is so important, and I try to be diverse in my choice of vegetables and legumes, and I eat both cooked and raw vegetables. For our protein source, we use tofu tempeh or textured soya protein."
Yogurt Post Dinner
Post dinner, she may have more protein. If I'm still hungry after dinner, I will have the Greek yogurt I made earlier in the day with chia seeds.
Meal 5: Dark Chocolate
"The last thing I will eat is a piece or two of dark chocolate," she says. "I love chocolate and switched to dark chocolate as I don't find it addictive, so I can eat just a small amount at one time. It may take a while to get used to the taste, but it is worth it. If you struggle with overeating chocolate, I will always check the first ingredient is cocoa mass or cocoa solids and not sugar."
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Not All Processed Foods Are Bad
"It is worth mentioning here that although whole foods are obviously good for us, that doesn't mean processed foods are bad for us. Technically speaking, if a food is transformed in any way, it's considered processed. Just steaming vegetables makes them processed," Rae concludes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
