Health
5 Simple, Fad-Free Ways to Lose Fat After 50 (without dieting)
Written by
December 30, 2021
Red wine dieting. Cabbage soup dieting. Salt dieting.
We’ve heard it all at this point: The endless stream of “never seen before” tips and tricks for dropping seven pounds in just seven days!
And by the end of day 7, you’re two pounds heavier than when you started because—spoiler!—these so-called “diets” are, in fact, fads. Meaning, they don’t work. They never will. And if they do happen to work, they’re just not sustainable.
In other words, you’ll be right back where you started (or worse) once the willpower and motivation have evaporated into thin air.
So here you are—exhausted, hopeless, and downright frustrated in this near-impossible pursuit to drop those extra pounds that won’t leave no matter how hard you try…
Well, I have some promising news for you: There’s a better (and much healthier) way to lose weight. Five simple, science-backed ways that will melt the fat right off. Read on to find out what they are.
Table Of Contents
The Downfall of Dieting
You know the tried and true breakup scene in romantic comedies? The one that starts out with, “It’s not you, it’s me.”
That’s the not-so-romantic thing about failed diets: It’s the diet's fault, not yours.
I want you to grasp this fact and never let it go. Your attempts to lose weight are not your fault. At the end of the day, it comes down to the diet program, the lack of food, and the lack of sustainability—who can actually live off cabbage soup for the rest of their life?
In fact, based on the findings from 31 long-term studies, people would be “better off not going on a diet at all. Their weight would be pretty much the same, and their bodies wouldn’t suffer the wear and tear from losing weight and gaining it all back” (1).
You see, traditional dieting is restrictive. It restricts calories, food, and even the time at which you eat. Which ends up triggering overeating (and then guilt and shame). Sure, it may work in the beginning, but the fat is bound to bounce back.
In fact, people that diet usually lose 5 to 10% of their starting weight in the first six months. But then, as time goes on, the majority of those people pack on more weight than they started with. One study revealed that 50% of dieters weighed 11 pounds more than their pre-diet weight five years earlier (1).
This endless cycle of gaining and losing weight is referred to as yo-yo dieting. Which is linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and altered immune function (2, 3).
So, what’s the healthier way to lose fat—and more importantly—keep it off?
5 Fad-Free, Science-Backed Ways to Lose Weight
I got to chat with Doctor of Physical Therapy and Senior Wellness Expert, Dr. Chad Walding, about how women over 50 can reduce their body fat. He revealed 5 simple, science-backed tips—and you’ll never guess what they are!
1. Eat Your Breakfast (the right way)
Pop quiz…
What does your breakfast consist of?
◻ Protein
◻ Carbs
◻ Fat
If you answered protein and fat, you’re on the right track.
If you answered carbohydrates, then this may be why your belly fat is holding on for dear life.
You see, when you start your day off with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast (think: juice, toast, cereal), your body immediately breaks those carbs down into simple sugars (i.e. glucose). And in order to keep sugar levels at bay, your pancreas has to pump out a hormone called insulin.
So instead of starting your day as a fat burner, you’re starting your day off as a sugar burner and fat storer. Whatsmore, you’re likely to crash by mid-morning, too.
Don’t get me wrong, the right carbohydrates (like fruits, vegetables, and nuts) are important for your health. They’re full of fiber and are used as a source of energy for your brain, central nervous system, and red blood cells (4).
However, when you consume too many carbs (or start your day out with carbs), there’s an excess of sugar that has nowhere to go. Thus, it’s converted into body fat.
So, how should you start off your morning?
The simplest way: Add some protein and fat to your coffee.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to put a tablespoon of butter in your coffee to reap the benefits. Instead, add a scoop of collagen coffee creamer. It’s packed with coconut-derived MCTs (your healthy fat) and grass-fed collagen (your protein).
By making this one simple lifestyle change, you’re helping to alleviate sugar cravings throughout the day.
ou like your coffee black and creamer-free, try out these delicious breakfasts instead.
2. Sleep for Fat Loss
Did you know that your sleeping habits determine how much fat you have?
One study including 245 women found that those who got at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep increased their likelihood of successful weight loss by 33% (5).
Another study evaluated the body fat of those who slept either 5.5 hours or 8.5 hours per night. Results showed that those who slept only 5.5 hours lost 55% less body fat and 60% more fat-free mass; while also experiencing less-than-ideal changes in their metabolism and energy.
These findings all point to one thing: Sleep deprivation absolutely wrecks your metabolism.
When you’re not getting enough sleep, your pleasure and pain receptors are activated, leading to a heightened drive to consume food. Whatsmore, the hormones linked to food intake are altered…
- Leptin levels decrease (resulting in uncontrolled food intake)
- Ghrelin increases (triggering hunger)
- Cortisol levels increase (increasing sugar in the bloodstream)
- Glucose homeostasis is disrupted (resulting in diabetes)
- The orexin system is activated (arousing food cravings)
Each of these disruptions affects the control of appetite and may compromise your ability to lose fat.
NativeTip: Sleep at least 7 hours (uninterrupted!) each night in a pitch-black room. To ensure you’re removing all light sources, try adding blackout curtains or a sleeping mask to your nighttime ritual.
Have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Help yourself snooze with Collagen PM—a sleepytime supplement with collagen, melatonin, GABA, magnesium, and L-theanine.
3. Drink (More) Water
Your body is approximately 60% water (6).
So what should you do?
Drink half your body weight in ounces of water, daily.
So, if you weigh 130 pounds, you should consume 65 ounces of water each day. Now let me be clear: That’s 65 ounces of water. Not coffee, milk, or juice. Just plain ole filtered water (feel free to add a little flavor though).
This one simple lifestyle change will help stimulate digestion, replace other problematic liquids like milk or soda, and fix your cravings (7).
When you’re craving something, it typically means that you’re thirsty, not hungry. Your body is craving water all the time—remember, it’s 60 water!
So, whenever you find yourself heading to the fridge or pantry for a snack, stop and drink some water first. More often than not, you’ll notice that you were, in fact, thirsty and not hungry.
NativeTip: Add peach collagen or wild berry collagen to switch up your water intake.
4. Collagen for Weight Loss
In the first tip, we talked about how protein and fat can aid in fat loss.
But did you know that there’s a certain protein that enhances fat loss even more?
That certain protein: Collagen.
Collagen is something that your body naturally produces on its own, however, with age, it begins to decline—leaving you with just half of what you started with by the time you reach 50 years of age.
In one 2019 study, 90 healthy volunteers were given 2 grams of collagen peptides or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Those supplementing with collagen saw a significant decrease in body fat—without even having to change dietary or exercise habits (8).
Thus, when combined with exercise and a healthy diet free of processed food, artificial sweeteners, sugar, gluten, and dairy, the effect of collagen peptides on weight loss can be much greater.
To get the best results, check out this article: This Is How Much Collagen You Need Each Day to Experience Profound Results
5. Try a Reset
If you’re a by-the-book type of person, then a 30-day reset may be the thing for you.
Here at NativePath, we’ve had hundreds of men and women go through our NativeBody Reset Program. By signing up, you’ll be well-equipped with the tools and resources needed to melt the fat right off. You’ll receive daily emails in your inbox—each filled with health tips, inspiration, and supplement advice that’ll help you along in your weight-loss journey.
Here are just a few of the radical health transformations we’ve seen…
63-year-old Ann R. refused the “pound-creep” as she calls it, losing 15 pounds and 6 inches (in just 3.5 months!).
Calling himself a “chubby lad”, Charby refused the blood pressure and cholesterol medications that his doctor recommended and instead, chose a healthier lifestyle. By 30 years of age, he went from 209 pounds to 152 pounds. With over 60 pounds lost, he gained clear skin, less anxiety, no snoring, increased libido, and greater confidence.
With a starting weight of 230 pounds, Janine lost 15 pounds in just 30 days. She attributes her success to “ceasing sugar and carbs [and] eating meat with veggies cooked in butter or coconut oil.”
She continues, “Basically everything we’ve been taught about eating, low fat, breads, no salt...is upside down.”
After the sudden death of Dan’s wife of 37 years, he made a prompt lifestyle change. He was not going to let diet-related causes take his life like they had his wife. At 56, Dan weighed in at 340 pounds and suffered from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, a heart condition, and a gallbladder problem.
In just 2.5 years, he lost 158 pounds and went from a 52-inch waist and size 4X shirt to a 32-inch waist and size medium shirt. The best part: He did all of this without the use of pills, doctors, dieting, exercising, or calorie counting.
Are YOU ready to take that next step so that you can experience results like Ann, Charby, Janine, and Dan? Click the banner below to join.
The Bottom Line
Rather than falling prey to the over-used phrase, “I’m on a diet”, think of it as, “I’m upgrading my lifestyle.”
Because if you want to keep the belly fat off, it all comes down to your lifestyle…
What types of foods are you eating in the morning? What fats do you consume—are they healthy fats like coconut oil or olive oil or are they unhealthy fats like canola oil or sunflower oil? How much sleep are you getting each night? And more importantly—is it quality, or are you tossing and turning all night long?
The answers to these questions represent your lifestyle. If changes aren’t made and healthy habits aren’t formed, you’ll continue to be caught up in an endless cycle of low energy, lousy libido, depression, yo-yo dieting, and more.
I encourage you to grab a Post-It note or a piece of paper, write these 5 tips down, and stick it on your bathroom mirror. You’ll see it every morning and every night—reminding you just how simple it is to be healthy.
If you want daily support, encouragement, and accountability, join our Private Facebook Group. This is the community you never knew you were missing.
Article by
Caroline Nicks
Article by
Caroline Nicks
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Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Chad Walding nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.
